Thank you for taking part in this research project. Through completing the personality test you will have acquired a three-letter score. Using the Personality Wheel below locate where your score resides and what ministry personality type it equates to. You can then click the corresponding link to read a summary of your personality type.
* Please note that personality sits somewhat on a spectrum. The following descriptions may not describe your personality in its entirely as you can possess a combination of personality traits.
Practical, problem-solving, and change-orientated through "getting their hands dirty" in community
For these personality types, life is one exciting adventure after another. They are likely to devote considerable energy to solve a problem or completing whatever task is causing stress in the church. However, relational strife can stymie them. Because they are constant observers of what is happening in the community and culture, Adventurous types prefer working with things that can be seen and examined with their five senses. They are proficient at tactics; i.e., they focus on immediate or short-term aims, more than they concentrate on the broader concerns of logistics; i.e., strategy and diplomacy. Adventurous types feel debilitated when forced to operate within a set of structures that requires conformity to a regulated schedule, thus they tend to push against tradition and identify themselves as service-driven rather than institutionally driven. For them, change is exciting and challenging because they like putting their practical, problem-solving skills to work. Because their preferred approach to the world is immediate, active, and pragmatic, they display competence especially during events that require rapid response. They are friendly, talkative and adept with social relationships. They see themselves as sent people – expressing Jesus’ life and values in the culture in which they are embedded. Doctrinal exactness does not characterise them, but Adventurous types engage rigorously in mission. Being one of the most fun-loving of the personality types, they often insert practical humour into their outreach.
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Trades usually associated with the Adventurous:
Trade and technical:
Emergency response:
Sales and marketing:
Research and analysis:
Business and finance:
Entertainment:
Energetic, uplifting, warm, and accepting
Expressive types are characterised by an exuberant ministry style that is fun-filled, people-focused, and actively-oriented. They have a tremendous love for life, and they know how to connect with people and genuinely care about them. They are exceptionally joyful, yet their expressive nature may be overwhelming to other personality types and cause them to disparage. With their zeal for impacting people for good purposes, these people will reach out to newcomers in an engaging and hospitable manner, always presenting their best public face. They deepen people’s interest through a variety of relationally orientated ministries that offer active participation in others’ lives in practical ways. Performing or putting on shows of some kind to connect with people comes naturally to these types. Expressives are attractive especially to socially adept people who serve with a realistic but enthusiastic energy. They love life and people in an energetic, down-to-earth manner. Their ministries are very active because of their love for socialising, and genuine care for people – especially children. They want and need feedback and appreciation. Worship is lively and participatory as people are caught up in the intensity and joyfulness of the celebration. Services are imaginative and multi-sensory, and are characterised by variety. Energetics learn through plunging themselves into new, stimulating experiences rather than the traditional classroom setting. Due to their spontaneity and spur-of-the-moment tendencies, these types can jump from one thought to another in rapid fashion, absorbing random bits and pieces of information. Since Expressives are already energised through social interaction, they do not need a program-drive outreach ministry. Rather, they prefer to be part of a flexible, spontaneous, and constantly changing effort that focuses on services in the community that is sensitive to the wellbeing of people.
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Educational/social services:
Emergency response:
Healthcare:
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Business and sales:
Entertainment:
Orderly, conservative, relationally orientated in ministry to people through gifts of help and service
Because Fellowship types are gifted at helping and serving people, they develop well-organised ministries that are co-ordinated in working toward a better life spiritually, socially, and physically for themselves and the community. Conscientious and hard working in their ministries, they are eager and willing to be involved in one another’s lives as well as to be useful to the community through their gifts of help and service. Although they are likely to place their families above their church friends in their priorities, they genuinely enjoy spending time with fellow church members. They typically select a few special friends and nurture these friendships over long periods of time. Sometimes they want more relationships but don’t know whether they can handle more. Out of a sense of duty and responsibility, members will step into leadership roles when firmly asked, even though at first they may be reluctant. Transitions can be difficult for Fellowship types, and rapid changes can lead to distress. Consequently, they tend to resist disturbances to their routine even when the unsettling is good for the church. They do not chase rainbows and always balance the budget because they set a high priority on exercising financial responsibility. Their ministries and programs may not be fancy but they are productive and efficient. Fellowship types are dependable loyal, even to difficult people in their social network who others might write off. Because of their determination and sense of responsibility towards others they can be overworked, imposed on, and taken for granted. They are dependable, but never happy serving in situations where the plans are constantly changing; instead, they operate most comfortably where rules are well defined. This means they can require a gentle nudge to move beyond their comfort level. They value their sense of history and continuity with past events, therefore they appreciate tradition. They learn best through a well structured, evenly paced, and orderly sermon series. As Fellowship types build relationships with the unchurched, they are patient with people’s values and beliefs, within reason. However, because they take on so many responsibilities in meeting the physical and social needs of the church they are often not able to muster the energy to engage in outreach.
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Spiritual and relational discernment for individual and community transformation
Almost any people-to-people ministry where personal, sustained contact is involved capitalizes on the wellness of Inspirational type to accept new and different people. Because they are concerned with people’s relationships and are able to monitor the concerns of individuals and groups within the church, they are able to adapt to meet genuine needs. They have an uncanny ability to understand people and say and do just what is needed to help them grow and develop. If people’s needs are in conflict with the schedule, then people will come first. They put a priority on gathering with friends and people new to the church in a small group context to discuss biblical and relational values. Their talent for communication is directed towards applying the Bible to people’s hearts in a personalized way. In ministry situations, Inspirational types are sensitive in their handling of people, and work hard to avoid giving unnecessary offence. Because they are sensitive to people they can relate well to all personality types yet they are also sensitive to criticism, and can struggle to receive it objectively, which potentially limits their ability to learn from their mistakes. These types engage in ministries that require organisation, clarity, and an interest in people’s emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. They focus on what the Bible teaches about how people should be treated, and then communicate these values to people working in their ministries teams. Inspirational types minister from strong ideals, which drive them to do things well. The danger is that where there is a discrepancy between their ideal and performance, they struggle with guilt to a degree that other personality types cannot comprehend. Outreach for Inspirational types is a natural extension of their energetic, people-orientated, and organised style. A difficulty they can face in outreach is a tendency to make evaluations of people’s issues too quickly and be inattentive to the details of people’s problems.
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Art / design:
Marketing / Communication:
Energetic, innovative, and compassionate
Relational types are long-term planners that can easily see the potential effects of an idea, program, or service in reaching people for Christ. They always take the needs and concerns of people into consideration in their planning, and devise innovative and compassionate solutions for the problems they face. Especially through the lively and energetic ministry teams they develop, this personality type helps people solve the problems that burden them in a creative manner and from a scriptural perspective. Often clever and funny, Relational types find satisfaction in the fast pace and constantly changing dynamic of evangelism. Their emphasis is on the promises of God as they lead people to Christ while exhibiting an infectious, energising style that motivates these people to make positive changes in their lives that honour the Lord. They build healthy and enduring relationships especially because they have exceptional communication skills that enable them to respond quickly to people’s needs – they are not paralysed by too much analysis. They prefer face-to-face interaction with people from the very beginning of any task in which they engage. At times, however, others may feel overwhelmed by the energy and excitement of this personality type. Because they strive intensely for harmony among people, these types can be in danger of losing touch with their own opinions, which they normally possess in wide-ranging assortment. As a result, they are vulnerable to accepting opinions of others uncritically because they are distrustful of their own judgements. However, their feelings about people and ministry opportunities, both positive and negative, are very intense and often accurate. Relationals are attracted to ministries that make use of their skills in planning and devising enterprising ways for people to serve in line with the church’s general goals. However, when they are faced with the drudgery of researching details in order to communicate their vision, they tend to drop current projects in favour of exploring new and more exciting opportunities. They may act prematurely or without hard data to support their decisions and occasionally implement change for the sake of change, without sufficient rationale.
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Creative:
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Business / Entrepreneurial:
Outreach on the cutting edge
Entrepreneurial types desire to grow closer to God and to other people, and learn how to live practically in relationship with God through Christ. They are visionaries, and are compelled by optimism that theirs is the best of times and God will make anything possible. Their perceptive abilities cause these types to see possibilities everywhere and envision new ways of doing things. Their philosophy is that there’s always another approach; if something fails, then try, try again. Because they see the needs of the community as an opportunity for trying something different with a positive impact for Christ, they create outreach events that are new, flexible, and responsive to the changing culture. They are especially adept at scanning the community to find connections with existing ministries so that when they add their creativity, a powerful outreach effort results. Their hopefulness enables them to recruit people with the right gifts and talents, and place them in appropriate ministries. Often they build ministries on small groups in which people really do know and care for each other. They want their ministries to reflect their resourcefulness and desire to solve problems while making fun, exciting, and adventurous things happen. They are not orientated to private study and reflection as a means of spiritual growth; rather, they prefer to investigate issues by participating in stimulating dialogue led by knowledgable people, which enables them to learn as they critique new ideas. This means they also appreciate strong preaching and teaching, and respond to excellent communicators who use theological concepts and expressive language to proclaim vision. Entrepreneurial types flourish in communities where change, adaptability, calculated risk, and competency are valued. They are big picture people, and focussing on step-by-step details can frustrate them. They can feel particularly intimidated when others question their competency or uncover details they may have overlooked; however, as long as their challenges produce new opportunities, these types bounce back quickly from setbacks and are persistent in pursing their goals. Since they are self-assured and confident in communicating with others, they assertively seek performance-based feedback.
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Communications:
Marketing / creative:
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Politics:
Entrepreneurial / business:
Outreach and assimilation driven by the sense of calling and destiny
Strategizers focus on ministry projects that require thorough research and structured plans leading to clear outcomes in order to move ministry forward. Their determination is to conduct ministries that harmonize with their theological and ministry values so that people do not question the direction of the church or integrity of the leaders. In order to solve troublesome problems in the church community, these types are zealous to develop creative approaches that continually improve the way they do things. They are assertive, long-range thinkers who see patterns that other personality types do not. Their systems are logical and wide-ranging, though they can sometimes overlook some of the steps necessary for implementation and fail to recognise the extent of the negative impact on some people. They can be aggressive in their zeal, and find it stressful to deal with incompetence, illogical behaviour, and ill-defined criteria, but they have a deep desire to help all the members of a church discover the calling the Lord has placed on their lives for serving in their home and community. When a strategy does not work as planned, that are adaptable enough to change direction after objectively analysing pertinent programs and structures. Because this type place a high priority on helping people developing spiritually and in other areas of their lives, they focus on intense interaction with people on a one-to-one basis. They believe in the equipping model, which teaches that God is calling all lay people of the church to be engaged in ministries that fit them uniquely, while the role of the staff is to serve as equippers. Strategizers often have many upfront gifts and talents among the church’s members, which makes it possible for them to have a great deal of influence. They are also natural leaders within the community and inspire confidence and respect in others. Strategizers are confident and tend to believe that they are right. Some Christians can view this negatively as a “superior attitude” or “snobbery”, and find them aloof and argumentative. Their strong resolve comes from being lifelong learners. Decisions come naturally to them, and they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided.
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Finance:
Data management and analysis:
Quality, educationally based outreach that challenges people to submit to the eternal truths of the Bible
Organizers have high expectations for themselves regarding the efficient and timely delivery of programs. They are excellent at managing ministry structures and make sure they are run well. Being efficient and zealous about follow through they use their organisational skills to manage ministry projects and have capacity for developing relationships with the community that will continue for decades. They are trustworthy, consistent, firm, and willing to sacrifice themselves for the best interests of others. They are driven by duty and tradition. Because they are good communicators with strong opinions, people seldom have to guess where they stand on any given issue. They conduct their decision-making on the foundation of trustworthy facts and evidence of achievement, and seek knowledge that assures them of being accurate in their presentation of truth. Organizer strengths include: correctness, reliability, self-control, continuity, management, and the gaining of understanding through analytical abilities. They want truth presented in a logical manner so they can apply it to concerns in their personal lives, church, and community. When serving in the community, Organizers are likely to communicate clear standards and expectations. When commitments are broken within the community, they become upset because they hold others to the same standards of steadfastness to which they hold themselves. They can sometimes be very demanding and critical because they have such a strongly held belief about what is right. Because they thrive on order, continuity, and consistency, they may not be in tune with what others are feeling, and tend to be very unobservant in these respects. A Organizer has a deep desire to know what is right and true. They take a stand for what they believe, and speak up against moral decay in society as they care more about substance than compliments. They are excellent in developing and executing Christian educational programs.
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Sales and service:
Technical / physical:
Managerial:
Professional:
