On the Shores of Perga

In approximately AD 48, the Apostle Paul, his coworker Barnabas, and Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, boarded a ship at Seleucia and headed for Cyprus to initiate what is now known as the first Pauline missionary journey. It was during this mission that an unexpected setback occurred. Mark left Paul and Barnabas shortly after their arrival at Perga in Pamphylia and returned to Jerusalem.


Throughout church history, this incident in the Book of Acts has often been overlooked or dismissed as either a mysterious or insignificant event to the story of the nascent church. But what if Luke intended for Mark’s departure to mean much more to his narrative? In On the Shores of Perga, author Erbey Galvan Valdez explores the literary and historical background behind this epic journey and discovers that Luke did not remain completely silent on this event. Was Mark’s departure meant to serve as a catalyst for one of the greatest challenges facing the early church—the Jewish-Gentile controversy?


On the Shores of Perga challenges Christians to rethink the story of Acts and rediscover one of the Bible’s great leaders in John Mark.