“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”

Henry David Thoreau

“Approximately 80% of what a pastor does on a day-to-day basis involves inter-personal relations.”

Roy Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 38.

ArtisanHedonicSanguineChangeableInnovativeEsthetic HypomanicExploitingPerceptiveDionysianArtisans

GuardianProprietaryMelancholicIndustriousTraditionalEconomicDepressiveHoardingJudiciousEpimetheanGuardians

RationalDialecticalPhlegmaticCuriousAgnosticTheoreticalAnestheticMarketingThoughtfulPrometheanRationals

IdealistEthicalCholericInspiredDogmaticReligiousHyperestheticReceptive FeelingApollonianIdealists

Plato 340 BCAristotle 325 BCHippocrates 370 BC Paracelsus 1550Adickes 1907Spränger 1914Kretschmer 1921Fromm 1947Myers 1955Keirsey 1978Keirsey 1987

FourTemperament

Early 20th Century Debate

People are not bornwith dispositions

(behaviorists)

Ivan PavlovJohn Watson

People are bornwith dispositions

Early 20th Century Debate

People are not bornwith unique motives

(hierarchical motivation)

Sigmund Freud – LustAlfred Adler – Social SolidarityHarry Sullivan – Social Status

Carl Rogers – Self ActualizationAbraham Maslow – Self Actualization

People are bornwith unique motives

Carl Jung’sPsychological Types

Jung's book Psychological Types, published in 1921, studied ancient and modern cultures.

The premise of his work was to discover– How people take in information

(sensing or intuition)– How people make decisions (thinking

or feeling).

He also studied two core mental functions relating to how people get and expend their energy (extraversion or introversion).

Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator

• Katherine Briggs began researching personality on her own in 1917, later to realize that Jung’s theory was similar to her own discoveries.

• Isabel Briggs Myers took her mother’s thoughts and expanded them.

• Myers began creating the indicator during World War II to help women entering the work force to discover their “most comfortable and effective” job.

• The “official” Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator was first published in 1962.

• Myers and Briggs added a forth dimension to Jung's scheme focusing on how people deal with the outer world (judging or perceiving).

Big Five Personality Theory

Not in MBTIA tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability; sometimes called emotional instability.

Neuroticism

Sensing/Intuition in MBTI

Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience

Openness to New Experiences

Judging/Perceivingin MBTI

A tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behavior.

Conscientiousness

Thinking/ Feeling in MBTI

A tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others.

Agreeableness

Extroversion/ Introversion in MBTI

Energy, positive emotions, surgency, and the tendency to seek stimulation and the company of others.

Extraversion

N (Intuition)Process information by reading in between the lines for meaning

“What could be” – Future focusRely on possibilities and imagination

30% of people

S (Sensing)Process information with five senses

“What is” – Present focusGrounded in the practical, concrete aspects of life

70% of people

What kind of informationdo you notice?

Sensing-Intuition Clergy Roles

Needs to be reminded of the factsNeeds to reminded of new possibilitiesSermons are more abstractSermons are more practicalProvides “change” in stalenessProvides “groundedness” in chaos

Asks “Where should the church be in the 21st century?”

Asks “Where is the church now?”Possible futureImmediate needsTranscendence of GodImmanence of God

Looks for meaning, possibilities, and relationships

Prefer dealing with facts and reality

Intuition – 57% of clergySensing – 43% of clergy

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 34-36, 45.

P (Perceiving)Prefer spontaneity and taking in more information

“Our options are open”45% of people

J (Judging)Prefer structure, order, and making decisions

“The matter is settled”55% of people

S (Sensing)Process information with five senses

“What is” – Present focus

Judging-Perceiving Clergy Roles

Sermons are open-ended (options)Sermons are predictable (outlined)Can be perceived as indecisiveCan be perceived as too decisiveBrings options and freshnessBrings stability and dependabilityFocus outside organized religionOrganized religion important

Energy in taking in more information (maintaining flux)

Energy in organizing and scheduling (seeking closure)

Spontaneous, flexible wayDecisive, planned, orderly way

Perceiving – 30% of clergyJudging – 70% of clergy

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 36-39.

F (Feeling)Prefer to make decisions based on how much

they care or what they feel is right“Empathetic and compassionate”

Stand inside the situation to decide what they like and dislike60% of women; 40% of men

T (Thinking)Prefer to make decisions in a logical manner

“Objective and analytical”Stand outside of the situation and analyze its cause and effect

60% of men; 40% of women

N (Intuition)Process information by reading in between the lines for meaning

“What could be” – Future focus

Thinking-Feeling Clergy Roles

Needs support to arouse enthusiasmNeeds encouragement in making tough decisions

Sermons are more objective and conceptual (logic, precision, and clarity)

Sermons are more sympathetic (persuasion and emotional impact)

Keeps the church honest to its rhetoric and tradition

Keeps the church connected to the people

Objectify religion to understand and explain it

Experience religion and become enveloped in it

Logical and analytical (truthful)Harmony and warmth (tactful)

Thinking – 32% of clergyFeeling – 68% of clergy

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 36-39, 47-48.

Caretakers, dutiful to the social units they

belong to

More comfortable being the giver than

the receiver

Most responsible of all the types

SJGuardian

Conserving, ServingPastor

38% of people35% of clergy

Power over content and surroundings

Wants to understand, control, predict, and

explain

Loves abstract theory and architectural plans

NTRational

Intellectual, CompetentPastor

12% of people16% of clergy

Wants to be engaged, involved, to do something now

Bored with the status quo, being

spontaneous and impulsive

Great in a crisis

SPArtisan

Action Oriented Pastor

38% of people8% of clergy

Searches for authenticity and self-

actualization

Natural questors, in search of self, wanting to become who they

really are

Most idealistic and romantic of all types

NFIdealist

Authentic, Relational Pastor

12% of people41% of clergy

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership.

Gospel of Luke (compassion)GospelFailure of relationshipsFailure

Can become a people pleaser

Can be seen as too idealistic and simplistic (not practical, down to earth)

Sometimes follows the latest fad

Restless, always searching

Can be perceived as insincere

Not good at setting personal boundaries, saying “no”

Risks seduction the most

Pitfall

Personal growth coach

Highly articulate and effective communicators

Great at pastoral care

PastoralRoles

Strengths

Very adaptable and optimistic

Attached to helping roles to deal with human suffering

Love community life as a means of finding their authentic self

High interpersonal skills and great empathy

NF (Idealist) -- Authentic, Relational Pastor

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 82-89.

Failure of actionFailureGospel of Mark (action)Gospel

Impatient with the status quo, theoretical discussions, and meetings (maverick)

Loses interest or bored over time and with routine

Frustrated with organized religion, confined by pastoral roles

Irritated when told how to do their work (wants to “fly by the seat of their pants”)

Careless with details

Finds sermon preparation draining

Church and staff desire more follow through (not just new ideas)

Pitfall

Retreat speaker or interim/guest pastor

Church planting or churches in rapidly changing environments (new work)

“Entertainers” at heart

PastoralRoles

Strengths

Always looking for options/possibilities over structure and order

Great at observation (practical pragmatists)

Good humor

Great in crisis and negotiation

SP (Artisan) -- Action Oriented Pastor

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 58-65.

Failure of procedureFailure

Gospel of Matthew (authority)Gospel

Frustrated with things that are open-ended or unstructured

Can become pessimistic

Vulnerable to burnout

Perceived as constantly hammering on rules, regulations, policies (too cautious)

Can drive others with little show of appreciation

Irritated with non conformity

Pitfall

Trainer or facilitator

Sermons are organized and practical

PastoralRoles

Strengths

Stabilizing force and loyal (dependable)

Offers practical, concrete ways to assist those in pain, need, or distress (common sense)

Servant to all, faithful

Brings order to the vision of others (specific over idealistic)

Stress on community (belonging)

Traditional – protectors of the rich history of the church, emphasizing the fundamentals

SJ (Guardian) – Conserving, Serving Pastor

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 75-82.

Failure of incompetenceFailure

Gospel of John (enlightenment)Gospel

Frustrated with laypeople who do not desire “deep theological truth”

Lacks practical application in teaching

Can be too demanding of others, impatient

Self-critical

Wrestles with the “non-rational” side of ministry

Perception of interpersonal distance or “theological snobbery”

Pitfall

Classroom teacher

Resident religious authority

Apologist

PastoralRoles

Strengths

Called to ideal of truth and justice

Excellence in all they do

Desire to understand the “science” of religion

Up to date in every field (competent)

NT (Rationalist) – Intellectual, Competent Pastor

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 66-75.

ESTJSupervisor

ESFJProvider

12.4% of clergy

ISFJProtector

8.5% of clergy

ISTJInspector

SJGuardian

38% of people35% of clergy

ENTPInventor

ENTJFieldmarshal7.3% of clergy

INTPArchitect

INTJMastermind

NTRational

12% of people16% of clergy

ESTPPromoter

ESFPPerformer

ISFPComposer

ISTPCrafter

SPArtisan

38% of people8% of clergy

ENFPChampion

11.6% of clergy

ENFJTeacher

16.1% of clergy

INFPHealer

INFJCounselor

7.6% of clergy

NFIdealist

12% of people41% of clergy

Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership.

Temperament and Spiritual Disciplines

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart (feeling) and with all your soul (intuition) and with all your strength (sensing)and with all your mind (thinking), and your neighbor as yourself.”

Luke 10:27, ESV

Oswald, Roy M. and Otto Kroeger. Personality Type and Religious Leadership. Bethesda, MD: Alban, 1988.

Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II. Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis, 1998.

Tieger, Paul D. and Barbara Barron-Tieger. Do What You Are. Rev. Ed. Boston: Little Brown, 2001

Resources

The greatest strength?

The greatest liability?