Food for thought - Let's reinvent ourselves by being people centered

1. People vs. Program Centered

"Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard thatJesus was going by, they shouted, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy onus'… Jesus stopped and called them [the two blind men]. 'What do you want me to do for you?' he asked."1

I recall having read how, in the 1940s, 80 percent of all watches soldwere made in Switzerland. In the late 1950s the digital watch waspresented to them, but they rejected it because they already had thebest watches and the best watchmakers. The man who developed itsubsequently sold his idea to Seiko—and the rest is history!

In 1940 Swiss watch companies employed 80,000 people. Today, theyemploy 18,000. In 1840 they made 80 percent of all watches sold.Today, they make 20 percent—and the majority are digital! This storydemonstrates what happens when an organization or an individualchooses to die or fade away rather than change.

While in the church our message of God's love and his great gift ofsalvation never changes, our methods of ministry and communicatingthis message need to change with the changing times and the changingneeds of people. What worked yesteryear may no longer work today. Andif our methods no longer work, we need to discard them. Becomingproduct, method, or program oriented instead of being people orientedspells death to any ministry, organization, or business.

When Jesus came, he cut right across the grain of man-made religiousdogma, programs, and traditions that were not relevant to the needs ofthe people of his day.

In his ministry he was always sensitive to the felt or perceived needs of his listeners and targeted his ministry to address those needs. As illustrated in his encounter with the two blind men his question was,"What do you want me to do for you?" To which they replied, "That we may receive our sight." Before meeting people's spiritual need, Jesus always ministered to an individual's personal and felt need. For us to do less is being less than Christ-like.

Action Update --Brother Louis is leading the way - Our new knight council objectives of building higher public awareness and relevance is growing. Let us all help make the Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament June 5 -7 a success.

Sieg Holle GK elect

Brother Louis is leading the way in our new knight council awareness and relevance campaign.
Thank you this is exciting and is just great. All brant council are participating and " comming together for the common good".

St. Basil's rectory gets $1-million makeover - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA

St. Basil's rectory gets $1-million makeover - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA

Good news - revitalizing our places of worship - we the knghts are part of this renewal process

Indifference kills the faithul food for thought

The Devil's Nephew

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."1

In the book The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis, a devil briefs his demon nephew, Wormwood, in the subtleties and techniques of tempting people. Through the letters the devil says that the objective is not to make people wicked but to make them indifferent. Satan cautions Wormwood that he must keep the patient comfortable at all costs. If he should start thinking about anything of importance, encourage him to think about his luncheon plans and not to worry so much because it could cause indigestion.

And then the devil gives this instruction to his nephew: "I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with people who do not care."2

And perhaps, just perhaps, Wormwood is having profound success among far too many Christians in the West today, for only a small percentage give of their time, their talents, and their tithe to God for his work on earth—and even fewer give or do anything for world missions and for reaching the lost around the world with the saving gospel message of Jesus Christ.

And so the devil is still delighted with the work of Wormwood.

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Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Be an angel

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Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care