John Gunter

Thoughts on Life and Living

Six reasons I believe in and support short-term missions. . .my favorite is #6!

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This is a short-term team I served on in 1998. To see which one I am, see point #6 below!
As summer is rapidly approaching, those of us involved in church  often receive letters from friends and family asking for prayer and money for short-term mission trips. As a matter of fact, I am helping to lead five groups this summer from our church to serve with a ministry in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

With this summer coming soon, the value of short-term missions is on my mind. Many people within my tribe (protestant Christians) often question the need and effectiveness of these types of trips. However, after 15 years of serving overseas and hosting many of them, I am an absolute believer in short-term mission trips.

There are many reasons why I financially support people going on these trips each year. However, the following are the six main reasons I see great value in short-term mission trips (and why I am excited about my summer in particular).

1. Short-term mission trips serve a specific and REAL need

If a church/group is doing missions effectively, they partner with ministries who have genuine and specific needs which can realistically be addressed through short-term mission teams. This was always the case for the groups I hosted in East Asia and this is definitely the case for our teams going [Read more…]

The moment Tracey and Phil met

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Here is Tracey Clarke's "Chosen" hanging in the owner's house.
Here is Tracey Clarke’s “Chosen” hanging in the owner’s house.

It was almost three weeks to the day from when Philip Clarke passed into eternity.  I was attending a large Christian conference for college students.  Ironically, Phil had been in charge of recruiting for this conference at Georgia Tech in the fall, at least until his death on December 7th.

The conference was highly emotional for me and the rest of Phil’s friends which were in attendance, but we held it together.  We learned.  We worshiped.  We leaned upon each other.

The final night of the conference, I was standing against the back wall of the conference room.

[Read more…]

The pain and JOY of singleness at Christmas

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ohn Gunter with nieces and nephews on Christmas
Tired but happy. . . with seven of my nieces and nephews on that Christmas

Scene #1:  As I looked out of the window of the plane, my heart was beating with anticipation.  I have always loved seeing the Atlanta skyline from inbound flights.  This viewing, though, was even more significant than others.

It was Christmas Eve.  It was the fourth of four flights I had taken that day.  It had been over 26 hours since I had left my apartment in Asia, but I had finally arrived. [Read more…]

The Christmas story in 5 words

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ChristmasEvery year, I do it.  Every year I commit that NEXT year I will spend the entire month of December thinking about Christmas.  The real Christmas.  The Christmas which celebrates the wonderful story of God becoming flesh and dwelling amoung us.  The babe in swaddling clothing and all that stuff.

Every year I get all the way to Christmas Day before I read “the Christmas story” of the Gospel of Luke.  This year, I was determined that this year would be different.  So today I escaped to a local coffee house to simply read and think about this awesome, earth shattering event of Christmas.  The real Christmas. [Read more…]

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