Who We Are

  • Mark Schaaf

    OWNER & FOUNDER

    Mark is a worldwide teacher who lived in the Middle East for over a decade. That and his Ph.D. in Biblical Archeology make him quite enthusiastic about bringing people to biblical lands. (Scroll down for a longer bio.)

  • Olivier Legendre

    DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION AND ART

    Lover of words and all things tech, the only currently known limit to his curiosity is statistics.

  • Sir Michael

    LOGISTICS

    He is the one you don’t see but whose presence is felt throughout all trips. He’s the one making sure everything works with the airlines, the guides, the government, etc. He is the founder of Maranatha UK and partner in Biblical Resources LLC.

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Our Partners

LearnTheLand partners with the international teams of Biblical Resources LLC and Maranatha UK, led by Michael and Marilyn Hodgson, Dr. Jim Fleming, and Hannaniah Pinto. They have a track record of over 35 years of excellent service, including managing travel arrangements for churches, universities, educational institutions, and government entities. Operating in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, they—along with their team representatives in each of our travel destinations—are uniquely qualified to bring exceptional operational support. Their experience, commitment to service, and invaluable contacts, provide rare opportunities and security above most tour providers.

Dr. Mark’s Bio

Hi, glad to have you here! My passion in life is to help people like you move into a deeper experience of God’s grand story. I want you to step into the biblical story and help you better understand its people, places, events, and culture—and your place in God’s narrative.

My journey

I lived in Jordan with my family for 13 years (1990-2003), where I taught Biblical backgrounds in Christian and Muslim communities. In 1995, I started leading University tours and private study tours in Jordan and Syria.

Every week for several years, I commuted to Jerusalem from Jordan while I was working on my doctorate in historical backgrounds of the Bible. During that time I had the privilege of studying under some world-class professors and visiting many archeological sites. I traveled extensively in the Biblical Lands of Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, and Iran.

Having raised three children in Jordan and having four grandchildren living in Israel today gives me a deep appreciation for both Arab and Israeli cultures. 

While in Jordan, I introduced and launched Walk Thru the Bible in Arabic for the Middle East and North Africa. I’ve been involved with them ever since.

I completed my doctorate in Biblical Archeology at the University of South Africa in 2012 while living in Johannesburg, South Africa. (My thesis was about how history, geography, and archeology work together to create a fuller picture of context that our biblical story unfolds in.) At that time I was also teaching the Scriptures across southern Africa in both formal and informal schools and colleges. 

Today, I serve as Walk Thru the Bible’s International Training Director, equipping pastors to teach the Bible as one grand story.