The Call God's Plan and Our Purpose

The Call: Gods Plan and our Purpose
Teleios Fully Human Fully Alive

Fully Gods and Fully Here
By Dr. Gary R. Sweeten
Is work & life a pain?
Interesting?
Pleasurable?
Finding your college major and minor as well as the profession or

professions to try and figure out if you are working in Gods plan.
All of God's great men have been weak men who did great things for God because they
reckoned on His being with them; they counted on his faithfulness. J. Hudson Taylor
Gary Sweeten Gods Plan and Purpose for Me, Sweeten Life Systems, 2014
Alexander Mackay was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland in October 13, 1849. He was a bright
student who had the mind of an engineer and the heart of a missionary. While reading an
Edinburgh newspaper in December 1875, he came across a letter from King M'tesa of Uganda
welcoming "the practical Christian who can cure diseases, build dwellings and turn his hand to
anything.
Three years later, Mackay found himself preaching before King M'tesa. He chose to speak about
the message of John the Baptist preparing the way for Christ. He wrote: "The spirit of God
seemed to be working. I never had such a blessed service." Mackay found that his true service to
the Lord would be constructing a 230-mile road from the African coast, through the dense
jungles to Uganda's capital. With the king's blessing, Mackay worked for twelve years preparing
a way for missionaries to travel while translating Matthew into the Luganda language.
Near the end of his life, he again wrote: Still I plod on, teaching, translating, printing,
doctoring and carpentering. Praise God! St. Matthew's Gospel is now published complete
in Luganda and rapidly being distributed.
Henry M. Stanley called Mackay the greatest missionary since Livingstone; he used his talents,
passion and gifts for God in a full and satisfying manner. Stanley allowed the mighty River of
God to flow in and through him to touch thousands of lives and left a legacy for future
generations.
What is your true service for God? Is it engineering, sales, evangelism, preaching, writing,
healing, translating materials into Russian, counseling, construction, medicine, hauling coal,
giving Cokes away, nursing beggars in India or cleaning toilets? What will you write in your
journal at the end of your life?
Myth
A damaging myth about serving the Lord can keep us from fully using Gods gifts and talents.
The myth is that there are some talents, tasks and businesses that are sacred while others are
secular. Sacred tasks are done only in sacred settings with religious words and symbols. They
include preaching, leading worship, reading the Bible, and witnessing. The people who do these
sacred tasks also must have special names and advanced certificates.
Careers are different for the non-believer. They focus on medicine, marketing, computers,
business, industry, housework, engineering, investments, real estate, physics, counseling, art,
parenting, teaching and science. Secular people are the passive recipients of those who labor in
spiritual fields.
This means that 99% of all Christians serve secular purposes while only a few are in spiritual
ministries. Secular folk are part-time Christians whose gifts and call from God can only be
used in churches a few hours each week. This powerful and enduring myth has hobbled
Christianity for generations. It is, thankfully, changing.
MacKays story puts the myth into its proper perspective. All helpful work is redemptive. Every
Christian has been incarnated by the Holy Spirit so every thing we do is godly. Every task is
spiritual. Any honorable activity is Gods activity when the Holy Spirit is present.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might
To my knowledge, none of the early Apostles was a Levite Priest. All were laity from Greek
term laos, meaning the people of God. The term clergy is largely not well understood. It
originally comes from the term cleros and means people who have been called of God. Both
of the terms refer to all Christians not just those who are professional Christian leaders.
Since I was a young man I have been a strong proponent for involving and releasing all of Gods
people, both laos and cleros, into positive servant activities. In 1983, however, I had a
transforming insight about the importance of lay ministry today. A group of us met in Oklahoma
City to plan the next years activities for an international renewal group. During prayer I was
struck by a strong sense of Gods voice. It went like this:
I am pouring out my Spirit for a New Reformation. In the first Reformation, I took my
word out of the hands of the few and gave it to all my people. In the New Reformation, I
will take my works out of the hands of the few and I will give it to all my people. There
will be resistance but not unto death.
This word energized the group and I redoubled my efforts to preach this word and devise ways
to release the works of the Holy Spirit in America and around the world. There are over two
million congregations outside Western Europe and America and 95% have no theologically
educated leaders. Additionally, many new congregations in developed countries are seeking
ways to equip leaders without sending them to seminary. Ordinary people with an
extraordinary God can do extraordinary things.
The First Reformation started a revolution by preaching that every believer is a priest with direct
access to God with no human mediator. That truth liberated Gods word from its chains and
millions of ordinary people began to read the Bible in their own language. The study of theology
was changed forever. The Reformation affected all churches including the Romans Catholic from
which the Reformation sprang. However, ecclesiology or the church structure did not change. In
both Catholic and Protestant groups the practice of dividing Christians into spiritual leaders who
could preach, teach and handle the sacraments from ordinary people remained.
For generations church leaders built monopolistic organizations dependent on state tax support.
This eliminated competition among theological camps and stifled healthy dissent with its
needed corrections. The development of new church forms was forbidden on pain of death. The
use of gifts of ordinary people in service to God was stifled. Personal evangelism was
discouraged.
Gods word in 1983 indicated that these traditions were about to be dramatically and widely
changed. The results of the new reformation would be as dramatic as the one that began in the
sixteenth Century with Luther and Calvin. The promise was that in the new reformation millions
of renewed believers would be released to serve Christ in the marketplace, home and factory.
The result would be a worldwide revival and a powerful awakening.
All over the world men and women are being encouraged to discover their gifts and see a vision
for touching lives. This chart shows worldwide church growth since the new reformation began
with the Jesus Movement of the Sixties and the Seventies.
Growth in births and new births since the 70s
Geographical Focus
World Total
Europe
North America
Oceana
Africa
Latin America
Asia
Biological Birth Rate

60%
11%
31%
53%
114%
76%
67%
Rebirth Rate
126%
41%
57%
93%
207%
233%
376%
This amazing chart from Christianity Today is evidence of the revivals taking place around the
world. Human population has grown at the rate of 60%. But look at the growth rate for new
believers. It is an amazing 126%! This is more than double that of the biological birth rate and
includes the low rates for Europe and North America. The West has a crisis of birth and rebirth.
We need to redouble our efforts to see new births grow spiritually.
Here is the good news. Africa, Asia and Latin America are seeing dramatic increases in rebirths.
Most of the growth comes from ministry by ordinary people. The new reformation is happening.
Gods word was not a command to start something. He had already started the process and he
wanted us to understand the implications. This was always Gods preferred process. Why is it
such a surprise when he does it so well?
You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. I Peter 2:4
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, belonging to God that you might declare the praises
of Him who called you out of darkness. I Peter 2:9
Preachers in the first reformation taught the concept of the priesthood of all believers. This was
a profound recovery of biblical truth. To Peter it meant that every believer could pray for
forgiveness without going through a priest. However, to Luther, it was a truth worth dying to
preach and preserve. To Protestants today that fact seems so obvious that it isnt taught.
The original emphasis given to this concept biblically means much more than personal
confession to God. It means that we are priests who are to serve God. It means that we must be
open for God to use us in all kinds of service. The Holy Spirit is with and in all believers. Every
talent and gift listed in I Corinthians 12 , Romans 12, etc., is to be accepted and experienced in
the community of believers. Every believer has a call to preach, teach, serve, care, heal, lead or
witness. At College Hill Church we had over 2,000 ministers and 20 paid equippers.
We honor God and build the Kingdom by working honestly, faithfully and joyfully. We can be a
dentist, doctor, maid, astronaut, athlete, army private, author, housewife, CEO, day laborer or
engineer. The most common place of ministry is in the marketplace and home not a church
building. World changes will come only when millions of ordinary men and women are releasing
their gifts, talents and compassion in the shops, malls, homes and movies around the world.
Just think about the people who received Nobel Prizes for Medicine. It would be wonderful if
they were Christians. Most of the great researchers and scientists of the past were Christians.
Most of the great composers were Christians. We need to listen again to the Spirit of God, The
Creator of heaven and earth.
In the book, Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty we use the acrostic AS I GREW as a guide for
Helpers. The first two letters of the acrostic stand for Always Spiritual. The Holy Spirit is in us
everywhere. We are spiritual at all times and in all places or we are not spiritual any time or any
place. All our talents, gifts and calling are legitimately from God in every place and every time.
Use it and keep it alive
The Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain stood as a monument to civil engineering for many
centuries. Spanning a bowl-shaped valley, the two-tiered, bridge-like structure stretches more
than half a mile and tops 95 feet at its highest point. Its massive gray columns, like the legs of a
giant elephant, dominate the quiet neighborhoods that flank it. Assembled without mortar
during the first century after Christ, the aqueduct carried river water to the town without
interruption until 1972 when engineers rechanneled the supply though underground conduits.
Unamuno, the Spanish philosopher, said: For eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water
from the mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank
from its flow. Then came another generation, a recent one, who said: This aqueduct is
so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children, as a museum piece. We
shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor.' They did; they laid modern iron pipes. They
gave the ancient stones a reverent rest.
The result was unexpected. The aqueduct began to fall apart. Air pollution began to
corrode away at the newly exposed granite stones. What ages of service could not
destroy idleness disintegrated.
More than any time in the history of Christianity the church has an abundance of men and
women who have served God faithfully for years. They, like the aqueduct in Spain, have
provided love, service, good works and care to their family, churches and market places. These
Seasoned Believers have finally gotten to a place where the financial resources are adequate to
provide for necessities. However, their abundance of mental, emotional, spiritual and relational
resources is largely unused.
There are far too many do gooders trying to preserve Seasoned Servants by urging them to
retire. These well meaning folks want to present us as museums to future generations. That
suggestion, if heeded, will lead to corrosion and an early demise. When I was a boy we called it
dry rot. We realized that machines and people both wear out more quickly from inactivity.
We desperately need more Seasoned Believers to Refire not Retire. We need their wisdom,
insights, experiences and gifts in the service of God and humanity. It is extremely important for
all of us whether young or seasoned to find the place of service that will inspire and motivate us
to have energy, excitement, satisfaction and significance.
What this means to you
Are you using the talents and gifts God has given you? Are the gifts rusty from a lack of practice?
One of the myths about depression is the idea that the way to combat its low energy is by
resting and sleeping. But this is entirely false. Exercise and energy prime the pump and more
energy is produced. During exercise the brain produces energy chemicals almost equal to that of
a Prozac. Prozac can produce only artificial happiness but living for God produces real joy.
Finding Joy in the Call
This simple chart tells a powerful truth. Joy, generosity and freedom come from finding a
challenge that mirrors our abilities.
Intensity of
Challenge
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0------1------2------3------4------5------6------7------8------9------10 Ability: Talent-Gifts
If I have great ability but operate with only an average challenge I will get bored. For example,
senior adults who read study and engage in active learning live longer and have a higher quality
of life. Action facilitates health. If we do not perform to the level of our God-given abilities we
lose energy. The main reason big churches have so few people who will volunteer is because
they are limited by fearful clergy to mundane tasks even when they are able to do far more.
However, the opposite is also true. As the chart shows we can become burned out when we
attempt to do more than our talents, gifts and energy will comfortably allow. Burn Out (as
distinguished from being worn out) describes what happens when the challenges we tackle are
beyond our ability. Becoming worn out comes from too much work and we run out of gas.
Pulling all nighters in college or staying up around the clock with a sick child can cause us to be
worn out. When were worn out a few days off will restore us. A game of golf or time at the
beach will suffice to give us rest.
Burn Out is different. Rest, vacations and taking time away from work will not restore that which
is broken. We can only repair Burn Out by switching from an old engine to a new one. We need
a different kind of power that fits my gifts, talents and motivational call.
Flow is that exceptional feeling of joy that occurs when we are doing that which satisfies the
core reasons God placed us on this earth. In the following chapters you will be asked to think
about the times you have genuinely experienced flow.
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Dr. (Sizz ma haley) is a psychology professor at the University of Chicago, who has studied
human enjoyment since 1963. The question he posed to himself was simple: What is fun? What
makes some experiences enjoyable to us and other experiences not? Or, why are some
experiences enjoyable to one person and not another? The following is taken from his book The
Evolving Self, pages xii-xiv. Csikszentmihalyi is describing some of the painters he interviewed:
When a painting was beginning to get interesting they could not tear
themselves away from it; they forgot hunger, social obligations, time, and
fatigue so that they could keep moving it along. But this fascination lasted only
as long as a picture remained unfinished; once it stopped changing and growing,
the artist usually leaned it against a wall and turned his or her attention to the
next blank canvas.
It seemed clear that what was so enthralling about painting was not the
anticipation of a beautiful picture, but the process of painting itself. At first this
seemed strange, because psychological theories usually assume that we are
motivated either by the need to eliminate an unpleasant condition like hunger
or fear, or by the expectation of some future reward such as money, status, or
prestige. The idea that a person could work around the clock for days on end,
for no better reason than to keep on working, lacked credibility. But if one stops
to reflect, this behavior is not as unusual as it may seem at first. Artists are not
the only ones who spend time and effort on an activity that has few rewards
outside itself. In fact, everyone devotes large chunks of time doing things that
are inexplicable unless we assume that the doing is enjoyed for its own sake.
Children spend much of their lives playing. Adults also play games like poker or
chess, participate in sports, grow gardens, learn to play the guitar, read novels,
go to parties, walk through woods--and do thousands of other things--for no
good reason except that the activities are fun.
Of course, there is always the possibility that one will also get rich and famous
by doing these things. The artist may get a lucky break and sell her canvas to a
museum. The guitarist may learn to play so well that someone will offer him a
recording contract. We may justify doing sports to stay healthy, and go to
parties because of possible business contacts or sexual adventures. External
goals are often present in the background, but they are seldom the main reason
why we engage in such activities. The main reason for playing the guitar is that it
is enjoyable, and so is talking with people at a party. Not everyone likes to play
the guitar or go to parties, but those who spend time on them usually do so
because the quality of experience while involved in these activities is
intrinsically rewarding. In short, some things are just fun to do.
This conclusion, however, does not get us very far. The obvious question is,
Why are these things fun? Strangely enough, when we try to answer that
question, it turns out that contrary to what one would have expected the
enormous variety of enjoyable activities share some common characteristics. If
a tennis player is asked how it feels when a game is going well, she will describe
a state of mind that is very similar to the description a chess player will give of a
good tournament. So will be a description of how it feels to be absorbed in
painting, or playing a difficult piece of music. Watching a good play or reading a
stimulating book also seems to produce the same mental state. I called it "flow,"
because this was a metaphor several respondents gave for how it felt when
their experience was most enjoyable--it was like being carried away by a
current, everything moving smoothly without effort.
Contrary to expectation, "flow" usually happens not during relaxing moments of
leisure and entertainment, but rather when we are actively involved in a
difficult enterprise, in a task that stretches our mental and physical abilities. Any
activity can do it. Working on a challenging job, riding the crest of a tremendous
wave, and teaching one's child the letters of the alphabet are the kinds of
experiences that focus our whole being in a harmonious rush of energy, and lift
us out of the anxieties and boredom that characterize so much of everyday life.
It turns out that when challenges are high and personal skills are used to the
utmost, we experience this rare state of consciousness. The first symptom of
flow is a narrowing of attention on a clearly defined goal. We feel involved,
concentrated, absorbed. We know what must be done, and we get immediate
feedback as to how well we are doing. The tennis player knows after each shot
whether the ball actually went where she wanted it to go; the pianist knows
after each stroke of the keyboard whether the notes sound like they should.
Even a usually boring job, once the challenges are brought into balance with the
person's skills and the goals are clarified, can begin to be exciting and involving.
The depth of concentration required by the fine balance of challenges and skills
precludes worrying about temporarily irrelevant issues. We forget ourselves and
become lost in the activity. If the rock-climber were to worry about his job or his
love life as he is hanging by his fingertips over the void, he would soon fall. The
musician would hit a wrong note the chess player would lose the game.
The well-matched use of skills provides a sense of control over our actions, yet
because we are too busy to think of ourselves, it does not matter whether we
are in control or not, whether we are winning or losing. Often we feel a sense of
transcendence, as if the boundaries of the self had been expanded. The sailor
feels at one with the wind, the boat, and the sea; the singer feels a mysterious
sense of universal harmony. In those moments the awareness of time

disappears, and hours seem to flash by without our noticing. This state of
consciousness... comes as close as anything can to what we call happiness....
Discovering the confluence of your talents, call, passions, and gifts and acting on them can be
the most pleasant thing in the world. It energizes, motivates, satisfies and keeps you focused.
Think about times when you had to work long hours doing something you really disliked. It
might have led to Burn Out. Several years ago one of our friends was on her way to the East
Coast when her car ran out of oil. She asked the truck driver that showed up to tow the car why
he didnt simply add some oil. He replied, You dont need new oil you need a new engine.
When that happens we need a new way to live; one that satisfies our deepest longings. Many
people hit a wall at mid-life and discover that they are out of oil and need a new way to drive
and motivate themselves. When young they were motivated by competition and money to work
around the clock and it took its toll. They have tasted all that the world has to offer and it did
not satisfy. Now they are asking along with Peggy Lee, Is That All There Is?
And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to a circus,
the greatest show on earth.
There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears.
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And so I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle.
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over,
I said to myself, "is that all there is to a circus?
Refrain:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is
Jesus told a parable about chasing temporal things in life.
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance
with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?"
And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for
one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a
parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought, 'What
shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear
down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat,
drink, be merry.'
But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you
have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is
not rich toward God." Luke 12:13-21
Death of the soul refers the inner life. Jesus said, The Kingdom of God is within. By pursuing
our personhood and fullness of life in external activities, performances and even good works we
can lose our souls. The soul dries up or burns out. An overemphasis on possessions and getting
our daily bread destroys the soul. Coveting kills the inner life but generosity refreshes us.
This segment will emphasize more than just finding a place to share your gifts and talents. My
goal is to answer Peggy Lees sad question, Is that all there is? Yes, Peggy, if all we do is focus
on temporal satisfaction and egoistic motivations. Perhaps we need to call this part, A Call to
Identity and Joy in Christ. We will focus on restoring the soul of every one who participates.
In Matthew 5:48 Jesus said, Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. That sentence has
caused untold grief and trauma for millions of Christians. It is difficult for us to grasp because we
take the term perfect to mean without spot or blemish and imagine it is perfectionism. Here it
means to be whole and complete. Our first Equipping Center was The Teleios Center meaning
whole in Christ. That is the goal Jesus has for each of us. When we become mature we shall
discover the joy in the Holy Spirit and the answer to Peggy Lee.
Over one third of the Gospels mention the healing ministry of the great Physician. The lame
walked, the blind saw and the weary were refreshed. As Peter and John said to the lame man:
Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
Being with Jesus on a daily basis prevents burn out and heals us if necessary. All of life is a
journey of growth and change. Every healthy person goes through different stages and phases
from baby to child, young adult and adult. It is the same way spiritually. Wholeness or perfection
means different things at different times in life. The World Health Organization (1998) says,
Good health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
Burn Out can be avoided by finding a fit for your talents, gifts, and calling. When we flow in the
Holy Spirit the soul is refreshed because we are abiding in and with Jesus. Satan comes to steal,
rob and destroy but the Spirit is given to give us life and abundance of joy.
The Gap
Genesis 1 and 2 says clearly that God created them in His image, in the image of God He
created them male and female. When scripture tells us that Adam and Eve were each created
in the image of God it can have different meanings. First, it suggests that they were designated
as Gods Vice-Regents or emissaries. In novels and histories about past monarchies we often
read that the king called one of his trusted senior assistants in for an audience. He would send
him to another nation to be an ambassador or representative to this foreign power.
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The Ambassador was a Vice-Regent. As proof, he was given a ring that carried the kings crest.
With it he could sign and seal all diplomatic agreements that the king authorized him to
negotiate. Although he was not royalty himself, as a representative, he carried the name, power
and authority of the king to the world. He would be recognized by the foreign kings and their
representatives as a legal, moral and official who could speak for his king. Since he had
diplomatic immunity, anyone who injured the Vice Regent was considered worse than a
murderer.
The king made clear to the Vice Regent what he wanted. Honest, open and complete
communication was required. The king told the Vice Regent his plans and goals in advance so
the Ambassador would be able to explicitly carry out his wishes and will. Today, as Gods Vice
Regents, we have been given the Bible and the Holy Spirit as guides to the Kings will. However,
because of our fallen nature, intimacy with God is difficult to maintain.
We are on this earth to be Gods ambassadors. We are to take his message to the world of
politics, economics, education, science and religion. Having a group of well educated, wise,
experienced men and women in the world is what God envisioned. He put Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden to work alongside him as servants of the Creation.
The second meaning focuses on humans as bearers of the divine image. It tells us to remember
that we share the communicable attributes of God. There are many dimensions of God that are
far too high and unreachable for us. However, God has also chosen to share many of His
attributes with us. For example, God gave us the ability to think, make decisions, feel emotions,
and relate to eternity. We can think rationally, make decisions, offer grace and mercy, and
experience feelings that range from tender compassion to anger. We can consider how to
create, build and heal. When we are fully human and fully alive we are fully representing his
image in and through us.
Thus each of us, Christian and non-Christian, is born with raw abilities, tendencies and strengths.
Each of us is designed to show Gods glory in everything we do. It makes sense that we attempt
to discover our unique design and integrate it into our life of work, family, leisure and social
interaction. We do that by a combination of reflection, discussion, dialogue and feedback.
There are, however, many barriers and problems associated with discovery of God and His will.
These problems stem from The Fall.
The Fallen Nature
There is a heart-shaped vacuum in all of us. Deep within the soul of every person is a desire to
return to Eden. Every cell in our body longs to walk in the Garden and talk with God. The issues
that block such intimacy are deep. Although everyone carries the imago Dei and has enormous
worth and promise to show Gods glory, Genesis 3 reveals the depth of brokenness and
blindness that came from the rebellion of our common ancestors. However, even as greatly as
we suffer from the fall, Gods plan for our redemption is stronger.
Because of Your adversaries, you have established a stronghold from the mouths of
children and nursing infants, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I observe your
heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You set in place, what
is man that You remember him, the son of man that you look after him? You made him
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little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him lord over the
works of your hands; You put everything under his feet: all the sheep and oxen, as well
as animals in the wild, birds of the sky, and fish of the sea passing through the currents
of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
Psalm 8:3-9
God created all persons to show forth his glory. Note that Psalm 8 says we are Created a little
lower than God. No plant or animal is created in Gods image and shares his attributes and
characteristics. Wherever we are and whatever we are doing we have the unbelievable
opportunity to reflect Gods glory.
God you put me together in my mothers womb. Psalm 139: 13
We were pre-ordained in Christ and put together by Him.
Discover the prodigy within and release it to the Lord
If I had no fear, I would?
Discovery leads to joy!
Temperament and Personality
One of the most effective ways to analyze our motivational abilities is to take a series of
Personality or Temperament checklists. They are not clinical tests that examine ones inner life
to see if we have any mental, emotional or relational issues that demand counseling. These
tests and checklists are designed to assess our communication style, developmental patterns,
preferences and planning abilities.
There are many such tests and checklists available and we use several to assist you. We have
the following available.
Myers Briggs Temperament Type-The most used checklist in history

Keirsey Sorter-built on the MBTI -Available Online with a Print-out
The Birkman-An in depth Temperament tool that reveals the dynamics of personal,
emotional and career life. Cyndi Wineinger is our Coach
The Millon-A clinical and relational tool
The Strengths Finder by Gallup
Record the results of the Temperament Check List along with areas of your education and
training both formal and informal. What classes and workshops have you taken on your own?
Share the list with friends or family and relate why you got the training and how it affected you.
Quadrants One and Two: Developing Gods talents, motivations and skills
Your educational pursuits are normally guided by your drives. Those inclined toward music
probably took lessons. I went to college to be a teacher and a coach. I loved children but wanted
to do more counseling that helped people solve personal problems.
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Betty Ann Ward, a wonderful teacher at The Mt. Vernon Community College inspired me to
consider counseling. She was the adviser to the Student Council where I served as President.
This was a high point of my education because she helped us think on our own and do critical
analyses to solve problems. I admired Mrs. Ward greatly.
The Maturity Matrix
All Persons
Born Again
Christians
Born (Being)
Develop (Doing)
Imago Dei Spirit Blind

Physical Traits
Family System
Mental Abilities
Talents
Temperament (MBTI)
Motivation
Education & Experiences

Skills, Tools
Experiences, Personality
Insights, Wisdom
Habits, Wounds
Sin, Flesh, ETC.
Gods Identity: Mind, Heart,

Motivation, and Inheritance
Holy Spirit: Truth, Fruit,
Gifts, Call, Purpose
Synergy where the whole is

greater than the sum of its
parts and all four quadrants
come together in experience,
freedom & flow
After graduation I taught school and I thought that would be my lifes career. I could not imagine
anything else to do. My vision was limited by my culture and experience. I knew of few people
with college educations. God took me out of that limiting bubble. I left teaching and I decided
to pursue a Masters Degree in College Student Personnel Counseling and Administration.
Many people get an education in an area that their family prefers but they have no passion to
pursue. A friend in Asia loved working with children and wanted to study pre-school education.
However, her family considered it beneath her station and insisted that she study law. She
practices law as a paid job but volunteers at a pre-school to do what she really loves. I fear that
Burn Out will occur soon.
Assessing your past
In Quadrant II we add to the natural talents God gave us at birth by getting educated and
trained. My son Tim had a natural bent toward music but resisted learning the piano or guitar
until he was a teen. Then we bought him a guitar for his birthday and he began lessons. He
became a very good guitar player. It took many hours of practice over a long period of time for
Tim to develop his talent.
13
While taking classes in Grad School at SIU I was required to serve a two-year fellowship under
the Dean of Student Affairs. We were constantly under supervision and coaching by the older
students and the Dean. It was those experiences that taught me the most about the real world.
Book learning without practice is useless. Several years ago I read about a top heart specialist in
Japan who wrote the most respected text on heart disease. Each year he went from campus to
campus to examine the medical students. He reported that many students had memorized the
entire 700 plus page text and could quote it better than he. However, many of them were
unable to check blood pressure or do a simple health exam. They had theory and talent with no
practical skills and experience.
We need more practice than theory or our students will fail the tests of real life. I call it TIPS for
Talents/Theories Into Real Service. When we combine the best in Theology/Talents/Theories
with Practice we have the very best of training. My approach has always emphasized practice
and skill mastery as well as head knowledge. We use the following Stages.
First Stage: Unconsciously Incompetent
(I do not know what I do not know)
Stage Two: Consciously Incompetent
(I know some of what I do not know)
Stage Three: Consciously Competent
(If I try hard I can do what I know)
Stage Four: Unconsciously Competent
(I habitually know what to do)
Unfortunately, the schoolization process schools normally follow gets students from Stage One
Unconsciously Incompetent to Stage Two Consciously Incompetent but rarely more than
that. The churchs primary process is has Sunday sermons and Sunday school lectures.
Preachers can barely remember the topic they preached a week later so we know the
congregation will be lost. Practice and repetition are necessary.
Until a new ways of doing discipleship comes along most people will remain in ignorance. Jesus
modeled great discipleship. He used a combination of short teachings and practice in small
groups accompanied with feedback. Church leaders have evidently decided that his methods
were wrong and replaced them with lectures to large groups and no practice and no feedback
on performance.
Truth separated from experience will always remain in doubt
Jesus took his followers from stage I Unconsciously Incompetent through stage IV Unconsciously
Competent. Jesus also commanded us to do the same thing. He said, Go and make disciples
that will do everything I do. Matthew 28:18. The emphasis is on doing not just hearing.
Cognitive knowledge alone is inadequate. Following Jesus means that we must both think and
act differently. To paraphrase I Corinthians 13: If I can quote reams of the Bible but cannot act
with practical care and love I am worthless in Gods Kingdom. In my terms it means that Truth
separated from experience will always remain in doubt.
14
The fanatic commitment to cognitive knowledge of theories makes mastery of skills almost
impossible. As a youth I knew the Bible better than any of my peers. I won almost all the sword
drills in Sunday school but I lost the battle of right living. A recent seminary graduate wrote a
doctoral dissertation on exorcism. He came fresh from his doctoral graduation to tell me all
about it. Unfortunately, he never saw an exorcism nor knew how to pray for people who were
under attack by the enemy. Truth separated from experience will always remain in doubt.
I speak often with clergy who have graduated from seminary or Bible school who know nothing
about interpersonal skills to influence people. They read the Bible in Greek, Hebrew and German
but they do not know people. They can discuss a word study but remain woefully ignorant about
the deep needs of their flock. They lack the skills of leadership, influence and pastoral care.
Make sure you list and think about the things you have learned outside the classroom. For
example, I learned a lot from Ken Shull, a Director at P&G. Ken was head of maintenance in a
soap plant. He taught me and others how to hear God through a flip chart. Kens teaching was
so valuable that I teach it internationally. No one taught me those skills in college or graduate
school. Ken was an Elder and he often coached me how to use those skills easily and habitually.
I became Unconsciously Competent with his leadership.
Look back at the people who coached you. Who were they? What did they coach you to DO?
How did they coach you? How did you respond? Are you still using those skills and abilities?
Now prayerfully examine the patterns and insights those experiences have given you. Look at
the test results in your life. Remind yourself about the experiences that blessed you. Which
were boring or painful? This can guide your decisions and help you discover a call that best fits
your royal makeup.
There is, of course, much more than this for Christians. We have the Holy Spirit in and with us so
God provides us with more than we can think or imagine. Christians are blessed with spiritual
experiences that we call by different names. There are animations, calls, motivations, insights;
discernments and experiences that a secular humanist might think are evidence of psychosis.
The Bible fills us with hope and expectation that God will guide us and control our destiny.
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also;
and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father. And whatever you
ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask
anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will
pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you
foreverthe Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him
nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not
leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 12:15-18
Jesus promised that He would place the Holy Spirit within us to guide and empower our choices,
to alert us to the truth, and to give us the abilities we need to fulfill our call and mission. That
will be the focus on the next section. Right now it is important for us to think about what God
has placed in us before we received Christ and the Spirit. After recording what you like to do, try
the next experience. Think about your abilities. To be successful we have to possess talent. I
dearly loved basketball. Unfortunately, I am short, slow and cannot jump. The motivations I
have are not matched by my abilities and skills. To discover my best place in Gods plan I need to
15
match motivation and ability and develop the skills necessary to master the tasks I am
motivated to pursue.
Ask yourself, What did I like that I was good at? I loved to help people so that was a
motivational pull. I was also rewarded for it. Many school chums and even adults sought me out
for counsel. All the girls told me their problems about love interests and conflicts. I wanted them
to be in love with me but they were usually in love with my friends and shared the pain of
rejection with me. I was a trusted friend and confident even though I never understood why.
Start with Quadrants 1 and 2. Write about what things you did that you liked and that were
successful. Get help from relatives and friends. Dont think this makes you proud. By listing
interests, training, skills and accomplishments you are discovering your Royal Design. (See Psalm
139) Record them and write a bit to explain how you did well.
I Liked and Did Well:
List all formal educational/experiences and then assess which were good and bad. Note
the emotional highs and lows associated with each one. Use the model below to guide
noting on a piece of paper the educational time line in your life. For example, I was in
conflict high school but dearly loved Community College. I loved positive counseling but
disliked psychology that emphasized sickness.
After you finish the educational assessment, do the same with employment. List in order all the
jobs you have held, including those in high school such as delivering the paper or making
hamburgers at Wendys. Draw an activity job/employment time line also with emotional highs
and lows. You may use the same chart form with different headings. Use the Motivational
Abilities to think about emotional satisfaction. You may have begun a job with great enthusiasm
only to run out of gas. This may mean you are best at start-ups rather than maintaining an
organization.
Educational Time Line
5-Very Good
4
3
2
1
0 _____________________________________________________________________________
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5-Very Bad
Contemplate the meaning of adverse experiences. My teaching career ended in a crisis that was
a blessing in disguise. After confronting my boss about his racist attitudes my evaluations fell.
My job time line shows both trauma and joy. That led me to change professions and grow in
16
character. The conflict was very painful but enabled me to find a vocation in higher education
that I never knew existed.
Activity/Career Experience Timeline
5
4
3
2
1
0 _____________________________________________________________________________
1
2
3
4
5
Our worst experiences are often our best preparations for the next stage in life. As there is a
curse wrapped up in the wicked man's mercies, so there is a blessing concealed in the righteous
man's crosses, losses, and sorrows. The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which he
grows and brings forth abundant fruit. Spurgeon about Psalm 1
17
Quadrant Three: The Results of Gods Work in and Through Us

Now we will look again at the spiritual aspects of work. The two former quadrants are all we
will find in a humanistic career approach. I studied Career Counseling in Graduate School and
found it helpful. Because we are created in the image of God, there are many aspects of what
we were created to do and be that are applicable for everyone, including Christians. However,
believers have an important additional Dimension. We are not better or smarter than they. But
we do have the Holy Spirit who animates us and reveals the truth, love and the power to do his
will, wherever we work.
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who
abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away,
the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7
Born (Being)
All Persons
Born Again
Christians
Develop (Doing)
Spiritually dead
Physical Traits
Mental Abilities
Talents
Temperament (MBTI)
Motivation
Education
Skills, Tools
Personality
Insights, Wisdom
Habits, Wounds,
Rebellion, Guilt, Shame
Gods Identity: Mind,

Heart, Motivation, and
Inheritance
Holy Spirit: Truth, Fruit,
Power, Gifts, Call,
Purpose
Synergy where the whole

is greater than the sum of
its parts and all four
quadrants come together
in experience, freedom &
flow
Experiencing God
Are there times when you question Gods love for you and wonder if you are good enough to
minister in His name? Write down the times when you have encountered God in a significant
manner. Begin with the time you became aware of Christ as Savior and when you actually
encountered Him that way. Add a time after you came to faith when you knew Gods Spirit was
close at hand and nudging you in a specific direction. I received Christ as a child of ten. Several
18
years after that, I was surprised by Gods presence and knew it was important for me to stop
living for myself and start living for God. It was both dramatic and life altering.
In a few weeks I was convinced God wanted me to go to college. I do not know exactly how I
knew it because there was no drama. However, I was sure that I was supposed to quit my job in
the factory where I had worked since graduating from high school and attend the local
Community College.
It was at the Mt. Vernon Community College that I met Betty Ann Ward, a Guidance Counselor.
Until that time I was unaware that counseling was a profession. After seeing Betty Ann at work
for two years it occurred to me that in some ways I had always been a counselor or helper to my
friends and family members.
It was then that Quadrant I started to come together with Quadrant II. I was born with a desire
and temperament that was naturally drawn to helping the people around me. I never studied
Counseling in Elementary or High School I did practice a rudimentary form of helping with
friends and class mates. I sometimes complained to mother that, None of the girls like me as a
boy-friend but they all want to tell me about their problems with boy-friends.
When I started College and observed Mrs. Ward it occurred to me that God could use me as a
helper. At that point I was ignorant about the gifts and call of the Holy Spirit but I knew that
God had called me to attend college. Having no other options I studied to be a school teacher
because that seemed to be the career closest to counseling.
Draw your spiritual time line
Scoffer-Skeptic-Seeker-Salvation-Spiritual Growth
Now list your gifts and motivations in Quadrant III that are different as a result of the Holy
Spirits work in you and with you. There are many checklists to assist you along the way in
thinking about gifts. However, do not approach these with the idea that they will tell you who
you actually are. A checklist sorts and simplifies your insights. One weakness is in their design.
They only ask what you have already done not what you might be able to do should you try it.
Verbs used to describe self
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Investigate, examine, experiment

Learning, observing, research
Visualize, conceptualize
Evaluate, analyze, assess, select,
Formulate, theorize
Plan, design, lay out, schedule, organize
Creating, invent, improvise, innovate
Organize, collect, synthesize
Develop, improve, tinker, modify
Construct, build, assemble
Operate, manage, administer, manipulate
Implement, do physically, execute
19
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Counsel, coach, advise

Supervise, lead, coordinate, direct
Perform, act, demonstrate, dance, speak
Teach, train, instruct, explain, demonstrate
Write, edit, compose, advertise
Influence, convince, advocate, motivate, sell
Take the Spiritual Gifts Check List and see what is says. Remember that no check list can fully
describe you. Use the results as a guide not as a final word. Integrate it with the Myers-Briggs,
Strengths Finders, and other check lists in order to get a full picture of preferences.
I suspect that some of us have gifts that have gone undeveloped so they will not show up on any
check list. What if you are a gifted evangelist or writer but never had the confidence to do
either? Try out new things and see what happens. Pray for someone to be healed or to be able
to hear God and see what happen.
Quadrant IV: Putting it all Together
Finally, we are coming close in quadrant IV to get a more complete picture of who you are
created to be and do. If you inherited ten million dollars and never needed to work for money
again what would you do? One man told me he was going to retire and build a million dollar
home on a golf course. As we discussed his life I found that he did not want to play golf every
day. He wanted to serve God. He had a strong desire to make his life count for something
important. When I asked him why he was not going to find a new ministry in retirement he said,
Im only a layman. What can I do for the Lord? In addition to his own uncertainty he also felt a
lack of encouragement from his church.
In another example, a lady in her forties went through the process of discovery with us in a
group setting. As we discussed gifts, talents and experiences they all seemed to affirm her
talents and skills for writing childrens literature. Since the group knew her well, they gave her
honest interaction, discussion and feedback. The group members were ecstatic. They all
affirmed her for her great stories and sensitivity to children, but Jane was crushed. Why could
she be upset by such revelation? The group confirmed her fear that she was not gifted at adult
evangelism.
Despite years of learning about evangelism and trying to witness, she felt a failure. This broke
her heart and surprised the members of the group. After several minutes of weeping Jane told
how her father prayed for all his children to become evangelists and urged them to witness
aggressively. One sibling was an evangelistic preacher and another was married to a preacher.
So she was convinced that she was a failure. But to us it was clear that Janes sadness was the
result of induced guilt and shame. It was certainly not true moral guilt. She felt badly for letting
her earthly daddy down, not letting the Heavenly Father down. She was not hearing the Holy
Spirits voice of conviction but her earthly daddys voice of condemnation. We listened to and
prayed with Jane and I followed up to help her renew her mind. She finally began to see that the
source of the fear and condemnation were fleshly not spiritual.
20
I have discovered many people who harbor similar irrational beliefs and, as a result, suffer from
anxiety as a result. They have been taught that God only gives gifts and talents to certain
people, or that we should seek only the gifts deemed more important by parents, church
leaders or traditions. This is one of the reasons that competent and gifted educators, business
leaders or other non-clergy feel unspiritual. We need far more gifted people in careers outside
the church than we do inside because 99% of all ministry occurs in daily life not church life.
The greatest source of unused capital in Gods storehouse today consists of gifted men and
women who do not use their gifts, talents and call to the fullest extent possible. Numerous
retirees have disposable time, money, wisdom and talents. They are often bored, sad and
anxious because they have no place to serve with significance. This is the worst loss of capital
investment in history. In comparison it makes the losses of the financial meltdown look small.
Experiences in Ministry
In this section you have an opportunity to note the times and places where you have been able
to integrate every Quadrant in your royal design. In Quadrant 3 we focused on Gods gifts and
your transformational experiences without much emphasis on your talents, training, or
vocational history. Now you will be able to put it all together.
After the Holy Spirit touched me at age 20 I had a strong desire to lead worship in my home
church. This was something I had never done before and I had no training in music. However,
thanks to my ancestors I have a strong, pleasant voice. I was shocked to learn that people were
deeply touched by my worship leadership. As a result I led worship for many years.
This also applies to areas of our vocation. When being Associate Dean at the University of
Cincinnati made it possible to minister to faculty, staff and students. It was great to have a
powerful position and to use it to influence decisions about student life as well as offer free
counsel to others. Both at work and church I integrated psychology with biblical knowledge,
spiritual gifts and Gods wisdom. It made me a much more effective and peaceful person.
Gifts, Preferences and Talents
The Family of God is: Not an organization; Not hierarchical; Not a fixed structure; Not totally
predictable; Not controllable; Not linear; Not led by humans but ridden like a surf board
Giftedness in Groups
Ministry Gifts: Discernment, Knowledge, Wisdom, Faith, Healings, Miracles
Organizational Gifts in Groups
Convener, Gate Keeper, Time Keeper, Questioner, Historian, Organizer, Worship leader
Individual Flow of Gifts in a Group
Prophesy, Serving-Helps, Healings, Administration, Exhorting-encouraging, Mercy, Discernment,
Faith, Miracles
Organizational and Leadership Gifts
Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher
21
The Variety of ways the Gift of Teaching Can be Operate

Gift
Passion
Calling
Outworking
Teaching
Teaching
Children
Adults
Sunday school
Seminary
Joe
Julia
Jeremy
Jill
Jackson
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching
Adults
Adults
Youth
Youth
Adults
Care and counsel

Art
Evangelism
New Believers
Family Life
Jeremy
Teaching
Youth
Sports
Joshua
Teaching
Adults
Seniors
Creative games
Systematic
theology
Lay Pastors
Para church
Young Life
Discipleship
Premarital
Couples
High School
Coach
Retirement
Home Crafts
Name
Jane
John
Levels of Relating With Skill and Wisdom

When thinking about ways to fit out talents and gifts into a list of roles where we can serve God,
it is helpful to look for roles that best fit my skills, maturity and ability. Richard Bolles has written
a series of wonderful books on this topic for decades. I am using his levels of leading list adapted
from What Color is Your Parachute?
1.
Giving and Receiving Basic Instructions. Understands verbal and written orders
2.
Serving. Responds to requests for action
3.
Amusing. Uses humor to entertain.
4.
Persuading. Influences others toward a decision
5.
Two-way communication. Accurate exchange of meaning verbally and non-verbally to
get at real meaning of persons
6.
Negotiates. Exchanges and reaches agreement on different ideas, plans, values, goals to
develop policies, mission, vision and strategy. Able to manage self in a conflict situation
7.
Coaching and Consulting. Assists others gain insight, direction, resolve conflicts, develop
organizational plans and learn new information. Requires specific and specialized knowledge as
well as process skills
8.
Supervising. Is able to manage people under his/her authority. Evaluates performance,
encourages growth and change, sets boundaries and moves a group toward a goal.
9.
Therapy and Counseling. Combines all the above with specialized knowledge about
emotional issues and interventions
10.
Leaders gather and motivate groups toward a common mission and vision.
22
Focus
Being-Who I Am
Doing-What I Do
Connecting-My System
All Persons
Imago Dei
Spiritually dead
Talents
Physical Traits
Mental Abilities (IQ)
Temperament (MBTI)
Motivation
Home/Church
Training
Sin Patterns
Flesh, Guilt, Shame
Education
Skills, Tools
Personality
Insights, Wisdom
Habits, Wounds
Work
Family History
Roles
Rules
Patterns
Leave Home
Triangles
Mate, Children
Traditions-Religion
Work
New Identity: Alive,

Forgiven, Converted,
Birthright as Eldest
New Mind, Heart,
Motivation, and
Inheritance
Glory of God
New Patterns
New Habits
New Gift Mix
Flow in Spirit
New
Family/Community
Redemption
Christians
Holy Spirit: Inner

Changes
Truth: Sets us free
Fruit: Love, Joy,
Peace
Gifts: Supernatural
Call: Gods Plan
Purpose: Meaning
Coffee or Cups?
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university
professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. The
professor got coffee and an assortment of cups, porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain,
some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the
nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is
normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source stress. Be assured that
the cup adds no quality to the coffee, just more cost. In some cases the cup even hides what we
drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the
best cups...and then eyed each other's cups. Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and
position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup
we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. By concentrating on the cup, we
fail to enjoy the coffee. God brews the coffee, not the cups...enjoy your coffee!
23
Gary R. Sweeten, Ed. D.

Sweeten Life Systems
Building a lifetime of great relationships

Touching Leaders, One Heart at a time, Touching Organizations, One Leader at a time
Touching Communities, One Organization at a time, Touching Nations, One Community at a
time. Touching Eternity, One Day at a time (C)
Sweeten Life Systems, P.O. Box 498455, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249
24

The Call God&#39;s Plan and Our Purpose

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The Call: Gods Plan and our Purpose

Teleios Fully Human Fully Alive

By Dr. Gary R. Sweeten

Is work & life a pain?

Finding your college major and minor as well as the profession or

Biological Birth Rate

sense of universal harmony. In those moments the awareness of time

Myers Briggs Temperament Type-The most used checklist in history

Imago Dei Spirit Blind

Education & Experiences

Gods Identity: Mind, Heart,

Synergy where the whole is

Quadrant Three: The Results of Gods Work in and Through Us

Gods Identity: Mind,

Synergy where the whole

Investigate, examine, experiment

Counsel, coach, advise

The Variety of ways the Gift of Teaching Can be Operate

Care and counsel

Levels of Relating With Skill and Wisdom

New Identity: Alive,

Holy Spirit: Inner

Gary R. Sweeten, Ed. D.

Building a lifetime of great relationships

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The Call God's Plan and Our Purpose

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