People with the prophetic style attempt to use Scripture when confronting people’s sin and calling for repentance. In public or private interaction, they prefer to skip small talk in order to get to the point. They have strong convictions and opinions, but are more likely to communicate Biblical principles than personal bias. They have a sense of urgency in obtaining a response. They are willing to say hard things to anyone, and hold people and structures accountable for their values. They are bold, direct, and prefer face-to-face interaction.
Biblical examples:
Stephen in Acts 7
John the Baptist in Mark 6
Jesus in Matthew 15
Strengths:
Cut through smoke screens
People hear the Word of God instead of men
Respect Scripture and its ability to bring conviction
Usually verbally articulate
Weaknesses:
May fail to consider the listener’s feelings
May lack sensitivity
May be more offensive at times than the gospel warrants
May need to be reminded that love through action/service is important too
Proclamation
Proclaimers seek opportunities and circumstances to communicate a clear gospel outline and the need to respond. In public or private interaction, these people take initiative and utilize a straightforward approach to the gospel. They have a sense of urgency that people need to hear the gospel. They are direct and verbal.
Biblical examples:
Peter in Acts 3
Philip in Acts 8
Jesus in Luke 4
Strengths:
Provide clear, insightful, and Biblical communication
Always prepared to share the gospel verbally
Initiate and create opportunities instead of passively waiting for them
Weaknesses:
May not “connect” with all types of people
May confuse information transfer with communication
May rely on an outline instead of considering and responding to the unique person or situation
May be rigid and unadaptable
Intellectual
Intellectuals attempt to make a case for Christianity. They use a breadth of knowledge, historic proof, philosophic constructs, scientific analysis, and common reason to make a rational appeal for Christianity. They seek to appeal to people’s wills through their minds. They often enjoy reading books. They are philosophical, theological, inquisitive, and logical.
Biblical examples:
Paul in Acts 17
Jesus in Matthew 22
Strengths:
Validate and protect the truth of the gospel for all contexts and situations
Contextualize the gospel to current events and trends
Take down intellectual barriers that keep people from Jesus
Tend to be teachable and good learners
Weaknesses:
May get stuck on academic points and evidence instead of focusing on the gospel
May present the gospel as a mere intellectual concept rather than an incarnational reality
May overlook the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to faith
May overwhelm or humiliate people in the process of explaining Christianity and the gospel
Storyteller
Storytellers try to communicate theological truths through analogies or parables. Their narration connects felt needs and contemporary stories to Jesus’ story with creativity and personal impact rather than a memorized gospel outline. They think metaphorically. They often are artists and/or musicians. They are talkative, sociable, and down to earth.
Biblical examples:
King Solomon in Proverbs 7
Jesus in Matthew 12, Matthew 13 and Luke 15
Strengths:
Communicate the gospel in a captivating and memorable style
Appeal to people’s imagination through stories
Bring Scripture to life by connecting Biblical stories to people’s needs and spiritual blindness
Weaknesses:
May get caught up in the story and fail to connect it with the gospel message
May limit the listener’s understanding of the gospel by the limitations of the analogy being used (there are no “perfect” stories or analogies)
May need to learn to tell stories that are confrontational in nature
Testimonial
Testimonially oriented people emphasize openness with their own stories. As they listen to others, they are reminded of how God has worked in their own lives. Connections with others are made through shared experiences. Their personal stories point to Jesus. They tend to be vulnerable about their personal lives, especially their ups and downs.
Biblical examples:
The blind man in John 9
Paul in Acts 26
Jesus in John 14-15
Strengths:
Appeal to the imagination and life experiences
Identify with people and make them feel affirmed
Build relationships through empathy and vulnerability
Weaknesses:
May rely too much on experience rather than the gospel
May communicate that the gospel is subjective
May fail to tell the whole gospel by focusing solely on their testimony
May assume that their listener’s experiences are like their own
Interactive
Interactive people tend to focus on establishing relationships as an avenue to verbalize the gospel. They are able to create space for people. They reach out to people, and quickly feel accepted and included by others. They wait patiently for strategic, teachable moments to verbalize the gospel. They are prepared to apply the gospel to the various situations and friendships they find themselves in.
Biblical examples:
Andrew with Simon in John 1
Jesus with the Samaritan woman in John 4
Strengths:
Usually make people feel affirmed and heard
Easily develop friends with many types of people
Value the uniqueness and individuality of others
Weaknesses:
May not be willing to risk the relationship by sharing the gospel
May never get to the point of sharing the gospel
May need to work on boldness and speaking the truth to friends
May need to learn not to shy away from appropriate conflict
Invitational
People with the invitational style are the Martha Stewarts of evangelism. They are hospitable and always invite people to events. They network well to help the Christian community be effective with their friends. They are bringers, includers, and may be the life of a party or simply a quiet mobilizer. They are social, persuasive, and down to earth.
Biblical examples:
The Samaritan woman in John 4
Levi in Matthew 5
Jesus in Mark 1
Strengths:
Make outreach successful
Aware of many circumstances that are opportunities for outreach
Act as a bridge from the world of the lost to the Church
Weaknesses:
May rely too much on others to verbalize the gospel
May fail to experience God working through their direct ministry to others
May need to work on dealing with the natural conflict the gospel itself brings
May need to realize that the gospel itself saves and not the Church, events, concerts, etc.
Service
Servers are the Mother Teresas of the Church. They attempt to care for the real needs of people. Servers are empathetic and sympathetic. They place a high value on actions, even menial tasks. They seek to bring relief to others through practical service. They tend to have a concern for social justice. Their kindness usually comes at a personal cost. They are patient, gentle, and sacrificial.
Biblical examples:
The paralytic’s friends in Mark 2
The disciples in Acts 6
Jesus in John 13
Strengths:
Speak love in practical ways
Strong and appealing lifestyle
Demonstrate kindness and mercy
Break down a person’s negative stereotypes about Jesus and the gospel
Predispose someone to really listen and hear the gospel
Weaknesses:
May never get to the gospel
May need to sharpen their ability to verbally express the gospel
May need to connect their service with the reason for the service
May focus so much on action that the purpose for service can be lost
Power Encounter
People with a predisposition for power encounters may see dramatic physical or emotional change in the people for whom they pray. Operating with spiritual discernment and insight, God gives these people divine appointments and opportunities. They may uncover deep-rooted issues and often have a keen sense of following the lead of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical examples:
Elijah and Philip in Acts 8
The apostles in Acts 5
Jesus in John 4
Strengths:
Demonstrate God’s power
Get people’s attention
Increase the plausibility of the gospel message
Open to God’s direction in potentially risky ways
Weaknesses:
May rely too much on experience and emotion
May need to sharpen their personal ability to verbally share the gospel
May create a situation in which people seek the “power” visible in their lives instead of the God behind the power
May over-spiritualize situations
*The quiz and style descriptions are from Discovering Your Witness Style (IVCF). The styles here are not so much styles of evangelism as they are natural or default ways of relating to people, which then serves effective evangelism.
What are some practical things you've tried to work on reinforcing one of your strengths? Improving upon a weakness? Leave a comment with your advice or experience below.
