Christian Scholars'Conference, OklahomaChristian University, July 18-20,2002

PREACIIING TO TIIT'qlggl,E

CHURCH: USING TIIT'FOUR

COMMI]IVCATION STYLES IDENTIFIED IN CARL JUNG'S THEORY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPES

by Flavil R. Yeakley,Jr.,Ph.D., HardingUniversity, Searcy, Arkansas Thereare importantimplicationsfor homileticsin somerecentresearch withthe Myers-BriggsType Indicator.t The MBTI is the mostpopularpersonalityinventoryin the history of psychology. Unlike clinical teststhat identiff mentalillnesses, MBTI simply indicates healthydifferences the way the in normalpeoplepreferto usetheir perceptionandtheir judgment. IsabelMyers andher mother,Katherine Briggs, developed inventoryin orderto identiff the preferences peopleon four dichotomies this of discussed Carl Jungin his bookPsyc by hologicalTypes2 Extraversion or Introversion. ?references regardingthe directionof energy. Extraversion: Directing enerry mainly towardthe outerworld of peopleand objects. hrtroversion: Directing energymainly towardthe irurerworld of experiences ideas. and Sensingor Intuition. Preferences regardingperception. Sensing:Focusingmainly on what canbe perceived the five senses. by Intuition: Focusingprimarily on pattems,relationships, implications. and judgment. Thinking or Feeling. Preferences regarding Thfuking: Basingdecisionson logical analysiswith objectivity anddetachment. Feeling: Basingdecisionson personalor socialvalueswith a focuson interpersonal harmony. Judging or Perceiving. Preferences regardingorientationtowardthe outerworld. Judging: Achieving closureby dealingwith the world decisivelythroughThinking or Feeling. Perceiving: Staymgflexible by dealingwith the world throughSensing Intuition. or

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and, MBTI areregistered trademarks of Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, California. Carl G. Jvng,Psychological Types(Princeton,New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1971). Written in German n I92L aud translated into English n 1923. This edition of the English fanslation also contains one earlier and two later essaysofJung on his typology. 2

Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, andFeelingarenot only different mentalfunctionsthat all normal, healthy,maturepeopleuse--they are alsovery different communication styles. Jungevenspokeof them asbeing four different "languages."The MBTI canbe usedto identify which of thesecommunication stylesis primary, secondary, tertiary,andleastpreferred. Effective communication requiresthat two peopleusethe samecommunication style, evenif oneor both hasto shift from their mostpreferredstyle to oneoftheir lesspreferred styles.

The implication for homileticsin all of this is that preachers mustuseall four of the communication styles,if not in one sefinonat leastover time, in orderto preacheffectivelyto all of the peoplein a congregation.This is not a totally new idea. For manyyears,textbookson homileticshavestressed the needfor flexibility andbalance the useof variouspreaching in forms.3Some teachers homiletics of have (visual,tactile, auditorytonal, usedthe four learningstylesidentified in Neuro-LinguisticProgramming and auditorydigital) to showthe importance using a varietyof sermonforms.a A few areusingthe of MBTI to makethis samepoint aboutthe needto a variety of sermonforms in orderto communicate effectively with peoplewho prefer eachof the Jungiancommunication styles.5 The MBTI canbe very useful in teachingstudents preaching useall of the communication to of styles. In the past,however,therewere only rough estimates aboutthe distributionof the 16types identified by the MBTI. But the recentdevelopment Form M of the MBTI useda kind of scoringthat of requiresa largerandomsample.Now accurate informationis availableaboutthe distribution of types,as shownin Table I andin Fiswes I and2.
For example, see: John A. Broadus, On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons,New Revised Edition by JesseBurton Weatherspoon (New York Harper & Brothers, 1944), a classic text that stressesthe importance of adapting to different audiences, different biblical texts, and diflerent purposes by using different sennon forms. See also: Fred B. Craddoch Preaching (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985),pp. 170-188,where Craddock shows the value of different sermon forms; Donald L. Hamilton, Homiletical Handbook Qlashville: Broadman Press, 1992), where Hamilton devotes eight chapters to diflerent methods and 10 chapters to appropriate ways of dealing with different kinds of texts; and, J. Randall Nichols, Building the Word: The Dynamics of Communication and Preaching (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1980), pp. 58-87, where Nichols suggestsseveral different "preaching languages" in order to adapt to different audiences. J. Robert Hanson, Harvey F. Silver, and Richard W. Strong, Student Stylesand Stralegies (Silver Strong & Associates, 1986); Richard W. Srong, Harvey F. Silver, and Robert Hanson, Questioning Stylesand Strategies (Silver Strong & Associates, 1995); Harvey F. Silver, J. Robert Hanson, fuchard W. Strong, and Patricia B. Schwartz, Teaching Stylesand Stralegies (Silver Strong & Associates,1996); Harvey F. Silver and J. Robert Hanson, Learning Stylesand Strategies(Silver Strong & Associates,1996); Hawey F. Silver, Matthew J. Perini, and Richard W. Strong, So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligezces (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000); and, _, Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strategies Raising StudentAchievemenl (Association for Supervisionand Curriculum Development, 2001). for M. Fairhurst, and Lisa L. Fairhurst, Effective Teaching,Effective Learning: Making the Personality Connection in Your Clqssroom @alo Alto, Catifornia: Davies-Black, 1995). 'Alice o '

Table 1 showsthe distributionof MBTI typesfor malesandfemalesin the nationalrepresentative the of sampleusedin the development the new Form M. The largebold lettersin eachcell represent MBTI types (E:Extraversion,I:Introversion, S:Sensing,N:Lrtuition, T:Thinking, F:Feeling, the terliary, J:Judging, P:Perceiving). The lower caseunderlinedlettersrepresent primary, secondary, styles(g:Sensing,q:Intuition, !:Thinking, ftFeeling). and ieastpreferredcommunioation

Table L Distribution of Typesand CommunicationStylePreferences in a National Representative Sample

ISTJ tsfrr
rnale 16.4% female 6.90/o male 8.1%

ISFJ fstn
female 19.4%

INFJ frrts
male l.3o/o female

INTJ tnfs

r.6%

male 3.3%

female 0.8%

ISTP stnf
male 8.5%

TSFP sfnt female 2.4% male 7.6%

female 99%

INFP nfst male 4.Io/o female 4.6%

INTP

ntsf
male 4.8% female r.8%

ESTP stfrr
male 5.6%
female

ESF'P sftn

ENT'P nfts female

ENTP ntfs female 9.7% male 4.0% female 2.4%

3.0%

male 6.9%

rc.r%

male 64%

ESTJ

lsd
male I1.2% female 6.30/o

ESFJ fsnt male 75% female 16.9%

male

ENFJ first female

ENTJ llsf 3.3%

male 2.7% female 09%

r .6%

males, tr1,478,

females, n:1,53 1

Figure 1 Summary of the MBTI Dichotomies Males: Extraversion Introversion Sensing Intuition Thinking Feeling Judging Perceiving 45.9% 54.1% 7r.7% 28.3% 56.5% 435% 52.0% 48.0% Females: Total Population: 49.2% 50.8% 73.3% 26.7% 40.s% s9.5% 54.t% 45.9%

s2.5% 47.s%
74.9%

25.r%
24.5% 75.5%

s6.2% 433%

Figure 2 Summary of Primary CommunicationStyles

Males: Sensing Intuition Thinking Feeling 28.6% t9.4% 33.6% 18.5o/o

Females: 253% 18.s% 15.0% 4r.2%

TotalPopulation: 27.0% 19.0% 24.3% 29.9%

The percentages shownin Table 1 and in FiguresI and2 arenot exact. Thereis a margin of error aroundeachof thesepercentages. percentages, The however,are closeto what would be found in repeated samples the whole population. Whenrankedfrom the most frequentto the leastfrequent, of preferences the four communication for stylesare: l st) Feeling 29.9o/o; 2nd) Sensing27.0 o/oi , , 3rd) Thinking,24.3o/o; and,4th) Intuition, 19.0%.

Usins All Foqr CommunicationStylesin Preachine Effective preachers all four of the communication use styles. This is not as difficult asit may appear' The bestpreachers havealwayshadthe flexibility needed usea variety of sermonforms-they to just havenot hadthis Jungianlanguage explainwhat they were doing. Onepreacher to asked,"How canI

be expected preachin theseother stylessincemy preference for Thinking?" The answeris that all to is norrnal,healthy,matureadultsuseall four of the communication styleswhenthe situationrequiresthem to do so. Somepreachers lesseffectivethanthey could be because are they refuseto do this kind of style shifting. Goodpreachers havealwaysknown that different peopleprefer different kinds of sermons.

Preachingin the Lansuasesof Sensinsand Intuition Peoplewho prefer Sensing theirprimary communication as style want sermons havepractical that applications-specific thingsthat they cando today. They like concrete language, vivid images. Since they are sequential learners, they prefer serrnons with introductions that clearly previewthe main points of the message plenty of "signpost"language and (internalreview, transition,and intemal preview). They aretumed off by sennons that skip aroundandthat arehardto follow. They are alsotumed off by sennons that aretoo abstract, theoretical-sermonso example,on "The Meaningof Human too for Existenceand Our Placein the Universe." They like conclusions clearly review the main points of that the sermon. Peoplewho prefer Intuition like sermons give theminsight andnew ways of looking at things. that They want preachers articulatea vision for the congregation.They like to dreamaboutpossibilitiesfor to the future. They needto get orientedby seeing big picture-the forest,notjust the trees. They are the turnedoff by too much detail. They do not needthe samekind of sequential structure that Sensing types do,but it doesnot botherthemif the "signpost" language not too obvious. is The challengefor preachers to communicate is effectivelywith both groupsof people. Preachers who useonly the language Sensing of tum off thosewho prefer Intuition. Thosewho useIntuition as their only language, to communicate fail effectivelywith thosewho prefer Sensing.Preachers needto moveup anddown the ladderof abstraction.They shouldbeginwith a clear,specific,and concrete statement a problem. They shouldthen moveup the ladderof abstraction showthe big picture-the of to categories which this problembelongs. After that, they shouldmovedown the ladderof abstraction to to showthe specificpartsof the problemandthe practicalthingsthat canbe doneto solvethe problem. Sinceover 70 percentof peopleprefer Sensing, commwrication that style shouldbe usedmorethan Intuition, but preachers needto useboth in orderto reachthe whole church. Many preachers havea preference Intuition, but if they usethat communication for styletoo much,they will attractpeople with that preference thosewith a Sensing and preference leave. will

Preachins.inthe Lansuasesof Thinkins and Feelins Peoplewho preferThinking astheir primary communication style like sermons teachthem that something.Oneof their favorite complements the preacher "You really mademe think today." to is They like objectivelogical reasoning.They expectsennons be critical and analytical. If they tell a to preachero on "You really stepped my toestoday,"they regardthat ashigh praise. They areturnedoff by sennons that are "all style andno substance." They want solid biblical contentin the preaching. When calledon to makea decision,they preferto stepout of the situationandmakea judgmentthat is as impersonal possible.Theylike sennons callon themto makesuchobjective as that decisions. What Jungcalled "Feeling" is not emotionalrty.For Jung,both Thinking andFeelingarerational functions. The differenceis that Thinking is objectiveandimpersonal, while Feelingis subjectiveand basedon people-centered values. Thosewho preferFeeling,like sennons that aremotivationaland inspirational. They like sermons leavethem feeling encouraged lifted up with hope. They want that and to hearsermons help to arouse that their sense gratitudeandlove toward God. They areturnedoff by of that soundlike the first affirmative address a debate--andespecially thosethat soundlike sermons in by the last negativerebuttal. The challengefor preachers to communicate is effectivelywith the Thinkersandthe Feelersat the sametime, while also communicating effectivelywith thosewho prefer Sensing Intuition. The and universeof discourse be thougtrtof as four circlesthat overlap. Most language can cannotbe identified specificallyas Sensing, Ilrtuition, Thinking, or Feeling. But if preachers stayin that areaof overlap,their preachingwill soundlike the bland leadingthe bland. Language becomes mostvivid andpowerfi.rlwhen it movesinto an areathat canbe identified specificallyas Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, or Feeling. Preachers needto moveback and forth amongthesefour stylesenough reachthe entireaudience, to not limit their preaching one style, andavoid going so far in onedirectionthat they turn off thosein the to audience who havethe oppositepreference. Somebiblical texts and somesubjectscall for a development onecommunication in style. A sennonon "The Natureof Sin," for example, might needto be preached primarily in the language of Intuition. But to be effective,sucha sermonshouldbeginwith reasons somein the congregation for to shift to a lesspreferredcommunication style: a practicalreasonfor thosewho prefer Sensing, logical a reasonfor the Thinkers,and a people-oriented value asthe reasonfor the Feelers. Preachers shouldstart in other stylesandpersuade listenersto shift into the styleneeded that sermon. for

Other Implications of the MBTI The two middle lettersof the four-letterMBTI type indicatethe primary and secondary communication styles. The lettersthat arenot usedin the second third positionsindicatethe tertiary and and leastpreferredcommunication styles. But the fulIpattern of communication stylepreferences cannot be determined without usingthe first andthe last letters. The last letter,J or P, indicateswhethera person prefersto dealwith the externalworld througha Judgingfirnction (Thinking or Feeling)or througha Perceivingfunction (Sensing Intuition). The first letter,E or I, tells whetherthe extraverted or function is the dominantor the auxiliary in regardto type dynamics. Extravertspreferto usetheir dominantfunction for dealingwith the extemalworld. Lrtrovertspreferto usetheir dominantfi.rnction dealingwith the for inner world.

Whenaddressing Extraverts,preachers needto usea lot of energy,plenty of volume,animated gestures facial expression.Thesenonverbalcuesmay communicate and morethanthe wordsthe preachers speak.Long pauses a major source distraction Extraverts.Theymay seelong pauses are of to as a sign of dishonesty-that the preachers usingthe long pauses coverthe truth aboutwhat they are to really think and feel. To communicate effectivelywith Extraverts, preachers shouldbe transparent and communicate openly. They shouldtalk aboutthe externalworld of peopleandthings. Extravertsarenot alwaysgoodlisteners. They do their mentalprocessing talking things out. The structureof the by sermonasmonologuecanbe a problemfor Extraverts. Sermons, however,canbe preached a spirit of in dialogue. Somepreachers very effectivelyuseimaginedconversations a part of their sermons.They as askthe questions they think the audience would want to ask andthenthey answerthem. That approach is not a distractionfor Introvertsandit canbe an aid for Extraverts. Introvertsareusually goodlisteners. They "go inside"to do their mentalprocessing.But they are not likely to respondasquickly as Extraverts. Preachers tendto establish contactwith peoplewho eye showby their body language they are listening. They may,therefore,tend to avoid eyecontactwith that Introvertssincethey arenot as expressive may seem be uninterested.But preachers and to shouldnot assume Introvertsareuninterested.They mayjust be taking time to process information. When that the addressing Introverts,preachers needto allow time to build a relationshipof trust. An appropriate level of self-disclosure helps. Whenaddressing peoplewho prefer a Judgingorientation,preachers shouldremember these that peopleprefer a very clear organization.They shouldpreview the message then stick to the outline. and

If the sermonis going to be longerthanusual,they shouldtell the audience advance.They should in presenta timetableand follow it. Judgingtypesaredistracted preachers by who changesubjects without advance warning. They areturnedoff by preachers who raisequestions they do not answer. They that want closure. By the end of the sennon,they want to know exactlywherethe preacherstands. Peoplewho prefer a Perceivingorientationresistclosure. They prefer sermons that showthemthe arguments and againstvariouspositionsandthat encourage listenersto decidefor themselves.It is for the diffrcult to comrrrunicate effectivelywith JudgingandPerceivingtypesat the sametime, but that is the preachers challenge face. The bestapproach for preachers remember they haveboth Judging is to that andPerceivingtypesin the congregation thereforestrive for balance. and Preaching just oneareaof churchlife wherethe MBTI canbe usefirl. WhenI do diagnostic is churchgrowth studies, almostalwaysgive the MBTI to all of the leaders to a representative I and sample of the members.Eachcongregation its own uniquepersonalityandthis is an effectiveway of has learningaboutthe corporate personalityof the congregation.In additionto implicationsfor preaching, an understanding a congregation's of personalityhasmanyimportantimplications. Leadership styles, teaching/learning styles,worship styles,and different methodsof outreach-all of theseareareas whereit helpsto understand personalityof the congregation.Conflict within congregations usually a the is personalitydifferencemorethan a theologicaldifference. Understanding personalities the involved can be an importantcontributionto conflict management.

Conclusion Preachers shouldunderstand usethe communication and stylespreferredby the peoplein their congregations. That requiresa balancein usingthe languages Sensing, of Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling. Whenpreachers most of their preachingin the communication do style that they prefer,they tendto attractmembers who are similar to the preacher type--but losemembers in who are different.6 Research I did 20 yearsago foundthat adult mernbers that who affiliate with a congregation during the tenureof a preacher, eitherby transferof membership by conversion, or tend to be similar to the preacher in communication stylepreferences.Preachers who preferThinking tendto altractanover-representation
6Flavil R. Yeakley, Jr., "Communication StylePreferences Adjustments an Approach Studying and as to EffectsofSimilarityinPsychologicalType," JournalofPsychologicalTypi (1982), 5,19-2g-. Seealso: , "knplications of Communicatioa Style Research Psychologicai for type iheory,: iournal of psychologicatType, (1982),6,2-r3.

of mernbers who alsopreferThinking, but they tendto havean under-representation new mernbers of who prefer Feeling. Churches thustendto become more andmore inbred.WhenI first discovered this, I was very critical of preachers who built their congregations aroundtheir own personalities.Later, as I I starteddoing churchgrowth studies, found that the congregation alreadylike that beforethey hired was hire Thinker type preachers that preacher.Thinker type churches who atlractThinker type members.The result is a congregation hasoneimportantgift, but not the others. that

In somecongregations, eldershipfunctionsasa self-perpetuating the body. Whennew eldersare it to selected, is the presentelderswho selectthem. Someallow the members "nominate"new elders,but allow members raise to the presenteldersdecidewhich "nominations"to accqlt. Most congregations thoseobjections. objections," it is the present but elders who decide whether sustain to "scriptural the Whenever presenteldersplay a major role in the selectionof new elders,thereis a tendencyfor the presenteldersto selectnew elderswho are similar in psychological type to the presentelders. In many the congregations, eldershipis far more inbredthanthe congregation. that Congregations becomeinbredhavea limited growth potential. Ftrthermore,they fall shortof goal of being a whole body. A body hasmanydifferent partsthat performmany the New Testament different functionsin manydifferent ways. A congregation needsa diversity of gifts.7 Psychological style,by elders inbreedingis bad,whetherit is caused preachers by who useonly onecommunication body, or both. who function as a self-perpetuating

Preachers otherchurchleaders and who want to learnmore aboutapplications the MBTI in of life congregational shouldstartby learningtheir own type. They shouldfind a qualified professional to administerand interpretthe MBTI. They shouldthen startstudyrng literatureon psychologicaltype.t the The next stepwould be to havea qualified professional conducta studyof the congregation.All of the leadersshouldbe includedalongwith the spouse eachleader. Then a representative of sampleof the (preferablyat least50) shouldalsobe given the MBTL The type distribution in the mernbers congregation shouldbe compared with the national normslistedin Tablei. This will showthe degree to
'Ephesians 4:15-16; Romans 12:4-8; Corinthians I 12:4-30; Peter4:10-ll; I Corinthians I 7:7. 8A goodplaceto startis a bookietby IsabelBriggs Myers, revisedby Linda K. Kirby andKatharineD. Myers,Introductionto Type, SixthEdition (PaloAlto, California: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1998. A good second stepis a booklet by KatharineD. Myers andLinda K. Kkby,Introduction to TypeDynamicsand Development: ExploringtheNextLevelof Type (PaloAlto, California: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1998). With this background, shouldbe readyfor IsabelBriggs Myers with PeterB. Myers, Gifts Differing (PaloAlto, one California,1995).

which the congregation likely to appealto only a limited groupof people. The leadership is group should be compared with the membership.This will showany potentialfor leader-member communication problems. The type literatureincludesseveral usefirl sources canbe appliedto the studyof that e congregational development.

Somepeoplehavetrouble accepting diversity. The studyof Jung'stypology helpspeoplecelebrate diversity. Preaching just oneareawhereit is importantto seekthe constructive of thesepersonality is use differences.But preachingis a goodplaceto start.

Harbaugh, God'sGiftedPeople(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990)-wdtten by a Lutheran pastor, seminaryprofessor,andtype expert. W. Harold Grant,MagdalaTholnpson,andThomasE. ilarke, Fromimage to Likeness:A JungianPath in the Gospel JourneyQ{ew York: PaulistPiess,1983)-written from a RomanCatholic perspective one of the early MBTI researchers. by Christopher Bryant,Jung and the Christiqn Zay (Minneapolis: The Seabury Press,1983)-writtgn from an Anglicanperspective [io"UA"r u sectionon ',prayerandDifferent Types of People"l' GordonLawrence, PeopleTypes and Ti[er {trtpes (Gainesville,Florida: Centerfor the Application of Psychological Type

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