Sometimes counselees inquire about personality testing. Some of us have taken and used various profile instruments.

The most common personality categories are based four classic “humors” of the Greco-Roman era:

• sanguine (optimistic leader-like)
• choleric (bad-tempered or irritable)
• melancholic (analytical and quiet)
• phlegmatic (relaxed and peaceful)

The D.I.S.C. model uses the terms

• Dominance
• Inducement
• Submission
• Compliance

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator uses four dichotomies of traits to categorize 16 personality types.

National Association of Christian Counselors uses the 5 personality type Arno Profile.

These kind of instruments are intended to “measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.”

In Exchanged Life Counseling we want to keep in mind that psychology is primarily used in a diagnostic way. We call this use “contextualization.”[1]

How should one use the self-understanding that can be derived from personality categories? This depends on the aspect of “self” that is under consideration.[2] Since these assessments do not refer to sin versus righteousness, or flesh versus Spirit, how should they be used? (Gal. 5:17).

1. Self may refer to the old programming from who we used to be in Adam (Rom. 7:18). Some of the traits may be useful to help the counselee recognize how his/her “flesh” has been conditioned. In this context it aids in recognizing what would be personally involved in denying self and taking up the Cross (Luke 9:23).

2. Self sometimes refers to God-given personhood as expressed in through our unique personality. Love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matt. 22:39). But for these traits to be infused with love and goodness, we need to abide in Christ, for without His live-giving ability we can do nothing spiritually virtuous (John 15:5).

Are there alternatives to the preoccupation with personality type(s)? We think so.

1. Although personality data may be useful to understand our traits and tendencies, as believers our essential identity is not based on personality, but on who we are in Christ. God bases our ultimate identity in our human spirit, not our soul.[3]

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus [essential identity] for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them [practical manifestation]” (Eph. 2:10).

2. Relevant, helpful insights in how we relate to ourselves and others can be derived from the discovery and deployment of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12-14). Many have found practical value in the perspective of the motivational gifts of Romans 12:6,7:

^“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

This model was developed extensively in Understanding Spiritual Gifts (Institute in Basic Life Principles). It is also expounded by Don Fortune and Katie Fortune in Discover Your God-Given Gifts, Dr. Charles Stanley (FBA Spiritual Gifts_Notes), Dr. Bobby Mullins (Channel of Blessing), and others.

So, in whatever capacity you use personality testing in your life and ministry, remember to keep it in context and interpret the results in light of your identity in Christ and the necessity of Abiding in Him.

-JBW

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[1] See The Role of Psychology in the Solomon School Lecture Series.

[2] See Sorting Your Self Out at GraceNotebook.com

[3] See BiblicalPsychology.net

[One of our alumni recently told us of how his church has partnered with
TrueLife.org. They printed business cards with the church’s name on it
with a request to visit this seeker’s web site and to call the
church/witness with their comments. It has been a valuable way to
motivate believers to share their faith and to take advantage of the
good quality, relevant answers given online.]

“TrueLife.org Is a unique non-profit Christian organization dedicated to showing the world that the Bible is true and reliable.TrueLife desires to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively and lead people to a Bible-teaching church in their area. TrueLife uses online videos and other media, local conferences and evangelistic events to bring individuals to faith in Christ.

Why TrueLife.org?

“Christian beliefs are constantly challenged and shaped by many influences outside the church. Without adequate answers, confusion and crisis often results. When Jesse Connors, founder of TrueLife®, intersected the helpful knowledge of university and seminary professors with the Internet, TrueLife.org was born. Today, TrueLife® offers reliable answers from a biblical worldview via the Web that are non-threatening and easy to understand and directs people to church.
How does TrueLife answer questions?

“Answers are presented free of charge in an online video format by qualified experts in the fields of biblical studies, theology, history, philosophy, ethics and science. Using experts from across the world, TrueLife® answers life’s most challenging questions through interesting and engaging video and article formats.”
https://www.truelife.org/

Our ministry friend, Altha Burts, has publisher her testimonial/ devotional book, Come Up Higher as an audio book. Better yet, her ministry has made it freely accessible online. This volume shows the power of salvation, the Exchanged Life, freedom in Christ, and the potential of Christ-centered discipleship and ministry. To listen, click here: http://www.suhministry.org/Come-Up-Higher-Audio.html

D. B. wrote,

Have you ever read Ecclesiastes by Philip Graham Ryken? I am reading it now.

Reply:

Ecclesiastes is so relevant for our existential, post-modern culture. There are timeless insights as the writer shifts from secular “glasses” (“meaningless, meaningless”) to faith glasses: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”(3:11)

A brief introduction is Why in The World am I Here? by Kurt De Haan available as a free PDF at RBC.

Yours in Christ,
John

Merry Christmas!

…While I am not yet rooted in a job [as a counselor], and am looking forward to some traveling in Central America this winter, I have been able to share the exchanged life wheel and line diagrams with five people. I was able to share an overview of it with a friend whom I visited in Nashville on the way home from the conference.

Also, in the past month God has been doing some incredible things with four of my co-workers at the group home and has illuminated some truths about who He is and the truth of the gospel to them. I have led three of them in a group of the wheel diagrams (and assigned some reading for them 🙂 I have gone over the wheel and line individually with one of the ladies from the group and also one of the ladies who works at a sister home closer to the Twin Cities [MN]. The executive director (of the group home) is also interested in what is happening and wants to be a part of the group the next time that we meet up.

It has been fun to see the Spirit work in the lives of these people and to have the opportunity to direct, encourage, question, share, and pray with them. The fact that I’m not working has allowed plenty of time to sit and talk with them about the truth of who they are in Christ!

Personally, I see how this model fits much better with my gifts then the traditional counseling I had been doing. It has given me more enthusiasm for starting to counsel again as well. As I say that I am still planning to spend a few months traveling, although instead of the control that I would usually seek, I am trying to keep it very open and allow the Lord who lives through me to surprise me and grow me through the experience. At this point I do believe that I will go to Idaho in the summer and start a practice there–unless the Lord gives me some other direction between then and now…

Hope that all is well with yourself during the Christmas season!

Blessings,
P.B.

My name is Don Livermore, formerly a Christ Centered counselor at His Life Ministries in Springfield, MO where we used the Wheel & Line diagrams as our primary tool in the counseling process. I still use these diagrams from time to time in helping those God sends my way through our local church body. I also do a little bit of teaching in our Identity In Christ ministry at our church.

I’ve lost track of just when I began using the diagrams but somewhere between 20 and 25 years ago I’d guess. It is what God used to show me why no matter how hard I tried….I just could not live out the Christ Life….in that small quiet voice God gave me some great advice….as in…..”Don, if you ever hope to achieve your goal of living the Christ Life you need to let the only Person to ever have lived that life….live it out THROUGH you”….Since that day so many many years back…I’ve never turned away from that advice.

Dr. Solomon, thank you for these diagrams.

This is a report we just received from a retired pilot who had GFI training about 15 years ago:

I am now on staff with CRU Military Ministry and discipling our soldiers on Sundays teaching three classes during the day. I taught the Wheel and Line diagrams yesterday and the soldiers were focused on the Exchanged Life lessons. In fact, after the 1pm class, many of the soldiers came up to me and asked more questions and wanted to discuss the diagrams again. They stayed for an additional 45 minutes. In the 3pm class the same thing happened and the soldiers stayed an additional 1 hour and 25 minutes! Most comments were, “these diagrams answered the questions I had about my walk with our Lord.” A total of 77 soldiers exchanged their life for Christ Life yesterday!

– Bob

A Grace Fellowship student just sent in this testimony.

I used to work in a nursing home in the year 2000 for two and a half days a week. It was a blessing to be able to minister to the residents there and their families.
One day they brought a man who was in his nineties and was dying. He was under hospic care. I usually carry a pocket size Bible with me or Bible verses to share with them. The daughter of the man that was dying seemed to be without cares which puzzled me. One day I walked into the room by accident and apologized to her. I asked her if she was alright and she smiled an said ‘yes’. So, I turned around to walk out and suddenly she said ‘no’. I asked her if she would like for me to pray with her and said ‘yes’. The father’s name was Arnold. His mind was o.k. and could hear well and understand. I asked Arnold to squeeze my finger once for yes and twice for no, of which he understood. So with that in place I explained the Gospel to him and he received Christ as his Savior.

When I was about to leave I gave the daughter some verses to read. Verses concerning Christ when Jesus said : ” I WILL.” The following day I met the daughter in the elevator and she said to me… “My dad is ready and packed to go home.” I was shocked to hear that! And then she said to me… “I mean ready to go home to heaven to be with JESUS.” After passing away the daughter came looking for me. We talked for a bit and then she pulled out her check book to write me a check of which I refused. I told her that I was glad and happy that Jesus met a need in her life. But, she insisted to write me a check. So I told her that she could make it to the church and that if she could inform the director of nurses –which she did, and all was o.k. with that.

A few days later “her” daughter sent me a thank you card and was grateful that her mother was able to let go of her dad. The card came from Arnold’s granddaughter. With another check made to the church of which I also reported to the director of nurses, and that too was o.k. It was a blessing ministering to the people there…but there is something more to come!

One of my co-workers I had been ministering to for about two months also had quite a conversion. She was brought up in a works-based church and was faithful to it. She was a HARD NUT to crack. In God’s timing she gave her life to Christ. She reminded me of Dr. Solomon’s conversion.

One day she was coming towards me and I noticed that something was different about her. As she approached, she said to me… “R____, I met with Jesus! He was there with me,_______! ” I said to myself… ” What did I do wrong?” She insisted that Jesus was there with her. Red flags were waving in my head. But then she said to me… “That night Jesus was SO real to me as though He was there with me physically. He was not but, He might just as well have been.”

During Thanksgiving she was telling me that later there were about nine people around the table and she shared Christ with them, that a couple of the family began to cry. One family member was married to a Jewish man and he walked out. She has quite a ministry going. I have kept up with her through the years. And kept sending her websites to read. And just a few months ago she thank me for a website because she gave it to her husband and he also to gave his life to Christ. WHAT A GREAT AND AWSOME GOD WE HAVE!

Ken and Sherry Callaway came to Grace Fellowship for training in 2012. They have now formed “Knowing This Ministries” in Gonzales, Texas based on Romans 6:6: “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Christ…”

Our vision is to disciple, teach, coach, walk alongside people (spirit of Barnabas), to lead people to the only One that can “illuminate”(Eph 1:17-18) their minds, so they may “reckon/consider” (Rom 6:11; Col 2:6) the truth of Galatians 2:20 and Romans 6:6. THEN, “appropriate” this truth (John 15:4,5; Col. 1:27) so that God may be glorified! (Col. 3:17)

Our passion is centered on relationships. We have a passion to teach people who they really are! –what their “true identity” in Christ is! We are passionate to help missionaries and churches to be all Jesus wants them to be. We have a desire to watch in awe, as a person surrenders their heart to Christ and then be honored to be present as they learn the “Abundant Life” as Jesus taught us in John 10:10!

Their web site is here: http://knowingthisministries.org/

Ken and Sherry are seeing God lead struggling people out of the wilderness into the Promised Land of the Abiding Life. They are available locally to provide personal ministry and a one day seminar.