Holy Land Research Institute

On this Day of Rosh Hashanna, 9/21/17, We look forward to the coming year.                        

 A fter thirty five years of doing research in the Holy Land, and always mixing Archaeology with Biblical teaching;  it is with answered prayer that the Holy Land Research Institute is being birthed. It is our Mission Statement to inform our supporters of the latest discoveries in Biblical Archaeology, using the evidence to share the Good News;  all while restoring the ancient Church of the Transfiguration, and the lost Christian Heritage on Mount Hermon, Israel.  This Church Restoration Project is the dream of Teresina Nacli; not only to re-establish the Christian Heritage among the Druzes of her native home land on Mount Hermon, but also to share her families legacy:  of supporting peace for all peoples, through faith in the Prince of Peace. It has taken Teresina over twenty-five years to clear up the  paperwork nightmare created from the annexation of the Golan Heights after the 1967 war between Syria and Israel. She had to settle for a fraction of her families lands; but now is ready to restore this late Ancient Church, built approximately one thousand years ago by the  Orthodox Church to memorialize the Transfiguration of Christ, which took place nearby on the infamous ‘Road to Damascus’.  Architectural Plans have been prepared, and blessings granted by the Major of Majdal Shams.

 You may ask, “How on Earth did Brother Thomas get enlisted into this monumental project”? As fate would have it, my old friend and Religious Scholar, Dr. Hurtak, turns out to be Teresina’s Pastor. He knew of my research on Mount Hermon, and the Transfiguration that I completed in 1993 while attending the Institute of Holy Land Studies, (now, Jerusalem University), and my eight years on staff at Trinity Southwest University, deeply involved in the City of Sodom excavation, it’s promotions, and cultural affairs in Jordan. Next thing you know…Brother Thomas becomes the Project Manager and Resident Archaeologist for this exciting project. No doubt, only our God could connect those dots! 

 This project, as well as other Archaeological opportunities in the Holy Land have made it necessary for me to expand my country-boy ministry, and give it a new stature, a new name, and a new emphasis; to dig even deeper into the Bibles historical truths attempting to quell the secular worlds total dismissal of Biblical verification, while inspiring Biblical studies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      In Future DIGGING DEEPER Periodicals and Updates, we’ll explore existing scholarship concerning currently excepted, and memorialized traditional locations of Biblical sites; including Mount Sinai, the Temple Mount, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Red Sea Crossing, The City of David, and the Empty Tomb, as well as Biblical personalities like Abraham and the Patriarchs, Noah, the Nephilim, King David, Moses, and the Hebrews, to mention a few. 

 Also in DIGGING DEEPER will be the updates for the progress on the Church of the Transfiguration Restoration Project and our community outreach to the Druzes population on Mount Hermon. This project not only restores an old church and re-establishes the Christian Heritage of the Golan Heights, but it will provide the space for a Community Playground and Donation Center, as well as a future Medical Clinic, Academy, and Retreat. It seems impossible that the Druzes were forgotten by the Church for nearly a hundred years, but when the local Christians were driven out by Jihadists after WWI, and the territory became the southern portion of the Nation of Syria; not even the Marianites returned. The Orthodox Church lost their roots in the Druzes region on Mount Hermon and had to seek other places to serve. The Christian Druzes reluctantly migrated to Europe and the America’s. Today, the Druzes that remain in Israel, proudly serve in the Israeli Defense Forces and enjoy the benefits of full citizenship. It is time to bring Peace, of the Prince of Peace, back to these incredibly strong and resilient people on Mount Hermon.  

We are humbled by this calling and the accountability it demands, and promise to be reliable, honest, and faithful to this Mission…not collecting treasures of this world, but treasures in Heaven, for the Kingdom of God and His Children. 

 May the Lord bless you for your prayers, your fellowship, and your support. 

 Rev. Thomas Winder

 Executive Director         

 Mt: 16:18.  “…upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”.

 PS 34: 3.  O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.