ʼn Pastorale toerustingsmodel vir predikante in die GKSA vir die voorkoming van diensverlating met behulp van ’n persoonlikheidsontleding

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a pastoral model to empower ministers in the RCSA to prevent them from leaving the ministry. Personality analysis were used as a supplementary discipline to achieve this goal. The pastoral and psychology disciplines were used by this study as complementary disciplines to serve the cause of the kingdom of God. This interdisciplinary study serves as a whole hearted attempt to prevent ministers from leaving the ministry. The purpose was to equip ministers of the RCSA with the help of personality analysis to develop intra- and interpersonal skills. This study established that ministers find themselves in a crisis. A large number of ministers leave the ministry due to factors such as stress, despondency, high demands of the ministry, feelings of guilt, negative thoughts, burnout, loss of passion, loss of work satisfaction, interpersonal conflict, inner conflict as well as loneliness and isolation. For this reason this study attempted to equip ministers for the challenges of modern ministry by improving their emotional and spiritual wellness. It has been established that the personality of the minister, or “who he/she is”, is an integral part of every aspect of his/her ministerial work. God calls people with different personalities to serve him and equipping them accordingly. It has also been established that personality analyses can be used to equip ministers to increase their self-knowledge and insight. This pastoral study uses personality analysis to “serve” as a part of psychology to achieve the research goals. This study showed that the interaction between the pastoral studies and psychology can flow towards an equipping model for ministers in the RCSA providing them with skills to meet the challenges of modern ministry. For this reason it is important to include personality analysis in the equipping of ministers. The discussion of different personality models opened the door to equip ministers by means of improving knowledge and insight of themselves. The understanding of one’s own personality type and the internal psychological processes involved that leads to certain behaviour, can improve worksatisfaction as well as inter- and intrapersonal relationships. This increased self-knowledge also contributes to the discovery of their own strengths and weaknesses. An efficient self-knowledge can therefore empower ministers to utilise their own unique characteristics effectively. When people are aware of their own worth, characteristics, their actions and shortcomings – especially seen from a Christian perspective, they may be empowered to bring stability in their lives and relationships. As seen through the different personality theories, it firstly increases our understanding that God created men with certain characteristics that in turn determine their natural tendencies. Secondly, that the interaction between a person and his/her environment influence the visibility of personality characteristics. Thirdly, that the inherent strengths and weaknesses of personality types influence behaviour in different ways. People with different personality types will react differently in stressful circumstances. Personality especially has an influence on one’s occupation. Choice of occupation, personal approach, preaching, interpersonal relationships, tendencies, motivational level, motives, and even religious practices are all aspects that are influenced by personality characteristics. Ministers could be prevented from leaving the ministry if they had a better understanding of how their individual personality type influences their work and the impact it has on their personal lives. The exegetical study brought to light that God calls ordinary people to his ministry. This includes people that were capable of committing murder, adultery and betrayal that are transformed through the Spirit of God, directed by Him and then becoming useful instruments in His hands. It seems clear that God does not call a specific prototypical person: God calls each person within his own individuality and personality to play a crucial role in his kingdom and plan of salvation. The reason for this study was to illustrate how God calls, equips and uses different people in his service. This investigation is used to aid ministers spiritually by making comparisons between themselves and a specific biblical figure with the same personality type as them. This exegetical study identified Peter as biblical Sanguine personality type, Paul as biblical Choleric personality type, Moses as biblical Melancholic personality type, and Abraham as biblical Phlegmatic personality type. God used each of these persons fruitfully in His kingdom. Each of these persons was transformed through the Holy Spirit into usable instruments. These biblical figures also attest that their importance for God that cannot be under estimated. Through these biblical figures God saved His people and built His church. They serve as examples of the kind of people God want to use. Despite weaknesses and the struggle with sin, it becomes clear that God wants to use ordinary people and make them capable of achieving the extraordinary. God clearly pays attention to the individuality of each person whom He calls, and equips them accordingly to impact their ministry effectively. This study can serve as a helping aid to ministers, by means of comparison on how God wants to use him/her in the ministry. In the light of the distribution of personality types with regard to the minister’s, certain risk factors was identified which makes certain personality types vulnerable for leaving the ministry. There seems to be a relationship between the type of work activity that a person regards as fulfilling and the type of environment they choose. When a dynamic interaction exists between a person and the environment, it seems to have a positive impact on work satisfaction. It seems that certain personality characteristics attract certain people to specific occupations. It also seems that different working circumstances present different rewards and opportunities for different personality types. Personality types that have a larger representation within a group normally experience better work satisfaction because this personality types can be seen as being “a good fit” with the specific occupation. The personality types with a lower representation in a group have a larger risk of experiencing psychological distress. Persons with this personality types normally express a greater intention to leave a given occupation compared to the personality types with a larger representation. Personality types seem to play a definite role in positive or negative work experience. With regards to the ministers in the RCSA it was established that the Phlegmatic personality type has the largest representation. This is significant due to the fact that ministers with this personality type are largely drawn to the ministry in the RCSA. On the other side of the spectrum the Sanguine and Melancholic personality types, have the lowest representations which are the groups that represent the greatest biggest risk for leaving the ministry. The relationship between the different personality combinations and the two stress personality types were also investigated. The results that were obtained on the stress-personality scale showed that most of the ministers in the RCSA, at the time of the study, showed a Type B- stress-personality. The reason for this distribution of the Type B- personality amongst ministers in the RCSA correlates positively with the tendency toward the Phlegmatic personality type that reported a similar distribution. Through pastoral training with the help of personality analysis, new approaches for the individual personalities were developed that may be more rewarding or effective. To achieve this goal this short course attempted to increase inter- and intrapersonal awareness through theoretical as well as practical exercises. With this course the participants will be guided to obtain a better understanding on the questions: “who am I?”, “how do I act?”, “how should I act?” and “how can I be used by the Lord?” In an attempt to pro-actively attend to the matter of ministers leaving the ministry the pastoral equipping model in this study will attempt to equip ministers with interpersonal awareness. The participants are specifically guided to take into account their own personality characteristics and anticipate specific behaviours in social and interpersonal interactions. The minister is also specifically guided to understand and develop his/her own strengths and weaknesses. The final result of this study is to lead ministers to deeper introspection. Lastly, to pro-actively prevent ministers from leaving the ministry, this pastoral equipment model attempts to lead ministers to effective self-care. Specific attention was given to equip ministers of the RCSA to effectively notice and tend to warning signs in themselves, by means of putting intervention strategies in place before it is too late.