Episode 1: Introduction to the Series, Patriarchs, Exodus, Overview of Conquest, Lachish, Be’er Sheva (Beersheba)
Episode 2: Arad, Dead Sea, Sodom & Gomorrah, Masada
Episode 3: King David, Khirbet Qeiyafa (David & Goliath & the Valley of Elah), Ein Gedi, Qumran, Dead Sea Scrolls
Episode 1: Arrival in Jerusalem, 2-min. History of Israel, conquest sites, Jericho, and Hazor
Episode 2: Samaria, Shechem, and Shiloh
Episode 3: Jezreel, Meggido, and Tel Dan
Episode 1: Transition to New Testament, Prophecies of the Messiah, and Bethlehem (including the Church of Nativity, Shepherds Field, and the Star of Bethlehem)
Episode 2: Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, Jesus’ Boat, Capernaum, the House of Peter, Synagogue at Capernaum, and Tabgha
Episode 3: Caesarea Philippi and Caesarea Maritima
Episode 1: Mount Moriah, Temple Mount, Al Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock
Episode 2: City of David, Pool of Siloam, Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemane
Episode 3: Prophecies, Caiaphas, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and much more!
Introduction, Christopher Columbus, the Khan-Polo Connection, Florence, Setting Sail in Spain, Amerigo Vespucci
Driving to Scrooby, The Separatists, The Pilgrims in Holland, The Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, The First Thanksgiving
Boston's heritage, war brewing, the old north church, Lexington & Concord, battle of Bunker Hull, Dorchester Heights Patriots and the freedom trail.
George Whitefield, The Freedom Trail, Granary burial ground, Old State House, Faneuil Hall, US Constitution
William Penn, Pennsbury Manor, Henry Muhlenberg, Christ Church, Jacob Duche, Betsy Ross
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Ben Franklin, The Declaration house, Carpenter's Hall, The liberty bell, Independence Hall.
Philadelphia, Thaddeus Kosciusko, Germantown, Benjamin Chew House, Fort Mifflin, Valley Forge
The Jamestown Colony, Pocahontas, Peter Mulenberg, Colonial Williamsburg, The Battle of Yorktown
Mount Vernon, Slavery in Colonial America, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, James Madison’s Montpelier, Dolly Madison
Battle Hill, The Battle of Long Island, Hessian Huts, Morris Manson, Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, Lombardi’s Pizzeria, Fort Washington
Wall Street, Federal Hall, New York Stock Exchange, St. Paul’s Chapel, The Battle of Saratoga, Benedict Arnold, West Point
Crossing the Delaware, The Battle of Trenton, John Witherspoon, Princeton, Morristown, Battle of Monmouth
Episode 1: Lost in Rome, the Forum & Palatine Hill, the Emperors during the time of Christ, the Arch of Titus and the destruction of Jerusalem.
Episode 2: The Circus Maximus, chariot racing, the great fire of Rome, Nero’s persecution of Christians and the Roman Pantheon.
Episode 3: Hannibal invades Rome, the Colosseum, the Gladiators and the early Christian influence.
Episode 4: The Greeks, The Oracle at Delphi, The Olympics, Paul and Alexander the Great.
Episode 5: Lost in Athens, Acropolis and Parthenon, The Philosophers, The Life of Paul, Mars Hill, Missionary Journeys.
Episode 6: Paul in Corinth, Corinthian Disobedience, Corinth Canal, New Testament Evidence.
Episode 7: Churches of Revelation, Dave’s sweet ride, Ancient Sardis & Smyrna, Darius’ Royal Road, Martyrdom of Polycarp.
Episode 8: Hieropolis, Camel bite, Christians in Laodicea, Colossae, Paul’s Letters to Philemon and the Colossians.
Episode 9: Ancient Ephesus and the Apostle Paul, Letter to the Ephesians, Roman Ruins, Library of Celsus, Artemis Temple, Ephesus riot of Acts 19.
Episode 10: The Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia, Hittites and King David, The Underground Cities.
Episode 11: Istanbul’s History, Emperor Constantine’s Conversion, Edict of Milan, Nicene Creed, Fall of Constantinople, Shopping in the Bazaar, Hagia Sofia
Episode 12: Best of Drive Thru History, Bloopers, Western Civilization Comes To America.
We open in Jerusalem and discuss the impact of Jesus over the last 2,000 years. Explore the set-up for the arrival of Jesus in the context of Jewish and Roman history.
We stay in Nazareth and investigate the Annunciation, where the Angel Gabriel delivered very special news to a virgin girl named Mary. We explore the concepts of angels, miracles, and the importance of the Virgin Birth.
We visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and take a look at the accounts of Jesus' birth. We examine the birthplace of Jesus and the accounts of shepherds in the fields nearby. We explore the journey of the "Wise Men" from the East, known as Magi, and the Star of Bethlehem that summoned them. We investigate the date for Jesus' birth and the importance of Christmas traditions throughout the centuries.
We delve into the world of Herod the Great at the time of Jesus' birth. We examine the "slaughter of the innocents" in Judea. We visit a number of awesome archaeological sites in Israel built by Herod, including the massive Herodium about seven miles south of Jerusalem. We learn about the escape of Joseph, Mary and Jesus to Egypt until Herod's death. We travel to Jesus' hometown of Nazareth where he later grew up.
We start with the world of Jesus' youth after the death of Herod the Great. We delve into the Roman occupation and its impact on the Jewish people. We learn about John the Baptizer and his ministry of repentance in the wilderness. We experience the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River and his testing in the Judean desert shortly thereafter.
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to his hometown of Nazareth, where his own people ultimately rejected him. We travel with Jesus to the Sea of Galilee, where he later settled in Capernaum. We explore the ruins of the synagogue and the house of Peter at Capernaum, and we walk the shores of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus called fishermen to be his first disciples.
Visit Chorazin another location in Jesus' ministry and examine Cana the sight of Jesus' first miracle.
Travel to Samaria and learn about the history of the Samaritans and of the woman at the well.
We visit the hillsides of Galilee and hear Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Mount. We walk the Mount of the Beatitudes and explore many of Jesus' radically new teachings. We learn about salted fish at Magdala and Roman roads at Hippos. We delve into Jesus' use of parables, including many of the most famous delivered by Jesus during his ministry.
Jesus chose twelve apostles from his group of followers. Spend time on the Sea of Galilee and see Jesus calm the waves as he traveled the ancient harbors.
Travel to Caesarea Philippi where Jesus started to wrap-up his public ministry. Also, witness a mountaintop miracle known as the Transfiguration.
On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus spent time with children and confronted a rich young ruler. Visit Bethany and experience the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
Jesus visited Jericho on his final approach to Jerusalem. Experience the accounts of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, and Zacchaeus, the tax collector.
Experience the Last Supper between Jesus and his closest followers.
See the the events that lea up to the trial of Jesus. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was betrayed by Judas and arrested by the Jewish authorities.
Experience the horrible torture of Jesus and his agonizing execution just outside the walls of Jerusalem and examine the nature of crucifixion and the importance of Jesus’ death.
Share in the excitement of an empty tomb three days after Jesus’ death, visiting Jerusalem to investigate the accounts of the Resurrection. Explore the Jewish and Roman responses to such a miraculous event.
We finish with the four faces of the Gospels, the different biographical perspectives on the life of Jesus. We reexamine the Messianic prophecies and visit Qumran in the context of the Dead Sea Scrolls. What is the legacy of Jesus’ followers? What is the summary of the “Good News” of the Gospel accounts? Dave gets personal and ties it all together.
Dave reintroduces us to the Apostles, who were living in Jerusalem after the remarkable events surrounding the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. On Pentecost, the Apostles experienced something truly special, when the Holy Spirit empowered them to start sharing the Gospel. After Peter’s first sermon, the church was launched in dramatic fashion when 3,000 Jews became followers of Jesus. These first followers were known as “The Way,” a movement that began spreading in homes throughout Jerusalem. Boldly, the Apostles went to the Temple grounds each day to preach the Good News of Jesus.
The church continued to grow in Jerusalem and the Apostles continued preaching at Solomon’s Colonnade on the Temple Mount. Peter and John healed a crippled man and were imprisoned by the authorities because they were perceived as a growing threat to the religious establishment. However, after Peter and John miraculously escaped, they continued to perform miracles in the name of Jesus, and crowds continued to come from nearby towns all around Jerusalem. As the movement grew, the religious leaders finally took a stand against a courageous deacon named Stephen. In the end, they killed Stephen for his adherence to the Gospel, and he became the first martyr for his faith in Jesus Christ.
Dave travels to a number of sites outside Jerusalem to share accounts of the Gospel being preached in Samaria, Judea, and beyond. We follow Philip to the Samaritan city of Sebaste, where he confronted a sorcerer, and the Roman Road to Gaza, where he baptized an Ethiopian court official. We then travel with Peter through the Judean town of Lydda, where he healed Aeneas, and the port city of Joppa, where he healed Tabitha and lived with a tanner named Simon. Dave ends in Caesarea, where Peter shared the Gospel with a Roman centurion named Cornelius, and his entire household became the first Gentile followers of Jesus Christ.
Dave introduces us to Saul and we visit his hometown of Tarsus in present-day Turkey. We travel a segment of the Road to Damascus and experience Saul’s supernatural encounter with Jesus. Dave climbs Mount Bental in the Golan Heights of Israel to get a glimpse of Syria, while examining the dramatic transformation of Saul the persecutor to Paul the Apostle. Dave ends in Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to explore the life and legacy of Herod Agrippa and his persecution of the early church in Judea.
Followers of Jesus started congregating in Syrian Antioch, about 300 miles north of Jerusalem. There, the church grew quickly among the Jews and Gentiles. Dave travels to modern-day Antakya, Turkey, and the ancient church known as “St. Peter’s Cave,” to explore the Biblical accounts. Ultimately, the church at Antioch chose Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark to lead the first missionary journey deeper into the Roman Empire. Dave jets from Antioch to the incredible island of Cyprus – the first stop for Paul and his team. Leaving room for fun, Dave drives the entire island, from Salamis to Paphos, investigating the events described in the Book of Acts.
In this episode, Dave continues traveling the route of Paul’s first missionary journey, sailing north from Cyprus to the coast of Asia Minor. Dave visits the Biblical sites of Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, where Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel, healed the sick, and faced dramatic challenges. While experiencing the food and fun of the Turkish culture, Dave journeys to other ancient sites in Turkey that help explain the early growth of Christianity in the region, despite severe persecution.
Paul and Barnabas returned to Syrian Antioch, where they spent a considerable period of time strengthening the church there. After a number of months, they traveled to Jerusalem for a special meeting of church leaders. James and the Jerusalem Council ultimately decided that Gentile believers were not required to follow the Mosaic Law, but should abstain from immoral acts practiced throughout the Roman Empire. After returning to Antioch, Paul and Silas left on a second missionary journey. This three-year trek started in Galatia, where Paul revisited the churches he previously launched in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch.
Paul and his team continued their missionary journey through Macedonia in present-day Greece. After crossing the Aegean Sea, they landed at Neapolis and traveled to nearby Philippi. Dave visits the ancient ruins of Philippi and investigates the Biblical accounts that happened there. Dave then takes a road trip to ancient Thessalonica, where Paul and his team preached the Gospel, but were ultimately run out of town by a violent mob. Despite growing persecution, the church continued to grow throughout the Roman Empire.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy escaped Thessalonica and set-up shop in the remote city of Berea, where they preached the Gospel. Once again, the mobs got violent, and Paul was sent ahead to Athens for his safety. Dave takes a 300-mile road trip from Berea to Athens in present-day Greece, visiting ancient sites such as Mount Olympus and Thermopylae along the way. In the epic city of Athens, Dave investigates the accounts of Paul, including his work as a tentmaker in the Agora and his peaching of the Gospel at the Areopagus.
After a short time in Athens, Paul hit the road again. His next stop was Corinth, the capital city of Achaia Province. Corinth was a pretty immoral place, filled with pagan temples and idols. Dave explores the accounts of Paul working and teaching in the city, investigating a number of artifacts that support the Biblical record. Although the Corinthian Jews brought charges against Paul, the proconsul of the region ruled in his favor, and Paul was able to preach in peace. He spent a year and a half in Corinth before leaving the city and retuning to Antioch, thus ending his second missionary journey through the Roman Empire.
After spending time in Syrian Antioch, Paul left once more to travel the Roman Empire and share the Gospel message. Paul’s third missionary journey took him back through Tarsus, Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch. He visited churches and friends throughout the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples as he went. Ultimately, Paul arrived at the incredible city of Ephesus. Dave travels to Ephesus in present-day Turkey to share the accounts of Paul among the ruins and artifacts at this well-preserved site. After more than two years in Ephesus, Paul finally left and completed his missionary journey through Macedonia and Greece.
Despite the warnings, Paul’s heart was to return to Jerusalem one last time. While there, the Jewish leaders brought false charges against him and a riot broke out. The Roman legion stationed near the Jerusalem temple saved Paul from the mobs and sent him to Caesarea Maritima to face the Roman governor. Dave makes the trip from Jerusalem to Caesarea and investigates the incredible harbor, ruins, and artifacts there. This is where Paul was under house arrest for two years until he was finally sent to Rome to face the Roman Emperor himself.
After two years of house arrest in Caesarea, Paul was finally sent to Rome to stand trial before the emperor. Under the supervision of a centurion named Julius, Paul and the other passengers endured a perilous journey at sea, ultimately being shipwrecked on the Island of Malta. Dave explores ancient Malta and investigates Luke’s account of the shipwreck, the Maltese people, and Paul’s ministry on the island. After three-months, Julius arranged for another ship to finally get Paul to Italy.
After three months on Malta, Paul finally arrived in Rome, where Julius turned him over to the Emperor’s Praetorian Guard. Dave travels the Appian Way to the Eternal City to investigate Paul’s two years of ministry there while under house arrest. Dave also enjoys some pizza while exploring ancient ruins such as the Pantheon and the Roman Forum. The Apostle Peter also ended up in Rome later in his life, where he wrote his letters and acted as the source for Mark’s gospel. Dave goes to the Trastevere section of Rome to examine Peter’s final years.
Persecution was heating up for the Christians in Rome and throughout the entire Mediterranean region. The Book of Acts ended with Paul awaiting his trial before the Roman Emperor. Dave stays in Rome to investigate Nero’s burning of the city in 64 AD. He also explores the final days of Paul and Peter and their ultimate deaths for the Christian faith. Dave visits some of the most famous churches in Rome, which honor the legacies of these two important leaders. Despite Christianity being illegal, Christianity spread in Rome, especially in the homes of wealthy Romans. Dave visits a church built over one of the oldest house churches ever discovered.
The most famous exile to be banished to Patmos was the Apostle John, a personal disciple of Jesus and the writer of one of the four Gospels. Dave travels by sea to the incredible Greek island to investigate the story of John and his impact on the New Testament. Dave visits the Cave of the Apocalypse, the traditional site for John’s writing of Revelation. He also drives to the highest point of the island to explore the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, where a variety of manuscripts and artifacts are housed.
Dave travels to the ancient province of Asia Minor, which is now part of present-day Turkey. There, he continues his investigation of the Apostle John and takes a road trip through the seven churches addressed in the Book of Revelation: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Remarkably, ruins related to each of these ancient cities still exist nearly 2,000 years later, revealing more evidence for the credibility of the New Testament scriptures.
Dave ends his road trip through Asia Minor at Laodicea and Colossae, revealing more evidence for the accuracy of Scripture that continues surfacing at archaeology sites like these. Dave then returns to the island of Malta to complete his journey through the world of the first Christians. He explores the development of the New Testament canon and the growth of Christianity over 2,000 years despite intense persecution. Dave ends the series with some personal reflections on his travels through the Roman Empire of the first century, exploring the New Testament accounts on-location, in the context of life-changing history.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, as he celebrates Father's Day.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History as he celebrates Independence Day.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History as he celebrates Labor Day.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, as he celebrates select holidays.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, as he celebrates Presidents’ Day in America.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, as he takes a special look at the history of Mother’s Day in America.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, as he celebrates Memorial Day.
Join Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, as he celebrates Martin Luther King Jr Day
Join Dave Stotts in a look at the history of Valentine's Day.