Author Dave Sumner speaks to Cross Rhythms Plymouth
In a recent interview on Cross Rhythms Plymouth radio station, Dave Sumner, founder of the charity Guitar Aid and author of the book Take the Next Step, shared his inspiring journey with presenter Dave Simpson. The interview begins with Simpson asking Sumner about the roots of the charity, Guitar Aid, and how it came to make such a worldwide impact.
Sumner explains that Guitar Aid provides people in low-income nations with a way to worship that they couldn’t have done otherwise. In many parts of the world, musical instruments, especially guitars, are costly and often out of reach for individuals and churches. Sumner vividly recalls his first mission trip to Romania, where he and a group were delivering humanitarian aid. Unsure of his own role, he prayed and asked God what he should do. The answer he felt from God was, “What have you got in your hand?” His response: a guitar. Acting on this prompting, he gave his guitar to a young person there, to use in worship. That small act became the spark for what would grow into Guitar Aid, a charity that has since donated over 4,000 guitars worldwide.
Throughout the interview, Sumner shares stories about individuals transformed by these gifts of music. Each guitar gifted has become more than just an instrument; it has become a “weapon or worship”.
In his book Take the Next Step, Sumner recounts this journey in full, tracing Guitar Aid’s impact across 100 nations. The book not only highlights the power of music to change the atmosphere, but also encourages readers to step out in faith, using whatever resources they have to make a difference. By sharing the stories of those whose lives have been enriched and inspired, Take the Next Step demonstrates how one small act can resonate across the world.
About the book
The story of Guitar Aid. Dave Sumner, founder of the charity, demonstrates through his inspiring life of mission that although we rarely know where God is taking us, all he asks is that we take the next step.
“It’s not just a guitar. It’s a weapon of worship.” – Martin Smith
“What do you have in your hand?”
When God asked Moses that question, he was carrying a staff. When God asked Dave Sumner that question, he was holding a guitar. Dave was preparing to visit Romania for the first time after the fall of communism. What if he would take brand-new guitars that could not be sold and give them for free to church leaders who couldn’t afford them? What difference would that make to their worship? What encouragement could it bring?
The timing was significant. Dave had recently created a miniature guitar for Sir Paul McCartney, on commission, to be presented to him on the 75th anniversary of the P. R. S. The word had quickly got around in the industry, so when Dave shared the idea of bringing aid to Eastern Europe in the form of guitars, they quickly caught the vision. Guitar Aid was born!
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