Dr. James C. Martin has an MDiv and a DMin in biblical studies. In 1980 and 1982–83 he worked on postgraduate studies in Jerusalem with Israeli scholars, focusing on the historical, cultural, and geographical context of the Bible, including archaeology and rabbinic studies. From 1983–89 he was program director and instructor at the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies, where he taught biblical studies on location throughout Israel. In 1989, Dr. Martin founded Bible World Seminars. Over the past twenty-five years he has had the opportunity to teach approximately 250 biblical overseas study programs throughout Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Greece to participants from numerous Christian colleges, seminaries, churches, and Christian organizations. He also offers seminars in the United States on the world of the Bible.

Dr. Martin and his wife, Stacey, are involved in aerial, land, museum, and nature photography and video filming throughout the Middle East and Europe, concentrating on the historical, geographical, cultural, and archaeological aspects of the Bible. Their photos appear in works such as the Tyndale Illumina Bible, the NIV Archaeological Study Bible, The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, The Zondervan Dictionary of the Bible, Halley’s Bible Handbook, The Bible in Ninety Days, A Visual Guide to Bible Events, and numerous magazines and educational resources related to the world of the Bible. For more information, contact Dr. Martin at bibleworldseminars@gmail.com.

Dr. John Beck earned his PhD in theology (Hebrew and Old Testament) from Trinity International University in 1997. For sixteen years, he taught courses in Hebrew and Old Testament at various colleges and universities. During the last ten years, he has worked closely with Dr. James Martin both as a teacher in Israel and as a consultant for various publications.

Dr. Beck has studied the role of geography in biblical communication and has published articles in JETS, SJOT, WTJ, and BibSac. He also authored the article on geography for Baker’s Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. He recently published The Land of Milk and Honey: An Introduction to the Geography of Israel and God as Storyteller: Seeking Meaning in Biblical Narrative.

Colonel David G. Hansen, PhD, served in the US Army for thirty-five years. He taught at the US Army War College for nine years as chairman of the Department of National Security and Strategy and as a tenured professor who held the General Maxwell D. Taylor chair. He left active military service with academic degrees in geography (BA, University of Nebraska at Omaha) and international relations (MA, University of Texas). He then taught regional geography at Penn State for eight years while finishing his doctoral studies at Trinity Theological Seminary.

Hansen’s on-site research in the Middle East includes extensive travel and participation in archaeological excavations. At the request of both the Israel Defense Forces and the Royal Jordanian Army, he was an academic consultant for the higher education of their professional military officers. He has published articles in several journals about the impact of geography on military affairs and the Bible, and has authored one book (In Their Sandals: How His Followers Saw Jesus) and contributed chapters to other books.

Hansen currently travels, writes, and teaches with Bible World Seminars and Youth With A Mission.