Christian Disciplonie - By Camille Lang Series

Well it’s official!!!! my personality has been locked in!!! I am an "I". Let me explain … I did a personality survey a couple of years ago (and they are always so spot on!!) … it was the DISC model. Now the word DISC is an acronym – that is the letters standing for different words … in this case different personality types.

D is for Dominant – this is for the vision setter, the one not known at all for their details … the big picture person – decisive, goal-orientated, the one who takes charge

S is for Stability- they are supportive, friendly, co-operative and have a real calming influence

C is for Consciousness – they are analytical, reserved, with high standards and thorough.

And "I" … "I" is for Influence … this type of person is a people influencer … they influence people … they are thought to be persuading, enthusiastic, a real team motivator and very optimistic…… and like dominant are not known for their attention to detail … now this might be a surprise to some of you but I suspect the majority of you will pick that I was found to be a pure "I".

The dark side that an "I" person needs to be aware and wary of is – being too much of a people pleaser … that is doing things purely to please others … last weekend I was on VCYC (Victoria Christian Youth Convention) and I ran a workshop on Evangelism. Now it was a really large workshop about 45 youth and at that size I found it really difficult to run an interactive workshop and I hadn’t prepared very well for a workshop that size. To be perfectly honest it actually didn’t go that well. There were only 6 or 7 people responding to my questions and there were many awkward silent periods (which I’m not very comfortable with anyway!!!). That workshop was on the Sat afternoon … driving home on Sunday afternoon (that’s approx 24hrs later) and what am I thinking about??!!! - the fact that 28 youth responded to the Christian message on Sat night??

The fact that the rest of VCYC was absolutely awesome???

Even the fact that the very last song for the conference was "One way" an awesome song???!! – a favourite at St Theo’s now that I think about it!!

I was not thinking of any of those things … Instead what am I’m thinking about???

my workshop … did people like it?? Did they walk out saying I can talk to anyone about Jesus and feel confident!!! Did they think that I was just an awesome workshop leader?? And what happens if they didn’t … oh should I have said this?? Should I have done this differently … and on and on the thoughts go around in my head …

I was dictated by people’s opinions …

When I think of a group who constantly struggles against being dictated by other people … my mind automatically jumps to teenagers – partly from my own experience (Oh so long ago), partly from my working with youth and partly from various research. It’s trying to fit in … to wear the right clothes … to say the right thing … to act the right way … to fit in with the crowd …

Now we adults smile fondly at this and say "Yes I remember that time in my life – it was a long time ago". But is it really that long ago?? Have things changed so much since then? When you are talking with your friends about a topic you actually disagree on … do you ever find yourself wording your opinion in such a way that it kind of aligns itself with what your friend’s opinion is – just a half truth actually, it’s pretty close to what you actually believe. Do you find yourself changing what you wear because your friend has just given you that look and said "hmmm not so sure … but what do you think??!!!"

See in the world we live in, we are constantly motivated to do things by what people think. And we also influence people around us. This can be a negative or positive influence. In Hebrews 10:24 the writer states

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds".

Spurring someone onto love and good deeds is a positive influence.

I have been pulled me up many times for not being a very good listener … The number of times Rob states "I’ve told you this already … remember??!!!" To which I reply … "yeah kind of … yeah!!!" And no … haven’t remembered

However I am motivated to change … to be a better listener. Rob spurred me onto good deeds.