John E. Guns is the Senior Pastor of St. Paul Church of Jacksonville, Inc., where he has totally revived what was once a rigid, placid, traditional southern Baptist church into an oasis of FAITH, FELLOWSHIP, and FUN. Through extremely innovative thinking and an approachable spirit, Dr. Guns has epitomized koinonia before this great congregation and has ultimately built an amazing community of worshipers. His love for worship is evident whenever the St. Paul family gathers!

He was formally educated in the public and private school system of Hampton Roads, VA. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Norfolk State University and his Master of Divinity and Doctoral of Ministry Degrees from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University.

Bishop Guns wears several proverbial hats.  He is the Founder of Operation Save Our Sons, a national movement to work with At-Risk boys designed to equip them to make positive decisions regarding the law & authority. Bishop Guns serves as the Senior Vice Presider of the Global United Fellowship, under the leadership of Bishop Joel Peebles, Presiding Prelate.  Dr. Guns also serves as the Dean of the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. He works on several boards and community-based organizations, and is also an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., since 1982.

Of all his accomplishments, his most important is his family.  Bishop Guns is the proud husband and life partner of Co-Pastor Sonjanique L. Guns, the loving father of three amazing daughters, Alexis (Claude) Cheatham, Daijah S. Guns, and Tayler J. Guns, and committed grandfather to his grandsons, Zion John-Eric and Claude Douglas III and granddaughter, C’Zariah Alexis Michelle.