Welcome to Biblical Israel Ministries & Tours

Shalom! Thank you so much for visiting our web site. We are so very humbled to be able to share our ministry and unique teaching / tours with you! We are an evangelical / Bible-based non-profit ministry that is dedicated and committed to offering two primary things:

We offer unique, in-depth, “non-touristy,” and highly biblical tours to Israel (& other lands of the Bible)

We offer unique & life-transforming biblical teaching that focuses upon learning the Bible in the context of the land of Israel.

** UPDATE ON TRAVEL: We have now resumed our Israel trips! Our recent March, May,June & Sept 2024 trips went very well! We anticipate all our 2024 & 2025 trips to happen!

** A BIMT STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL & CONDEMNATION OF ANTISEMITISM: Go HERE to read this “Statement” Go HERE to watch a personal 10 minute video from Director Dr. John DeLancey (on our Youtube Channel)

QUICK LINKS:

- Go HERE for Upcoming Israel tours in 2025-2026 led by Dr. John DeLancey.
- Go HERE to follow our last Israel-Jordan Trip (September, 2024)
- Go HERE to see our latest Greece Trip (July, 2024).
- Go HERE to download our free new BIMT iPhone/iPAd app! Go HERE for Google/Android.
- Go HERE to watch (& subscribe to) our teaching videos on our YouTube Channel (we have 29K subscribers!)
- Go HERE if would like to have one of our “Bringing the Bible to Life” (BBL) or our new “Life of Christ in Context” seminars in your church.
- Go HERE to check out our resources page (e.g. drone video, books, topography maps). Also, new “Biblical Backgrounds” resources for those traveling to Israel and/or Greece.
- Go HERE to register for our on-line video courses at The Institute of Biblical Israel. For an overview, go HERE.
- Dr. John DeLancey’s email: Drjohn@biblicalisraeltours.com. Phone number: 412-999-5697 (BIMT Address: PO Box 220, Sugar Grove, PA 16350)

Personal Greeting from Dr. John DeLancey

Watch, listen, and enjoy a personal greeting from Israel from Dr. John DeLancey, Director of BIMT. This brief three minute greeting was recently recorded at the lower level of the northern palace of Herod the Great at Masada (Hebrew metzada, or “fortress” – Psalm 18:1-2).

We hope this word of greeting gives you a good sense of the types of Israel trips and the in-depth teaching we offer. We love unfolding the context of the Bible for you in a way that brings the Bible alive! Thanks and blessings for visiting us today! We are so very thankful for the opportunity to share our ministry and personal friendship with you We are here to serve and help you grow in your understand of God’s Word “in context” and to inspire your faith walk with Christ!

As stated above, we have now resumed ALL our Israel trips! Israel is safe for traveling. We already have made three Israel trips since the war (October 7th). So are the other biblical lands of the Bible (i.e. Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy).

To date, Dr. John has led 89 Israel tours in addition to his one year of study as an archaeology and historical geography student at JUC in Jerusalem in 1981-82. He has also led 16 individual Greece & Turkey trips, and countless other trip extensions to Jordan and Egypt. He has excavated at 8 archaeological sites in Israel to date. He brings his passion, experience and expertise to every trip he leads.

We welcome you to join Dr. John for a life-changing BIMT study tour to Israel and other biblical lands! Not only will the Bible come to life in amazing ways, but your walk of faith and discipleship will be inspired to a new level!

Learn About Us

"Life-transforming Israel tours & teaching in the context of the land of the Bible"

Join an Israel Tour

Biblical Israel Ministries & Tours (BIMT) offers some of the most unique Christian Israel tours on the market. What sets us apart are the many more biblical sites (vs. “traditional” sites & churches) we visit (many are off-the-beaten-path sites that other groups don’t go), the in-depth biblical teaching Dr. DeLancey offers at each site, and the spiritual formational / discipleship lessons we encounter on the way. We also uniquely include optional hikes into each Israel program, allowing you to experience “walking the land” firsthand. We also take time for reflection and worship. Gleaning from Dr. DeLancey’s unique itineraries and his vast experience and expertise sets each of our tours apart from average “touristy tour!” We aim to offer the best evangelically-based biblical tour in the market! So as God leads, we warmly welcome you on one of our trips! Go HERE if you are interested in any of our upcoming Israel tours.

“I feel so blessed that the Lord led me to Biblical Israel Ministries and Tours while looking for a guide for my first trip to Israel. I have dreamed of visiting the land of the Bible for over twenty years and wanted to go with someone who is passionate about God’s Word, well trained in the areas of archeology and geography, and committed to the spiritual growth of those they lead. Dr. John Delancey checks all of the boxes. With his extensive knowledge of the Bible and the land, his obvious interest and experience in archeology, and his pastor’s heart, Dr. John led our group on a trip that was both incredibly informative and deeply life changing. The Lord used my time in Israel to deepen my love for and understanding of His Word, and to minister to my soul in ways I did not expect. If you are considering a trip to the land of the Bible, I highly recommend Dr. Delancey and Biblical Israel Ministries and Tours!” Pastor Chris (June 2022, ME)

Life Impact

Every Israel trip is the ultimate discipleship program that will help you go deeper and grow stronger in your spiritual walk with God! Your excitement for reading God’s Word will reach new heights and your heart will be touched beyond imagination! Simply put, a trip to Israel is a lifetime investment in your “faith journey.”

Learn More

Host a “BBL” Seminar for your church!

One way for us to bring “Israel” to churches around the country is through our “Bringing the Bible to Life” (BBL) seminars! This seminar includes about 7.5 hours of unique biblical teaching. Our aim is to bring the Bible to life through the teaching of the physical settings of the Bible. We do this through teaching biblical archaeology, historical geography, the Hebraic background of the life & ministry of Jesus, and the customs & culture of the Bible. NEW: We are now offering a second weekend seminar: “The Life of Christ in Context.” Ask Dr. John for further details!

A Discipleship Encounter

The BBL seminar includes seven power point presentations, aerial / drone videos and footage, and detailed teaching that will help you “connect the dots” between the many stories from the Bible and the land. Specifically, the Bible will be opened in “3-D color,” including the history and stories of the OT to the life of Jesus! While the seminar is geared towards helping you understand what we like to call the “playing board” (the “land”) of the Bible, there are also many life-lessons and spiritual formational applications to be gleaned! Other than picking up the transportation cost (airfare or mileage in a car) for Dr. DeLancey to your church or conference, and taking up a free-will offering for BIMT, there are no other costs for hosting a seminar! Go HERE to learn more about our BBL seminars. Dr. DeLancey is also available to speak to pastors’ groups and pastor/church conferences. NOTE: We are now able to offer the same BBL seminar but through the Zoom platform! This works best for churches outside of the U.S. Contact Dr. John to set this up!

Free On-line “Trip Preparation” Course

We are pleased to share Pre-trip Zoom session (about 1.5 hours) of on-line teaching to help you prepare for the your trip. This will be through the Zoom video platform. Dr. DeLancey will personally teach this class and walk you through a series of helpful trip and travel suggestions and many of the biblical connections in advance of your trip. These will be offered about 4 weeks prior to your tour. We cover trip suggestions as well as biblical connections. We want you to be prepared for a trip that is filled with countless biblical connections and heart-transforming experiences!

BBL Seminar

Meet our Director & Primary Tour Leader/Teacher

Rev. Dr. John DeLancey serves as the Director of BIMT. Dr. John studied in Jerusalem as an archaeology & historical geography student for one year (1981-82), pastored for 26 years (churches in MN & PA), excavated at 8 archaeological sites (City of David, Kh. Nysia, Abel Beit Maacah, Gezer, Gath, Tel Burnah/Libnah, Dan, and Shiloh), and to date has lead 90 Israel trips (and many dozens of these included extensions to Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Italy). He brings a unique wealth of knowledge and experience to every trip he leads. He has also led 16 separate Greece & Turkey “Footsteps of Paul” trips.

Pastor John writes his own itineraries for all his trips. They are not cookie-cutter and touristy trips like 90% + Israel tours! His passion is to teach the Bible in the context of the land of Israel and to lead people to a life-transforming faith experience! His expertise is historical geography and biblical archaeology of Israel! He will take you to places not visited by most groups. He will share up-to-date information and many biblical connections at each site. Each day will be like a “Bible study” in 3-D color, with the biblical narratives from both the OT and NT coming to life in real ways!

Dr. DeLancey is married (Sue) and they have three children and three grandchildren. They also have one golden retriever and five cats. He has enjoyed 30 years of ultra-marathon trail running, biking, and kayaking. He has authored two books: Devotional Treasures from the Holyland and Connecting the Dots Between the Bible and the Land of Israel.

“The May 2022 biblical Israel tour was everything! It’s going to take some time for this spiritual experience to sink in. There was not a single second of any moment I would have changed. Dr. John DeLancey is an amazing human being who commits his time, sharing his love and passion for Jesus Christ and the land of Israel. From caves, tunnels, hikes, off-beat paths, scripture, songs and prayer, Dr. John knew how to guide us to the sites and spiritual breakthroughs of a lifetime! I have a renewed spirit for bible reading and for the rededication of my life to Jesus Christ. Thank you.” Dana (May 2022, NJ).

About Us

12 Minute Virtual Tour of Israel

Dr. DeLancey put together this 12 minute virtual tour of Israel that takes you to many biblical sites. From Old Testament sites to locations where Jesus walked, you will get a good sense of the unique regions of the land of Israel. The tour ends in Jerusalem, Israel’s historic and biblical capital.

“Traveling to the Holy Land was a trip that truly changed my perspective. The trip brought the Bible to life for me and I better understand God’s story. As I read the Bible now in the comfort of my own home, I am able to picture the places I am reading about. It’s incredible to read stories of Jesus’ ministry and connect the dots with the places we traveled to. Dr. John DeLancey was a wonderful tour guide. He has a great knowledge of the land of Israel, archeology, and the Bible. At every site, he read a passage of scripture, explained the importance of the site, and then left our group with an applicable challenge. If you are thinking about traveling to Israel, travel with BIMT.” (Teirrah, MN, Jan 2022)