Group Leaders
Since 1974, EO Tours has partnered with pastors, ministry leaders, and Bible study teachers to create life-changing Christian group tours. More than 400,000 believers have traveled with EO Tours on Holy Land pilgrimages, Reformation heritage tours, Bible land cruises, and river cruises. We handle every logistical detail so you can focus entirely on leading your group spiritually.
Why Lead a Group Tour
Renew your own spirit · Deepen bonds with your congregation · Build current and future church leaders · Step fully into your role as the spiritual leader
Four Benefits of Bible Land Travel for Clergy
Deliver More Powerful Sermons · Understand Biblical Geography · Rediscover the Excitement of Scripture · Lead Your Congregation More Deeply
How Christian Travel Enhances Your Ministry
Educational Value · Spiritual Value · Personal Value · Now Value
Clergy Scholarships Available
EO Tours is one of the only Christian group tour operators to offer clergy scholarships. Pastors, ministers, and ordained clergy qualify for a $300–$500 scholarship on select Holy Land and Bible Land Cruises, as well as Church Heritage tours. Clergy spouses qualify for an additional $150–$350 scholarship on the same departures.* Contact us for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions about Being a Group Leader
At EO you will frequently see the terms Group Leader and Tour Host used interchangeably. Find out more about what it means to be an EO Tour Host and use the button below to sign up!
- Planning & Logistics
- Spiritual Growth
- Ministry & Leadership
- Cost & Customization
How do I organize a Christian group trip for my church?
Start by gauging interest within your congregation and setting a clear spiritual purpose for the trip. From there, select a destination, establish a budget, and partner with a Christian travel operator like EO Tours, which handles flights, accommodations, guides, and itinerary logistics. EO Tours has helped church groups plan Holy Land pilgrimages, church heritage tours, Bible Land Cruises, and river cruises for over 50 years. Plan 12-18 months in advance for international group travel.
How early should I start planning a group pilgrimage?
Begin planning at least 12-18 months in advance for international group pilgrimages. This allows sufficient time to build your itinerary, promote the trip within your congregation, and allow your travelers to plan financially and make sure their passports are in order. EO Tours will collect deposits, offer travel protection, and secure group airfare rates. EO Tours offers hundreds of scheduled departures annually with early-booking availability.
What group size is ideal for a Christian group tour?
Most Christian tour operators work with groups of 10 or more, with 20–35 travelers considered the sweet spot for a balanced experience of intimacy and group dynamics. Smaller groups of 6-15 allow for more personalized pacing, while larger groups of 40+ can unlock better per-person pricing. EO Tours accommodates groups of varying sizes from groups of 5 all the way up to multi-bus groups.
How do I manage payments and logistics for a group pilgrimage?
At EO Tours, we don't want you to worry about your travelers' finances. We create a clear payment schedule with a deposit deadline, mid-point payment, and a final balance date using a dedicated group registration system to provide billing statements, track payments, collect passport copies, emergency contacts, manage travel protection, and communicate itinerary updates. EO Tours handles all logistics — airfare, accommodations, ground transportation, guides, and entrance fees.
What should I prepare to present to my group when traveling?
You don't have to prepare anything. EO Tours' expert local guides handle all historical and geographical content, freeing your devotion leader to focus entirely on reflection, prayer, and daily spiritual application at each site. You are always welcome to choose a devotion leader who has spiritual credibility within your congregation, strong communication skills, or a familiarity with the biblical significance of the sites you will visit.
What spiritual growth can participants expect from a group pilgrimage?
Participants commonly report deepened scriptural understanding, renewed personal faith, stronger bonds with fellow church members, and a transformed perspective on their daily walk with God. Walking where Jesus walked — or standing in the locations of Reformation history — makes abstract biblical and theological concepts tangible and real. EO Tours has witnessed these outcomes across more than 400,000 Christians who have traveled on our programs since 1974.
How does Christian travel revive spiritual awareness?
The journey awakens the spiritual dimension of your church members' faith in a way no other experience can. Prayer life is enriched. Personal understanding of Christ deepens. Standing where Jesus stood, walking where Paul walked, or visiting the sites of the Reformation creates moments of spiritual encounter that participants carry with them for the rest of their lives. No retreat center, conference, or church program produces this effect with the same consistency or depth.
How does Christian travel increase biblical literacy in my congregation?
Church members who travel to the Bible lands learn more and recall scripture more vividly because they have seen the land firsthand. They become better teachers because they have experienced the Land of the Bible, encountered the central personalities of scripture in their actual context, and learned firsthand about Paul and the challenges of the early church. Biblical literacy is not just about reading — it is about understanding, and travel creates understanding that lasts a lifetime. Plus, they receive exclusive access to a one-year membership at Museum of the Bible and a mini-series about the formation of the Bible produced in coordination with Museum of the Bible.
How does traveling together strengthen relationships within the church?
Church members who travel together are connected by a shared spiritual experience that deepens the Christian bonds they already share with one another and with you, their pastor or leader. These bonds are not superficial — they are forged through days of walking the same roads, worshiping at the same sacred sites, and processing the same profound moments together. Groups that travel together consistently report closer relationships, stronger fellowship, and greater unity upon returning home.
How does a Christian journey help our church rediscover its roots and heritage?
The journey provides a richer understanding of your tradition and background. You and your church members gain a deep appreciation for the dedication and sacrifice of the founders of your faith and their lasting contribution to society. Whether you are tracing Reformation history across Europe or walking the roads of the early church in the Holy Land, Greece, and Turkiye, the journey makes your heritage tangible and personal in a way no book or lecture can.
Will our group gain a better understanding of the contemporary world?
Yes. The journey opens minds to new insights into the political, social, and economic realities of each region you visit. Travelers return home with a more informed and compassionate understanding of the modern world — particularly in regions like the Middle East where biblical history and current events are deeply intertwined. This broader perspective enriches preaching, teaching, and pastoral care in measurable ways.
What personal value does Christian travel provide for individual participants?
The journey opens new horizons and provides a lifetime of memories for every church member who travels. It also meets real emotional and personal needs within your congregation — connecting those who feel isolated, providing perspective for those struggling with marriage or vocational decisions, and offering comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one. Christian travel meets people where they are and provides the kind of life-changing encounter and discipleship that transforms ordinary church members into deeply committed disciples. EO Tours also sends a book or two on select tours and cruises that help orient travelers to the lands they will be exploring.
Why should I lead a Christian group tour?
Leading a group tour is a surprisingly simple addition to a dynamic, authentic ministry. When Educational Opportunities began in 1974, our goal was to enrich the ministry and lives of those who preach and those who teach. Leading a group allows you to renew your own spirit, build deep interpersonal bonds with your congregation, educate church teachers, cultivate the next generation of church leaders, and step fully into your role as a spiritual leader.
What makes Christian travel a ministry?
Christian travel is a spiritual retreat that works on multiple levels simultaneously, centered around discipleship. It enriches spiritual life, enriches individual lives, increases biblical knowledge, and develops Christian fellowship — all within a single journey. Unlike a conference or a Sunday series, Christian travel places your congregation physically inside the biblical narrative, creating an immersive experience that no classroom or sanctuary can replicate.
How does Bible land travel benefit the clergy specifically?
Bible land travel gives clergy four powerful advantages that directly strengthen their teaching and preaching. First, you return home able to deliver more powerful sermons grounded in firsthand knowledge and imagery from the Bible lands and Europe. Second, you gain a deeper understanding of where biblical events took place. Third, you rediscover the excitement of learning about the Bible. Fourth, you enrich your church members' lives as you step back into your full role as their spiritual leader. Travelers, including ministry leaders, can also earn CEUs on select journeys.
How does Christian travel develop current and future church leaders?
The journey strengthens your current church leaders and develops new ones for tomorrow. Each traveler should be invited to take on new responsibilities in the church after returning. Those who were hesitant to lead a Bible study before the trip will feel newly empowered. Young people may be inspired to consider ministry as a vocation. The investment in a single group journey can shape your church's leadership culture for years to come.
How do I ensure our group travel aligns with our ministry goals?
Before booking, define the spiritual objectives of the trip — whether that is biblical education, discipleship, congregational bonding, or missional exposure. Build your itinerary around those goals rather than geography alone. EO Tours designs Christian journeys that are purpose-driven and focused on discipleship, allowing you to incorporate daily devotions or on-site biblical teaching and worship time at sacred sites to ensure every day advances your ministry's mission.
How do small churches plan affordable group journeys?
Small churches can make group travel affordable by booking early to lock in group airfare rates, using EO's easy payment schedules for participants, fundraising through congregation events, and partnering with an experienced operator who handles bulk hotel and guide contracting. EO Tours has provided quality Christian travel programs at affordable prices since 1974 and works with churches of all sizes to build budget-appropriate itineraries.
Can airfare be bundled into a Christian group tour?
Yes! EO Tours bundles airfare into virtually all of its journeys and cruises, so the price you see includes airfare from the New York area, overseas airport transfers, first class hotel accomations, hotel gratuities, deluxe motor coaches, entrance and program fees, tour guide, meals as listed on the itinerary (usually breakfast and dinner), live audio headsets, adminsitrative fees, and fuel surcharges and government taxes. Airfare from your local area can be added as an additional charge.
What are effective fundraising strategies for church group travel?
Effective fundraising strategies include personalized support letters sent to congregation members and families, organized community events such as dinners or auctions, online crowdfunding pages, and matching-gift challenges from anchor donors. EO Tours also offers a tiered payment schedule — requiring a deposit at sign-up followed by regular installments — to spread cost over several months and reduce financial barriers for all participants.
Do clergy qualify for a discount on Christian group tours?
EO Tours is one of the only Christian group tour operators to offer clergy scholarships. Pastors, ministers, and ordained clergy qualify for a $300–$500 scholarship on select Holy Land and Bible Land Cruises, as well as Church Heritage tours. Clergy spouses qualify for an additional $150–$350 scholarship on the same departures.* Contact us for more information.
Can our group tour be customized for our denomination or theological focus?
Yes. EO Tours designs custom itineraries for evangelical, Methodist (GMC and UMC), Baptist, Reformed, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, interdenominational, and ministry-specific groups. Whether your focus is the Reformation heritage of Europe, the biblical lands of Israel and Jordan, Pauline missionary routes through Greece and Turkey, or river cruises through church history sites, EO Tours can build an itinerary that reflects your congregation's theological tradition.
Interested in learning more about becoming a group leader/host? Call 800-247-0017 and select option 4.
New Tour Host My Account Available Now!
Log in to your new Tour Host My Account and access all new reports. This current system will be discontinued shortly, so be sure to watch the video (login required to the current system) and learn more about the New Tour Host My Account today.
How to Log in
*Terms and conditions apply.
