Spirituality Types in Ministry

Spirituality Types in MinistryMichael G. HamiltonTrans-European Division

What is Spirituality?• ‘ruach’ -- breath, spirit, wind.• ‘Pneuma’ -- breath, life, spirit, wind.• ‘Pneumatikos’ -- spiritual (things relating to life)

• ‘Spirituality’ -- “That which gives quality to life”

What is Spirituality?

• Spirituality must be the initiative of God• God is a spirit therefore spirituality is man's attempt to

understand the depths of God.• The Bible suggests that spirituality has to do with worship

(John 4:26)• Spirituality has also to do with growth. The goal to be reached

is godliness therefore spirituality is measured by the character of God.

What is Spirituality?• Mankind's aspirations are always beyond himself. We have

always sought to emulate characteristics of those we consider to be greater than ourselves.

• To be truly spiritual we must first acknowledge the existence of the living God, who himself is spiritual.

• The image of Christ is God's ideal for mankind's spiritual

search. To be truly spiritual we must first find out what Christ is like. True Spirituality, then, is an experiential knowledge of God implanted into the consciousness of mankind by exposure to the revealed will of God.

For Effective Spirituality….

God entering ‘flesh’ effects genuine spirituality.

• Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.”

• John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, …”

• Hebrews 2:14-18 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity….”

When the breath (life) of God enters man (flesh) again, it gives

quality of life.

What is Personality?• A brief definition would be that personality is made up of the

characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that make a person unique.

• In addition to this, personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life.

Dictionary.com Definition

• “the sum total of the physical, mental, emotional, and social characteristics of an individual”

• “the organized pattern of behavioural characteristics of the individual”

Fundamental Characteristics

• Consistency - There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to behaviours. Essentially, people act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of situations.

Fundamental Characteristics

• It impacts behaviours and actions - Personality does not just influence how we move and respond in our environment; it also causes us to act in certain ways.

• Multiple expressions - Personality is displayed in more than just behaviour. It can also be seen in our thoughts, feelings, close relationships and other social interactions.

SENSING P E R C E I V I N G iNTUITION

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Jungian/Myers-Briggs Psychology

Four basic preferences that determine the way we relate to our world and process the information received from it. I or E (Introversion or Extraversion)

Determines our preferred focus S or N (Sensing or iNtuition) Preferred means of

receiving information T or F (Thinking or Feeling) How the information is

processed J or P (Judging or Perceiving) Relationship to the

flow of life


MBTI Preferences

Extraversion (E)People who get their energy or focus attention on the outer world of people and activity.Attuned to external environmentPrefers to communicate by talkingLearn best through doing or discussingSociable and expressive

Introversion (I)People who focus on their own inner world and experiences. They get their energy from reflecting on their thoughts, memories and feelings.Prefer to communicate in writingWorks out ideas by reflecting on themPrivate and containedLearn best by reflection


MBTI Preferences

Sensing (S)People who take in information that is real and tangible – what is actually happening.

Oriented to present realities

Factual and concrete

Observe and remember detailTrust experience

Intuition (N)People who take in information by seeing the big picture and focusing on relationship and connections between facts.Oriented to future possibilitiesFocus on patterns and meanings in dataRemember detail when they relate to a patternTrust inspiration


MBTI Preferences

Thinking (T)People who make decisions by looking at the logical consequences of a choice or action.AnalyticalUse cause and effect reasoningSolve problems with logicFair – want everyone treated equally

Feeling (F)People who make decisions based on what is important to them and others involved.EmpatheticGuided by personal valuesAssesses impact of decision on peopleFair – want everyone treated as an individual


MBTI Preferences

Judging (J)People whose outer world must be planned, orderly, and well managed. ScheduledSystematicMethodicalTry to avoid last minute stresses

Perceiving (P)People whose outer world must be flexible and spontaneous. They seek to experience and understand life rather than control it.SpontaneousFlexibleCasualFeel energised by last minute pressures.


Sixteen Basic Preferences

INTJ INTP INFJ INFP

ISTJ ISTP ISFJ ISFP

ENTJ ENTP ENFJ ENFP

ESTJ ESTP ESFJ ESFP


ATTITUDE F U N C T I O N S ATTITUDEINTROVERT SENSING THINKING JUDGINGEXTRAVERT iNTUITION FEELING PERCEIVING

How Do They Affect/Influence Spiritual

Growth and Ministry?


Luke 2:52. “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.”

Jesus developed intellectually and physically, spiritually and socially.


Personality type does not only determine our preferences for acquiring knowledge on the intellectual level and relate to our environment on the social level, but it also determines how we relate to God on the spiritual level.


Experience reality through the five senses. Concerned with the data of present reality. Prefer known patterns of worship using five senses. Future possibilities determined by present realities.Prayer very concrete and specific. Taking scripture literally. Life of Christ a role model for behaviour and practice. Need for experience (colours, emblems, involvement, etc.) Imminence of God is experienced.There is need to become aware of the presence of God by developing our sensing functions through deliberate practice of certain disciplines, e.g. meditation, fasting, etc.

Spirituality Type S


Spirituality Type N

The ability to imagine a possible future – “What if…” They value the unseen, the unheard and untouched. They cherish hope. Proverbs 29:18, Vision is crucial.Explorative worship is cherished. Need for creative stimuli, e.g. poetry, music.Intuitivist will use sensing data to launch into intuitive future possibilities. They are not very attentive to sensing present realities.


Spirituality Type N

Drawn to the transcendence of God.Prayers based on future more than the present.Quest for meaning and understanding.Drawn to the mystery of God. Search for symbols that feed the imagination.Extraverted N’s—Good at inspiring others to greatness.

Introverted N’s wait for still small voice – prophetic voice. Need to share the vision with others.


Spirituality Type T

Relies on principles of objective truth. Can be stern, firm, critical, impersonal, etc. Thinkers may have strong emotions but find it difficult to express them freely. Thinkers reinforce sound rational principles in society and faith communities. Thinkers develop firm theology that is fitting to our time yet still reflective of scripture.

Prayer – aims for depth in their communication with Divinity. Prayers are thought-provoking and informative. Logical and clear theology. Reflection of scripture, worship and spiritual themes a strength. Search for meaning and truth.


Spirituality Type F

This function carries our values – which determine right and wrong. Determine right and wrong from their past experiences rather than from logical linear thinking; heart rules. Feelers search for intimacy, (Psa. 133:1, Relationship focus)There is celebration of past memories.Thanksgiving is a frequent expression. Gratitude is an expression of Feelers (Mary washing feet of Christ).


Spirituality Type F

Prayer – Desire to feel God’s presence and love. Search for intimacy. Prayers are easily affective. Prayers are full of memories and they recall conversion experiences, etc. Need to guard against sentimentality and over-

simplification of faith.


Striking the Balance

It is an advantage to develop our less favoured

preferences/functions


Conscious BehaviourWork role

Desired behaviourCorporate culture

Adjusted behaviourMore energy

Unconscious BehaviourSpontaneous behaviourPressure behaviourNatural behaviourLess stressful behaviourLess energy


Striking the BalanceATTITUDE F U N C T I O N S ATTITUDE

PERCEIVING JUDGINGI S T JE N F P

ATTITUDE F U N C T I O N S ATTITUDEPERCEIVING JUDGING

I S(Dom) T(Aux) JShadow E N(Inf) F(Ter) P


Conscious Behaviour

Unconscious Behaviour


Striking the BalanceATTITUDE F U N C T I O N S ATTITUDE

PERCEIVING JUDGINGI S T JE N F P

ATTITUDE F U N C T I O N S ATTITUDEPERCEIVING JUDGING

E N(Dom) F(Aux) PShadow I S(Inf) T(Ter) J


Sixteen Basic Preferences

INTJ INTP INFJ INFP

ISTJ ISTP ISFJ ISFP

ENTJ ENTP ENFJ ENFP

ESTJ ESTP ESFJ ESFP


None is Inferior – None is Superior

Each Dependent on the Other


1 Corinthians 12:14-21 (NKJV)

For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, ” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, ” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”


Holistic Spirituality (1Cor 12:14-21)

(M. Robert Mulholland Jr., ‘Invitation to a Journey: A Roadmap for Spiritual Formation’)

For the community of faith does not consists of one pattern of preference but of many. If the INTJ should say, “Because I am not an ESFP, I do not belong to the community,” that would not make it any less a part of the community. And if the INTP should say, “because I am not an ESFJ, I do not belong to the community”, that would not make it any less a part of the community.


Holistic Spirituality (1Cor 12:14-21)

If the whole community were an INFJ, where would be the ESTP? If the whole community were an INFP, where would be the ESTJ? The ISTJ cannot say to the ENFP, “I have no need of you,” nor again the ISTP to the ENFJ, “I have no need of you.” 1 Cor 12:14-21 (adaptation)

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Spirituality Types in Ministry