The Gunter's Journey

New Baby

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:32:00 +0000

Abraham Andrew Gunter.
6 lb. 13 oz. 19 1/2 inches long.

We chose biblical names.

Abraham is found in the Bible's Old Testament book of Genesis. God promises Abraham that his promise made to Adam and Eve of a coming savior will be accomplished through him. God declares Abraham the father of nations, specifically Israel. The overall storyline of the Old Testament traces the big family of Israel, in which Jesus is born (Matthew 1:1-3). Thus, "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).

This is important because there is no other way, no other means, no other process for one to be close to God. Sin and Satan separate all of us from God, but God being perfect, good, merciful, and holy provides a way through himself.

He replaced our imperfection with his perfection, our unholiness with his holiness, and our unrighteousness with his righteousness. He does so through the perfect, holy, righteous savior Jesus. Have faith in him, means we are saved, since he is salvation, and not us.

Abraham's faith is used as an example of this saving faith in Jesus in the New Testament in Romans, Hebrews, and James. Faith produces works. Alive faith produces alive works. Faith in Christ Jesus alone is alive.

The most important part of faith is who we have faith in.

Andrew is name from the Bible's New Testament. Andrew is a disciple of Jesus and brother to the lead disciple Peter. Andrew and Peter are fishermen who Jesus calls to follow him while on the job (Matthew 4:18). Andrew declares to Peter early on, "We have found the Messiah (which means the Christ). He brought him (Peter) to Jesus" (John 1:40-42).

Andrew's faith is alive as it's focused on Jesus the Messiah, the forgiver and sacrifice of sins, which then produces perseverance and passion to follow Jesus' teachings and commands. Being a fishermen of fish, one is gritty, hardworking, and long suffering.

Faith produces work that fishes for men, drawing them away from sin and Satan and bringing them close to God. Andrew is close to God since he is a disciple of Jesus, God the Son.

We have a nephew with the first name Andrew and my middle brother with the middle name Andrew - both hard workers.

We want to encourage Abraham Andrew to have faith in Christ Jesus that produces a life of works that draws others to Jesus.

Welcome Abe!

Missional Education

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Fri, 31 May 2013 07:39:00 +0000

I love writing, especially about God's mission. We are to be sponges, absorbing God's mission, ready to feel the squeeze at a moments notice. I am excited to pick back up after a much needed blogging hiatus to write about absorbing the mission of God.

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Recommend Books for me (or us) to read

Take the Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Tue, 28 May 2013 22:40:00 +0000

Put the Cookies on the Bottom Shelf

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:38:00 +0000

One of my professors at DTS, Prof Howard Hendricks, has had many long standing quotes for teachers to apply. One quote in particular inspired and crystalizes the goals in writing my kid's storybook, Elijah's Journey. Prof stated to teachers, "Put the cookies on the bottom shelf!"

As Bible teachers, pastors, parents, or any Christian for that matter, we had better be so infatuated with the deliciousness of God's word that we tirelessly work to explain it to children so that they can indulge in the same delectableness.

Teaching kids the Bible has seemed to many a worthless, irrelevant, and dull task. But that only occurs when we have become dull, worthless, and irrelevant. I cannot imagine another generation, especially in the U.S.A., growing up without transformed, passionate, trained teachers putting cookies on the bottom shelf for the little ones to enjoy.

We may have looked so deeply into God's word that all we see are the individual ingredients to cookies instead of tasting the finished product! I want kids to journey through the Bible in such a way that they walk away saying that was delicious - I want more!

We want to provide cookies and hope for kids to become cookie monsters! :)

Fundraiser for the Kid's Book: Elijah's Journey

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:54:00 +0000

We have launched a thirty day fundraiser campaign via Kickstarter.com to raise enough capital for a kid's book to be illustrated and printed.

I have spoken to several people over the past year about this specific idea, with a sincere response of "write the book"!

We are passionate about this work and would love for you all to engage with it!

Find out more about the book and add to the capital.

Here We Go

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:54:00 +0000

Currently, there are two large tasks in our journey: Telos Church Planting and Telos Center Development.

Telos Church Planting
We believe in God's mission to make disciples and train others to do so. The results of making disciples is a local church. Therefore, we are in a grassroots missionary movement for others to meet the historical, divine, God-man Jesus. We have an assembled discipling team, and a few others possibly joining in the summer. We are meeting, strategizing, praying, studying, and pursuing available avenues to accomplish the mission.

Telos Center Development
We believe in training or equipping people to be on God's mission in revealing Jesus as the world's epicenter. We are in process of website development and "kickstarting"a fundraiser for a kid's book - Elijah's Journey.

Is Your Life Your Religion?

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 05:42:00 +0000

Think about it.

An Announcement and Christmas Card Failure

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 23:55:00 +0000

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to our family and friends!

We have two updates for you: One being our card failure and one being pure awesomeness!

Card Failure:
Our Christmas cards were unable to be mailed in time to those beyond our hands reach in giving them out. We had a timing issue and mailing address printer failure. We have a resolution but we'll need to save that for next year.

Announcement Awesomeness:
We were excited to get our Christmas cards out this year since it contained our announcement! Look at the below image of our 2012 Christmas card, especially at the names! Woohoo!

Death to Life ...

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 22:20:00 +0000

Simple truth. Winter comes for the spring to follow. Winter may seem dead but it really is a patient time of waiting for abundant life.

A Time to Eat ...

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 04:46:00 +0000

So we did. Merry Christmas!

Dallas Seminary Alumni Pastor Eric Mason

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 06:19:00 +0000

My alma mater, Dallas Theological Seminary, published this alumni video interview of Pastor Eric Mason from Epiphany Fellowship Church. Encouraging.

Mood of Repentance

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 21:30:00 +0000

This phrase, 'mood of repentance,' sprang from the pages while reading a commentary about the Bible's New Testament book, the Gospel According to Matthew. The phrase is timely and helpful to cast a sense of what our homes, church services, and hearts are to be led to when looking at Jesus.

Many people ask, "Why can't I see God?" Though we may not see God now or like those throughout history, we do see the results and fulfillment of his promise (Genesis 3:15). God promised that their would be a people group known as the Israelites that would live in the specific land of Israel of whom would be born a baby from an Israelite city of Bethlehem to be the savior of the world's sin. Those who believed in him were known as witnesses to his promise and person. Jesus is the fulfillment of his promise.

Throughout history, God's plan for the witnesses was to look upon him and testify to others about the coming Jesus. The mass of witnesses believed mankind needed forgiveness of their sins by the holy God creating a mood of expectation and repentance:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”” (Hebrews 12:1–6 ESV)

What I Want for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:11:00 +0000

Is a generation that longs to see Jesus, and more so, for Christians to sincerely and humbly believe what we say we believe.

Many skeptics live in Sacramento, especially among church and Christian communities. It's difficult to sincerely trust God, even long for him, when we have become confused, disillusioned, and disheartened of who he is. For Christian skeptics like myself, it's more difficult to live and stand by our belief.

We want to believe and think God exists, but we look around and see more hypocrisy, facades, fluff, hype, or performance that masks Christianity along with our own imperfections. Because we see ourselves skeptical about God along with others insincerity, we confess to be Christian but create our own way of life. This leads to an endless spiral of confusion, where we feel crazy and lost, rather than certain, confident, and clear about life. We become increasingly unable to answer friend's questions about God which leads to more uncertainty, confusion, and disillusionment.

The Christian community then tends to be fickle, concerned about appearances, perception, image, clicks, cliches, ignorance, negligence, entertainment, heartless, nominal, loveless, truthless or altogether atheistic. Yes, we are broken people but that doesn't mean God is broken, careless, or distant.

We easily could feel trapped and hopeless.

We are truly not. We must remember that Christianity is not sincerely perfect people, but rather, people sincerely believing in the perfect one, Christ Jesus. We exalt him, not ourselves. We live for and because of him. We don't need more faith, we need his truthful love to inform our faith.

Let us grow in the gospel of Christ Jesus that truthfully and lovingly transforms us to long for him during any Christmas, including this one. Look at him, not the Christian community. Look at him, not ourself. Look at him through the Bible. Look at him with trust. Look at him.

Unique Christian School Football Game

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:34:00 +0000

Our Texas church, Grace Bible Church, meets at this Grapevine, TX Christian high school called Faith Christian Academy. The video reveals a unique football game between Faith Christian and a incarceration state high school. It's amazing how one's worldview changes the world around them.

Why I want Christian Theologians in Government and Politics

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:41:00 +0000

Regardless of the nation, I want Christian theologians in government and in politics.

For clarity sake and in lieu of histories differing ideas of theology, I categorize theologians in two different ways: (1) A theologian is one who studies a supreme being. (2) A Christian theologian is one who studies the God in the Bible and lives by their resolved belief in him. There are more complexities to the word theology or theologian, but for a blog post, we'll keep it short and simple.

Inevitably, everyone becomes a theologian when they answer the question, 'Does a supreme being exist?' Whether they reject or affirm, they are nonetheless a theologian at some basic level. One is a Christian theologian when they answer the question with a resolved 'yes' and narrowly explain the existence, being, character, and attributes of the supreme being to be God of the Bible, three in one, the trinity or Godhead.

More so, when a Christian theologian authentically, truly, and humbly applies their belief of God to life, they truthfully love people.

Current politics and government morphs and changes the definitions of love and truth. Governor Pilate, the man presiding over Jesus' trial asked the rhetorical question to Jesus, "What is truth?" A theologian could begin to interpret Pilate's question as referring to the unknowableness of truth and that truth is relative. A Christian theologian understands the context of Pilate's question to guide the interpretation to mean that Pilate is in a proverbial 'rock and hard place.'

Will Pilate make a loving decision based on truth or will he be swayed by the crowd or his own life?

Pilate knows Jesus is ultimately innocent. However, if he releases Jesus, Pilate's life is threatened by the wrathful, unloving Jewish mob. Therefore, Pilate doesn't make his decision according to truth, rather, he makes it according to saving his own life. When they are in the 'rock and hard place,' they will not compromise to save their own life.

As Christians, we believe in God's sovereignty of using the Jew's, Pilate's, and our own mistakes for the good. But, God still calls us to obey him by believing the truth of who he is. Therefore, he commands Christians to love God and love their neighbor as themselves.

Love is a truth filled affection for another.

I want Christian theologians in government and politics, the 'rock and hard place' of culture, to truthfully love people. Christian theologians have a robust, profound belief that drives their decisions, wisdom, and lives. Meaning, they will not be swayed by the mob or the crowd, rather, they will live and make decisions based upon truth and love.

As Christian theologians, we are obligated to community and nation as much as God allows. And, when we are citizens that are in a position of social authority making decisions on behalf of a nation, we are required to study, contextually interpret laws and situations accurately, and make decisions based upon the truth filled values of a pre-established nation's constitution and vision.

Though their lives are threatened, society struggles, and the mobs cry louder to bend and break laws, the Christian theologians in government and politics will hold fast, not bend or break, and return good for people's evil.

If truth is relative, then we inevitably will not hold fast to values and principles. If truth is constant and certain, then we must hold fast and will prove to be a means of loving the nation's citizens.

As a Christian and whether their are Christian theologians in government or politics, I am commanded by my God to pray for you - so be it out of love and not to manipulate to get my way (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

May the Lord open our eyes to trust him.

Why didn't God kill Satan and Evil in the beginning?

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:25:00 +0000

This question was asked during my school's Bible class, Introduction to Christianity while studying Luke's Gospel chapter 12. Many of us have asked the same or similar question over our lifetime as well as many others throughout history. A normal response and answer comes as, "We will never know" or "That's up to God and not us."

I think those answers could suffice, but I think there is more to the answer that may just be simple yet also profound. Nonetheless, answers do not remove pain and hardship, but they can help reconcile confusion, stabilize reactions, and bring future hope.

Throughout scripture, God reveals himself as one who never changes and is eternally good. Therefore, God will never become evil and will respond from his goodness. Also, what would eternally satisfy God? Himself.

From that point of view, God would not have immediately killed Satan, evil, or the first two human sinners (Adam and Eve).

Why?

God's reaction, response, and solution comes from his character of justness, grace, love, patience, tenderness, etc. Therefore, he will not return evil for evil. He will eternally be satisfied with himself. Thus, he promises to humanity that he will send one to eternally forgive evil and will eternally protect them from evil. The promise is the Messiah, which also is referred to as the Christ, Promised One, or Anointed One. At a point in time, the Christ took on a human name as Jesus and declared himself as God the Son.

Therefore, Jesus the Christ is the promise of good to Satan's and mankind's evil.

Jesus even challenged Satan to live, honor, trust, and obey God but he just does not desire to submit. In the end, God will bring all those who believe in Jesus and have been forgiven by him close to himself and eternally protect them from evil.

When Jesus speaks about hell, he does not speak to scare people into heaven. He is referring to protection from all the badness by his goodness. Therefore, in the end, Satan will have his ultimate just destruction and punishment.

In the meantime, over time, in time, through time, and from out of time, God has continually declared to the world through different means (nature, Bible, witnesses, history, Jesus) that he is good, desires good, and will return good for evil.

God does not kill people or Satan on the spot or in the beginning for being evil. Rather, he made a solution to bring proper justice, which takes time, and is fulfilled in Jesus the Christ.

Let us trust him who is good.

Immanuel, God with Us

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:10:00 +0000

Matthew's Gospel in the Bible's New Testament, records before and after Jesus' life that God is with us.

Matthew 1:23 and 28:20 records, "Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means God with us)," and, Jesus assures his followers that even after his ascension to heaven, "... I am with you always, to the end of the age."

God is with us.

He has been with us. He is with us. He will always be with us. But, he is only with us through this Christ Jesus.

On the contrary, if we are not with Jesus, then we are not with God. Therefore, it's not based on our righteousness or unrighteousness that relates us to God. Rather, this 'Immanuel,' born from a young, virgin woman, will be the one to bring us close when we believed we were alone from God.

Atheist, agnostics, and the skeptics (such as I), believe they are undoubtedly separated from God since, to them, there is no supreme being or one that cares about this world. They are correct to say, that if they can get rid of Jesus, they get rid of Christianity. This means, they realize that Christ Jesus is central to Christianity and what we believe to be salvation from sin, evil, and death. Jesus will only be good news when he is good news, not if I determine him to be good or bad, distant or close, or true or imaginary.

I am challenged in another Christmas of my 30 year old life to trust and follow this Jesus.

Puppies and Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 06:37:00 +0000

Puppies came to mind while reading through the Bible's New Testament's Gospel of Matthew. Our American cultures generally loves puppies, drawing them close to our face and calling them 'cute' with the facial expression of eating sour gummy bears with a smile. Many times our Americanized Christian culture can do the same with baby Jesus, especially during Christmas season.

Our confidence or even certainty of Jesus being much more than a puppy can wane easily upon looking at Christmas decorations with baby Jesus in the stable and trough (manger). Attending services or reading the Christmas story may bring the warm feeling of warming up around a camp fire, sipping on hot chocolate, and looking like Elf's Will Farrell holding the coffee mug during his time in the mail room being duped into drinking liquor. Peering at Jesus through Matthew's gospel returns a different affection than "ah, cute puppy" or "oops, I drank the wrong religion."

Matthew provides a chunk of Jesus' family tree form the Bible's Old Testament in chapter 1. The list may seem irrelevant, but it holds precious truths and insights to Jesus, taking away any cuteness once perceived by us looking at the manger scene. The family tree reveals Jesus being born through broken men and women, Jews and Gentiles, and a long history of sin.

If you are a parent, you would not want your children looking at some of their Facebook profiles and timelines. Some of the photos and videos would be scandalous. For instance, Matthew 1:1 discloses Jesus being the Christ or Messiah, related to David. David, as king, used his position to privatize an adulterous act with Bathsheba, impregnated her, and covered up the sin by committing first degree murder on her husband by sending him to the battle fields front line. Not cute.

Jesus being born from a young, virgin, earthly, human mom would bring enough scandal to a Facebook post. Nonetheless, God tells the truth to us, even in the midst of our confusion and sin. God still shows favor on our unlikeable (no Facebook pun intended) character, and reveals salvation has come to us through the once manger infant and his life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Not cute, but profoundly loving.

[No puppies were hurt in the typing of this post.]

Church vs. Church Services

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:01:00 +0000

As part of our parenting, we have been trying to describe Christianity to our girls. Over the years, we have been distinguishing "church" from "church services" or "church day." For example, Lydia will ask me, "Daddy, what is the day?" I reply, "Sunday." Lydia responds, "Church day?" I reply, "No, church service day." Lydia, "Church service day. Thanks daddy."

We want them to learn that 'church' refers to people who believe in Jesus that gather on Sundays and scatter during the week. Making the correction in our speech sometimes seems tedious or even monotonous, but, it brings clarity to the next generation and corrects our belief.

No matter what, our words and actions reveal what we believe. Therefore, if we believe 'church' is not confined to Sunday for an hour, then we want that reflecting in our speech, especially in training the next generation. The same goes for 'church' vs. 'church building.'

Ellie will ask me, "Daddy, where you are going? Are you going to church?" I reply, "No. I am going to the church building where the church meets or gathers." Ellie, "Ok."

Simple, but profound.

The church is not a building or services, it is people known as believers or Christians - those who follow Jesus. Our kids attend services alongside us, but doesn't make them a part of the church, though they are being loved by the church (people, Christians). We hope our girls will receive this love as well as Christ's love in order to be part of the church.

Just a window into our profoundly simple fun conversations with our kids.

A Spin to Christmas White Elephant Gift Party

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 05:35:00 +0000

Try a different aim by receiving a gift to give away - to your neighbor! We have called it, "Crazy Neighbor Gift Party." We just finished tonight the first part of the experiment to meet our neighbors and have our church get to know their neighbors. Have all bring a strange or crazy wrapped gift. Use the white elephant gift exchange rules; however, the goal is to receive the gift that best breaks the ice with one of your neighbors during the Christmas season. It's something fun and something to laugh at together. Explain it to your neighbor in a light hearted way and laugh together. We are going to bake a seasonal treat to go along with the gift. Tonight, we received bacon bandage strips! Pure awesomeness! Take your kids along with you and even invite them over for a meal. Just a little spin to Christmas white elephant gift party!

Wish List for Ministry Resources

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:13:00 +0000

A mere wish list for ministry resources for personal and mass communication such as the free new app we downloaded, iBook Author, that allows for free online publishing with video, picture, and illustration integration. Exciting!

1. Teaching: iPad
2. Mobile Communication: iPhone
3. Video/Photo/Presentation: iMac
4. Photography: Nikon Camera
5. Videography: Flip Video Camera

Christmas and Neighbors

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 05:51:00 +0000

Christmas is a social open door to meet people we would otherwise not meet during the year. Christmas 2012 will be another year we are walking through that open door. Our neighborhood street is turning into a block party of sorts. We have printed invites for each neighbor and will be passed out by Ellie, Lydia, Hudson, and I. Sunday night, December 16th, between 6-8pm, we will pop open a blue tent canopy on our driveway, blare Christmas music through garage speakers, project a large fireplace video onto our garage door for all to see, blow up the massive polar bear and santa clause on our tiny front lawn, and serve Christmas goodies and drinks. We are excited for another open door!

Pray for us, that the Lord will guide us into loving our neighbors before and after the party. Consider doing the same in your neighborhood or apartment complex. The Christmas season is not for gifts but people who Christ came for, hence his birth, life, death, teachings, and resurrection!

Overnight Prints Coupon

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 04:17:00 +0000

Many of our friends print for the holidays and during the year. We have used Overnight Prints many times before and they have allowed us to benefit by sending out coupons. Click any icons below to take a look and if it would help during this season! Overnight Prints is offering up to 58% off postcards. I will place the first below icon on the main blog page for anyone to click on during the year.

The Parent Rap by Blue Fish

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:47:00 +0000

Awesome and funny!

Financially Support Telos Center

noreply@blogger.com (N.A. Gunter) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 23:47:00 +0000

As mentioned before, 2012 is a pivotal year for us as a family and ministry. Many of you have come alongside us to financially support us at various times in our efforts to church plant and spread the gospel in Sacramento. God seems to have brought various circumstances and your giving hearts to put us in a stable place this December to narrow our focus on bringing to life Telos Center in 2013.

Telos Center is a grassroots Christian organization in process as of 2012 articulating through various contexts and from collaborating Christian sources the central belief (worldview) that Jesus humbles us to truthfully love him and others. This includes church planting and various forms of education and training locally and globally.

We are asking friends and family to covenant together with us to make Sacramento, CA a headquarters of mission and missionaries. Telos Center is a massive step in doing so. Covenanting with us includes praying for specific needs and praises, financial support, joining our team, or even using your gifts (graphic design, hospitality, counsel, etc).

Friends moved to Sacramento in September that has built a small team to clarify our mission and vision as missionaries. As such, we will be building a strategic plan to steward time, finances, relationships, family and our overall lives to best follow the Lord in helping people discover the epicenter of life, the Christ of Christianity. November and December will be filled with prayer and planning meetings.

As we plan, can we include you? Would you think and pray about financially supporting Telos Center in 2013, January to December, of any amount the Lord places on your heart?

Until otherwise noted, any financial support goes through Elevation Church via check or online PayPal.

More info will come and in the meantime, email any questions to nathan@theguntersjourney.info.