3 Colors of Your Spirituality

We have just done the 3 colours spiritual style test, and our group is doing the 28 days of discipline.

I think the Motto: "resting in the presence of God" is not quite correct, rather I feel it should be "be still and know that I am God". Its only in stillness that we can "hear" God and its our feelings that tell us we are close.

We have just completed "3 Colours ..". A struggle for many of our older traditional members. Personally found it interesting and challenging in that my 'opposite' style - actually 6th in order - is mystical and as a Christian pastor deceived by the 'protestant work ethic' I find it hard to justify sitting with my mind in neutral. Sometime ago a wise preacher reminded that we were created 'human beings' - not 'human doings'. That thought, God's word and discipline should get me through this 28 days and beyond.

Currently 99 UK corps (churches) within The Salvation Army are actively engaging with NCD. 54 of these are part of the ‘Transforming Churches Process’ and many of them are slowly discovering that God is working through this new approach to ministry. What follows is a selection of comments from 8 of these corps, and all are being both challenged and inspired by NCD.

I have signed up for the Scripture style, which is one of my stronger and have re-read the section on this style and finding my own position within it. Not so word driven in the sense of loving word studies but enjoying meditation with input from a more "blue" style of using my imagination.

I'm one of those strange ones: Having grown up a Pentecostal and ministering wholeheartedly as a Pentecostal pastor, my style is rational, with a tendency towards doctrinal. The result of the test didn't really surprise me, but I'm amazed by how much I find myself in the description of the rational style.

My native style is rational (leaning toward doctinal) and I have just re-read that part of the book. I definitley relate to the feeling of mistrust of simple answers and the striving for explanations that are mentioned. I have also experienced how the questioning mindset confuses people - and how it can offend people.

I was directed to TED.com as part of my 28 days... work in the Rational Style, my native style. I came across a talk by the Turkish novelist Elif Sharak. Where I connect with her presentation is through my own conviction that our Bible is a literary work, and must be understood and interpreted on literary terms. Heretical as it may sound, I believe that much (by no means all) of our scriptures are fiction, or at least remembered history with fictional embellishments.

Can't help but relate the doctrinal style (my opposite style) with the typology of thinking/feeling aspects of one's personality. As I understand this part of one's personality, it represents the ways in which a person typically makes a decision - either on facts/logic or on feelings. It appears that "thinking, embracing systems, content over experience, objectivity" take precedence in one's connection with God, and may have a correlation with that part of one's personality.

Imagine a church where your pastor is in another city and the sermon is "broadcast" to the various campuses. Imagine a church where the garage band (not the "modern" but still melodious music that you may hear on K-Love (a US Christian radio station) today) is the worship music. Imagine a church where the Bible is on everyone's iPhone and everyone can annotate and comment on both the pastor's interpretation and each other's comments, much like a Wiki.

I have been working with "The 3 Colors of Spirituality" for about two weeks now. I have discovered my native style to be Rational, leaning toward Sensory. I have just begun exploring the Sensory style in the "28 days of discipline," and was asked to share thoughts in this venue after re-reading the chapter on the Sensory style. Here are two of my thoughts:

I began working through the Three Colors of Spirituality book about a week ago, and reached the place of taking the spiritual style inventory a couple of days ago. I learned to my surprise that my native style is Rational, leaning toward Sensory (making my opposite style Ascetic--it is also surprising, therefore, that my second highest score on the inventory was Ascetic (!)).

When I took The 3 Colors of Your Spirituality Test, I could not believe that my native style was the Enthusiastic style. I have wished to be uninhibited enough to worship this way, but have not been able to really open up (pray out loud, speak in tongues, etc.)

The Message Bible, a recent bíble translation into day-to-day English, done by old Presbyterian Pastor and Scholar Eugene H. Peterson, is my favorite bible for several years by now. Even though I am German I prefer it to all German translations I know. (I have read 6 German translations completely so far.)

Using the friend finder I have found several people whose native style is one of the styles that I want to grow in (sacramental). But how do I find out which of these people want to grow in my native styles (doctrinal and rational) so that we can be mutual mentors?

I am rational, and focusing on my own style for 28 days... I am thinking about what the book says on pg 97 (rational style), only when explanations are sufficient, does faith have a solid ground. Last week I started reading Matthew for the first time with a small group that has also read 3 Colors. Matthew starts out very rationally and it is helping me with my quest to "know" Jesus. I need to know the details and facts for it all to make sense in my mind...

I am happy to have read the book. So much of it made sense. (I DO have some questions, though, that I'll save for another post.) I've taken the test and I'm fairly unsure where it leads or how I ought to proceed.

Have you problems to find facts beyond reasonable doubt? I know now that I do have it...
My native style is the enthusiastic style and my opposite one is the doctrinal style. So I've decided to do the doctrinal style on the 28 days of discipline.

Ich bin gerade dabei das Buch "Paradigm Shift in the Church" noch einmal nach 10 Jahren zu lesen.Vor einigen Jahren bin ich aus doch eher persönlichen Gründen in die Katholische Kirche gewechselt. ( war schon bei einer Pfingstkirche, eine Brudergemeinde und einer evangelischen Landeskirche aktives Mitglied ).

I am curious as to the practical side of having a rational style. For instance I am anxious to get feed back from how another rational style views sin. My hope is that we will have something in common. From this experience, I will develope confidence in learning and hopefully be able to ask intelligent questions of other that provides me some insight into their style of spirituatity. I am seeking feedback please.

I took a workshop in 3 Colors of Your Spirituality at a church convocation this month. Initially, I thought I was fairly comfortable in my native style (sensory) and open to other styles. Perhaps I am, but what I realized as I read the book was that I feel that I could use some work on my foundation (prayer and worship, learning from scripture, etc.) and sink into that this Lent. I think I am in need of the intensification of Level A growth right now.

Prayers welcome! :)

Jolene
Toledo,OH

I find it intriguing that the mystical style which is the opposite of my doctrinal strength has always been fascinating to me. I have a greater appreciation for liturgy than my doctrinal brethren and also have been interested in symbols and being responsive to the Spirit's promptings despite what my "common sense mightt dictate. I don't always respond but I'm at least aware off the promptings and need to follow through on them more faithfully.

Dandelions are a product of their choice, winds, and persistance.

Recently completed the Spirituality book and have yet to receive my first 28 day discipline email.

I wanted to find a friend walking a similar path from sensory strength to sharing growth.

Question: I am have trouble determining my native style. I have taken the Spiritual Style test three times and have gotten three different results, and to my knowledge was answering straightforwardly each time. The first time I took the test was a few months ago online as part of the beta-testing process; the result was a scripture-driven style with a sharing lean. The second time I took the test was at the seminar in the Pittsburg area on 11/11; the results were a sensory style with a rational lean.

Während seiner Nordamerika Tour demonstriert Christian A. Schwarz die transformativen, interdenominationellen Dynamiken, die hinter dem Trinitarischen Kompass und dem Geistliche-Stile-Test liegen, die in seinem neuen Buch, Die 3 Farben der Spiritualität, enthalten sind.

While on the road during his North American tour, Christian A. Schwarz speaks about and demonstrates the transformative interdenominational dynamics behind the Trinitarian Compass and Spiritual Style test contained within his new book, The 3 Colors of Your Spirituality.