Your worship temperment or type

I dont know if 'temperment' is the right word, or 'personality' but according to this book I was reading 'Sacred Pathways' by Gary Thomas there are nine different types of christians and it might be fun finding out what ways you connect with God best. One of the speakers at the ladies retreat recommended this book so I borrowed it and found it interesting.

There's a quiz you can do online, actually there's several.
Give it a go!

The nine different types are

Naturalist
Enthusiast
Ascetic
Sensate
Activist
Contemplative
Intellectual
Caregiver
Traditionalist

You can be more than one, I did a quiz and came up with 'ascetic' which seems to fit me as I like quiet- I can hear God best when its quiet! After all He speaks to me in a still small voice, not a big noisy one!
 
Why?
I think there are too many in that book too. But maybe have a read of it before you dismiss it. When I first read it wondered if the author was going somewhere with it, or just going round in circles like those chartre labyrinths. isnt there only ONE way to God, through Jesus?! Maybe he is trying to be ecumenical.

So of the three you listed what would you say you are, out of interest. Hot, cold, or lukewarm?
 
Why?
I think there are too many in that book too. But maybe have a read of it before you dismiss it. When I first read it wondered if the author was going somewhere with it, or just going round in circles like those chartre labyrinths. isnt there only ONE way to God, through Jesus?! Maybe he is trying to be ecumenical.

So of the three you listed what would you say you are, out of interest. Hot, cold, or lukewarm?

Hi Sister Lanolin
I will use myself for an example but realize that this applies to everyone.

I have done lots of those so called online test and I eventually settled on this is how God made me and was proud of who I was or better yet how I was.

The problem began when one day the Lord began dealing with me and that's not how He made me. It was who I had become.

He showed me areas I thought were cool or not a bad thing that were actually a total opposite of how He created me.

Here is a simple example of this in another area.
The person is shy and timid and everyone sayz thatz how God made her.
Truth is no it's not. Without going into a lot of details, shyness is actually a part of selfishness or self.

Blessings to you
 
Well, God hasnt given us a spirit of fear (or timidity) but of power, love and a sound mind.

The worship temperments arent about being shy or not shy. Being quiet isnt the same as being shy, its just being quiet, theres actually a huge difference.
 
I am not like warm that's for sure and I am striving to be more on fire for the Lord daily
What about cold. You can be hot or cold, lukewarm is the one Jesus rejects. Some one who is cold can be just as effective for God as someone who is hot. Like a refreshing ice cold drink on a boiling summers day.
 
It isn't like one of those myer briggs tests that just puts you into boxes. It's just a tool that can help you,

There's another one you can do about finding your spiritual gifts.

I remember when I did one about spiritual gifts teaching came up and I wasn't even a teacher then and hadn't taught anyone.

It's not like saying you are shy or gay or dumb and that's just how God made you, I don't know if there's tests for that but people say all sorts of things that aren't true about others...I wouldn't put much stock in it though God wants us to be holy but we are are all different members of the same body of Christ and given different spiritual gifts So we are all unique, I think that's what God likes we can't all be the same.

For example the other week I went to a church conference and they worshipped really loudly and they jumped up and down like in a trampoline. And they kind of expected everyone to be in a frenzy like that. But they are the ones with microphones and flashing lights and I don't have that or need that. You probably couldn't even hear me sing over the bass.
 
I haven;t read the book.. yet... but before i choose, definition first : )

precisely i like to think am on the "intelectual"

reading the title: it is worship, how we Christian relate to God during worship:

Naturalist - sees God in the wonders of nature
Enthusiast - sees the nature of God, oh my... if our mind can take it : )
Ascetic - sees God in too personal level i think
Sensate - sees God Joyfully, of course!
Activist - sees God in action, Love!
Contemplative - sees God teachings and slowly digests it...
Intellectual - sees God, ie: worship God because it is due and rightfully so..
Caregiver - sees God compassion...
Traditionalist - sees God in songs of praise, no loud noise please : )

so am more of of an Intellectual, Traditionalist, with longing for Ascetic, and looking for action to be an Activist! :)
 
These are all man made titles.
How about seeing God and Worshiping God as we were created to do?

If I found myself in one of those I would pray for deliverance.
Blessings to you
 
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I haven;t read the book.. yet... but before i choose, definition first : )

precisely i like to think am on the "intelectual"

reading the title: it is worship, how we Christian relate to God during worship:

Naturalist - sees God in the wonders of nature
Enthusiast - sees the nature of God, oh my... if our mind can take it : )
Ascetic - sees God in too personal level i think
Sensate - sees God Joyfully, of course!
Activist - sees God in action, Love!
Contemplative - sees God teachings and slowly digests it...
Intellectual - sees God, ie: worship God because it is due and rightfully so..
Caregiver - sees God compassion...
Traditionalist - sees God in songs of praise, no loud noise please : )

so am more of of an Intellectual, Traditionalist, with longing for Ascetic, and looking for action to be an Activist! :)
I think we all have a a bit of everything but I find can connect with God best when I have quiet times and thats true of an ascetic. Fasting also gives me time to focus on God. Not that I fast often but when I do just am closer to Him.
Traditonalists connect best when they have things like liturgy and order of service and rituals. Like they would celebrate Lent and count the days to Good Friday every year.

The author of the book said he was a naturalist, and thats how he connected best with God in the great outdoors. If someone is into hiking and camping and finds peace that way, it might not be a good fit for them to be studying the Bible in a classroom or stuffy building...take it outside!

I just found it really interesting the different ways people worship God. I had not considered that a sensate person might need something to look at to see God, or touch, or smell. I have a deaf/hearing impaired friend and he responds Using his other senses since his hearing is impaired. My other friend loves God through caring for others and also adores God and loves praising Him. Thats her particular way of worshipping.
Someone like say cs lewis has to explain God intellectually to others. HIs way would be to write books about Him.

Because we dont need to go to a temple in Jerusalem anymore to worship God there is no one prescribed way to worship Him. If we who are in Christ are worshipping in spirit and in truth then we can worship Him anywhere.
 
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These are all man made titles.
How about seeing God and Worshiping God as we were created to do?

If I found myself in one of those I would pray for deliverance.
Blessings to you

Yes, I agree those are man made titles, it can be SEEN like that…

Or, in another way to SEE it, which I can agree as well: it can be said or relate to parts of the body and that is biblical :)


Naturalist – eyes and nose and other senses to see and feel the wonders of nature…
Enthusiast – hands: writing or typing how wonderful nature of God..
Ascetic – eyes within and ears within
Sensate – heart, a joyful one.
Activist – arms and legs to fulfill actions..
Contemplative - ears
Intellectual - head
Caregiver – arms, helping
Traditionalist – hmmm, more on consistency on how one was brought up…. maybe knees I would say? But surely it will jump from time to time when the heart overflows with Joy…

Anyway, once we identified with one or two or even all (as Paul says, all things are ours)…

the idea is not for one to think of more importance than the other…

hmmm... I double check the classification of the thread, it is more on GENERAL DISCUSSION... not on DOCTRINAL DISCUSSION...

But in in any case, if this will be a DOCTRINAL, I see it the same way, ....

Those TYPES mentioned are more of personality types on Worship... and it does not define a Christian Faith: of hot, cold or lukewarm....

How we WORSHIP is a personal thing ... as I see it.
 
Yes, I agree those are man made titles, it can be SEEN like that…

Or, in another way to SEE it, which I can agree as well: it can be said or relate to parts of the body and that is biblical :)


Naturalist – eyes and nose and other senses to see and feel the wonders of nature…
Enthusiast – hands: writing or typing how wonderful nature of God..
Ascetic – eyes within and ears within
Sensate – heart, a joyful one.
Activist – arms and legs to fulfill actions..
Contemplative - ears
Intellectual - head
Caregiver – arms, helping
Traditionalist – hmmm, more on consistency on how one was brought up…. maybe knees I would say? But surely it will jump from time to time when the heart overflows with Joy…

Anyway, once we identified with one or two or even all (as Paul says, all things are ours)…

the idea is not for one to think of more importance than the other…

hmmm... I double check the classification of the thread, it is more on GENERAL DISCUSSION... not on DOCTRINAL DISCUSSION...

But in in any case, if this will be a DOCTRINAL, I see it the same way, ....

Those TYPES mentioned are more of personality types on Worship... and it does not define a Christian Faith: of hot, cold or lukewarm....

How we WORSHIP is a personal thing ... as I see it.
Worship is a personal event with the Father. He wants it in the Spiritual and that is what moves Him.
People got this idea its all good no mater how we worship God.

That's why people don't experience the power of God far to many times in their worship.

Blessings
 
I think we all have a a bit of everything .

Yes indeed, one of my favorite verses: "all things are ours" ie: I found it applicable to when there are many Points of View, including Calvinism and Armenian debate: one says it all or nothing, a bit of this and a bit of that,,,, well: "all things our ours"...

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 New International Version (NIV)

21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[a] or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
 
Thanks for starting this thread Lanolin, I've often wondered if I'm doing it all wrong. I'm quite an active person, and find it quite difficult to sit still and talk to God. I recently visited a beautiful old church, where I was able to sit, quite alone, and pray. Yet my mind kept wandering to other more mundane stuff, what shall I cook for dinner, how is my friend who's having problems etc. Yet when I'm hiking I feel totally involved with God, I can pretty much focus and talk with God for hours. In fact I often imagine Him thinking "Will that woman ever stop talking" lol. I guess we are all different, and worship in many different ways.
 
Thanks for starting this thread Lanolin, I've often wondered if I'm doing it all wrong. I'm quite an active person, and find it quite difficult to sit still and talk to God. I recently visited a beautiful old church, where I was able to sit, quite alone, and pray. Yet my mind kept wandering to other more mundane stuff, what shall I cook for dinner, how is my friend who's having problems etc. Yet when I'm hiking I feel totally involved with God, I can pretty much focus and talk with God for hours. In fact I often imagine Him thinking "Will that woman ever stop talking" lol. I guess we are all different, and worship in many different ways.

My favorite memory of walking and talking to Father is on the beach at a women's retreat bout 20 years ago... Sometimes now when i pray i have to stop praying and remind my thoughts... that stuff can wait. It can be a challenge to train ourselves to focus... but it's well worth it. :)
 
Thanks for starting this thread Lanolin, I've often wondered if I'm doing it all wrong. I'm quite an active person, and find it quite difficult to sit still and talk to God. I recently visited a beautiful old church, where I was able to sit, quite alone, and pray. Yet my mind kept wandering to other more mundane stuff, what shall I cook for dinner, how is my friend who's having problems etc. Yet when I'm hiking I feel totally involved with God, I can pretty much focus and talk with God for hours. In fact I often imagine Him thinking "Will that woman ever stop talking" lol. I guess we are all different, and worship in many different ways.
Good news and bad news
Good news your not alone.
Bad news.....lol you have to train your mind to stay focused and not go roaming for another signal
Blessings
 
Thanks for starting this thread Lanolin, I've often wondered if I'm doing it all wrong. I'm quite an active person, and find it quite difficult to sit still and talk to God. I recently visited a beautiful old church, where I was able to sit, quite alone, and pray. Yet my mind kept wandering to other more mundane stuff, what shall I cook for dinner, how is my friend who's having problems etc. Yet when I'm hiking I feel totally involved with God, I can pretty much focus and talk with God for hours. In fact I often imagine Him thinking "Will that woman ever stop talking" lol. I guess we are all different, and worship in many different ways.
You are like one of my birdwatching friends, she needs to get outside and see the wonder and beauty of creation.

Sitting still, I find writing down my thoughts to God works by keeping a prayer journal. Now this prayer journal looking back on it is really messy, but that is the way I let God on everything, even little things like 'what shall I cook for dinner?' (Usually whatever is on hand in the fridge or in the garden) . I once had this issue over what to wear, feeling like I didnt have any proper clothes. When I turned it over to Him, I found I didnt have to worry about it anymore.

Some churches I find it difficult to connect with God, like the 'trampoline church' at one extreme and the 'you may be seated' kind of church with the hard wooden pews in the other. But when I'm in the garden, making it beautful, thats when I can connect. When I get my hands dirty in that sticky clay I think Im touching what God made us out of. When Im watering plants I think of how God designed us to grow.
 
You are like one of my birdwatching friends, she needs to get outside and see the wonder and beauty of creation.

Sitting still, I find writing down my thoughts to God works by keeping a prayer journal. Now this prayer journal looking back on it is really messy, but that is the way I let God on everything, even little things like 'what shall I cook for dinner?' (Usually whatever is on hand in the fridge or in the garden) . I once had this issue over what to wear, feeling like I didnt have any proper clothes. When I turned it over to Him, I found I didnt have to worry about it anymore.

Some churches I find it difficult to connect with God, like the 'trampoline church' at one extreme and the 'you may be seated' kind of church with the hard wooden pews in the other. But when I'm in the garden, making it beautful, thats when I can connect. When I get my hands dirty in that sticky clay I think Im touching what God made us out of. When Im watering plants I think of how God designed us to grow.

You sound like a really dedicated gardener. I love your thoughts on the clay and the watering.

But now you've put the seed of 'trampoline church' in my mind. Not figuratively, but literally lol. I can just picture myself praying "Our Father" bounce "Who art in heaven" boiing:)

Mmm, maybe a little trampoline would look good in my garden...

'Focus' is definitely not my strong point:rolleyes:
 
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