On August 29, Gramazin gathered at Pigeon Cove Chapel for a day centered on testimony, discipleship, fellowship, and learning to live in greater dependence on Jesus Christ. This page preserves the story of the retreat, reflections from the day, and the voices of those who attended.
Reflections and reviews from people who took part in the Mindset #4 Retreat.
“Charles, I'm so thankful to God for leading you to the Mindset #4 framework. It led to such a rich conversation about our own mindset as Christians and how we can trust the Lord more. It naturally led to hearing other people's testimonies and gave us a new tool for sharing our own. We also talked about discipleship. You struck a very good balance between leading us and walking us through the conversation. I commend you for being a faithful servant of the Lord and an ambassador for Him.”
“After attending Gramazin’s 1-day Mindset #4 retreat, where I was introduced to the Mindset Square, I found this to be an excellent diagnostic tool to assess where someone is in their spiritual walk. It not only forced me to look in the mirror to see where I stand in my Christian faith but, more importantly, it helped me understand where someone may be coming from. As we endeavor to share our faith with others it is helpful to have a framework to size them up which allows you to communicate with them at a level commensurate with their spiritual maturity. Thanks Charles for giving me another tool in my arsenal!”
“Mindset #4, presented by Charles Wagner in conjunction with his Gramazin project, was an excellent and thought-provoking workshop for believers seeking to advance in their own spiritual lives and to bring the Good News to non-believers. The presentation sparked vibrant discussion and reflection among the attendees, during which we talked in some depth about assessing and improving our own spiritual condition and habits. In addition, we discussed both the common challenges and the most effective approaches to evangelizing others. The Mindset graph provided a clear, descriptive framework for gauging the spiritual state of any individual, and it gave us a profound goal to work towards. The whole workshop was presented in an easy-going, relaxed manner that created an environment where people were comfortable speaking and engaging with each other. Highly recommended.”
“Thanks so much for your work on this Mindset #4 program. Your skills as a presenter were put to good use. The experience was a good reminder that we are called to let our light shine from the hilltops and to set aside the bushel baskets that we use too often to hide the light. (Matthew 5:14-16).”
A personal summary from the retreat facilitator.
The Lord’s loving hand was upon the first Gramazin Mindset #4 ministry retreat. It was a bright, sunny, blue-sky day in Rockport, MA, with the Atlantic Ocean lapping at the shore in the backyard of Pigeon Cove Chapel, a prototypical white New England church dating back to 1868.
The day began with the incredibly generous heart of a woman, a long-time friend of Gramazin, who could not attend the retreat because of prior obligations. She invested a fortune by providing a bounty of delicious refreshments that everyone who attended enjoyed. The church joined me in thanking her for the leftovers that the fellowship enjoyed the day after.
At 64 years of age, I have experienced many meetings where people say they will come but need to cancel at the last minute. God’s blessings continued as everyone who registered attended the event. One of our guests left, drove 45 minutes for a family’s celebration, and then drove 45 minutes back to enjoy the last hour of our time together. What a blessing that was!
Pastor Davis opened us up in prayer at 9 a.m. I then led the gathering through the following segments:
After Lunch
I rejoiced at the conclusion of our time together because the Mindset #4 Square had accomplished the objective I had hoped for. It engendered lively and very warm and friendly discussion about faith, devotion to Christ, testimony sharing, evangelism, and discipleship. Though the guests came from at least four different churches, it felt like we were family. Literally everyone in the room volunteered their thoughts during our five hours together. I was blessed with some great ideas for how to present Mindset #4 to other audiences in the future.
This was the first of what I prayerfully hope to be many presentations of Mindset #4 in the future.
Respectfully submitted in Christ,
Charles Wagner
Executive Director
Gramazin