The gift that is most difficult to understand in terms of personality type is teaching. There are various reasons for this difficulty. One is that we often associate teaching with a classroom setting, which contributes to a limited perspective of this gift. For example, those with the gift of mercy are easily seen as merciful people in a wide variety of activities, at home, church, or elsewhere. The perception of mercy is not limited to a particular setting the way the perception of teaching often is.
Another problem for defining the gift of teaching is that many people with the gift are not called to be teachers in the traditional sense, and many classroom teachers do not have the gift of teaching. In fact, an observation of excellent classroom teachers from elementary through college would not reveal any clear patterns, because the skills and gifts needed will vary widely according to the subject taught and the age of the students, but the bible clearly says there is a gift of teaching, and the act of defining it will reveal that many people who see themselves as gifted teachers do not have the biblical gift.
In there defense I would say that the biblical gift of teaching is not necessarily the best for all types of teaching. Especially in the lower grades, gifts such as hospitality, helping, giving and serving, gifts associated with the sensing (S) personality types will predominate. This is almost certainly the best for younger children, because the focus of these gifts is a large part of what children need: an understanding of our whole society with its traditions, expectations, values, and responsibilities. The SJ types especially are very civic minded and have an inherent continuity with the stream of our culture which they not only teach but also demonstrate in their lives. SJ types are the pillars of most communities and without them many of our traditions and institutions would disappear over time. In the classroom, they instinctively pass along these civic values. To say that these teachers do not have the spiritual gift of teaching is not at all meant to be disparaging.
We do need to have a clear view of the gift, however, and a look at the Greek word is helpful. The word, didasko, “involves learning and understanding an area of knowledge. Also, it involves helping others to get to where they are in their understanding to where the teacher is[1].”
This type of teaching is best suited to the ENTP. Although not many ENTPs are drawn to teaching below the college level, the ones found there make a valuable contribution. “They are usually outstanding teachers, continually devising new participative ways to make learning exciting for the students[2].” Keirsey and Bates recognized the ENTPs teaching ability, but teaching is never seen as a major theme of the ENTP. The case for ENTPs having the gift of teaching cannot be made solely by a straightforward comparison of the literature, since they are most often seen as inventors or entrepreneurs. The defense of this relationship must be made somewhat obliquely, and is aimed therefore, at those who have some understanding of personality types and can decide whether the arguments are correct based on their own understanding and observations.
I suggest observing specific ENTPs in teaching, public speaking, or any occupation that involves helping others understand “an area of knowledge.” I believe you will most likely observe give-and-take discussions where they demonstrate skills appropriate for the gift of teaching:
ENTPs, as should teachers, accept ideas based on their merit as ideas and not on authority or tradition. “The basic attitude of ENTPs is one of skepticism. While they are open to new ideas, they are skeptical of their validity until logically proven otherwise[6].” They are apt to challenge any concept or teaching to uncover holes or weaknesses, which may be another level of protection God has given the Body of Christ—teachers should be the last ones to dogmatically accept or hold on to ideas. The ones transmitting doctrine to the flock should be the most open to questioning their own and others’ ideas, doctrines, and reasoning, because a dogmatic teacher can be dangerous for any denomination. “ENTPs are also the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that is the way things have always been done[7].”
The ENTP is considered the best debater, which would be a problem if any other type had the gift of teaching. The teacher of another type would have difficulty answering the objections and challenging logic of the ENTP. “ENTPs want the person in charge to be knowledgeable and competent. Authority is not granted by position. They will question authority and test it, especially in their own area of expertise[8]”; “Most iNtuitive-Thinkers learn by discussing and challenging, and this is especially true for ENTPs[9].”
We can also look at teaching in the context of the MBTI. It makes sense that the gift of teaching would differ from the gift of knowledge only in extraversion, as teaching is the transmission of knowledge and understanding to others. And from the gift of prophecy only in thinking, as teaching is speaking the mind of God―prophecy is speaking the will of God. And from evangelism only in intuition, as teaching is convincing others of the principles of God―evangelism is convincing others of the reality of their own situation and their need for a savior.
Summary: For each of the sixteen personality types there is a theme or set of related themes that run through the various descriptions of that type. A major theme of the ENTP is inventing, not just in a technological sense but in new ways of doing things. Another common theme is that of an entrepreneur. While I believe the match is a good one, these themes are difficult to correlate with teaching and based solely on the major themes (and even secondary themes with the exception of Keirsey’s observation) the ENTP personality is a moderately weak match for the gift of teaching based on the literature alone. This match will have to wait on more analysis for confirmation or refutation.
References
[1] Tim Blanchard, A Practical Guide to Finding Your Spiritual Gifts (Wheaton, Il.: Tyndale House, 1983), 21.
[2] David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis, 1978), 185.
[3] Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen, 16 Ways to Love Your Lover: Understanding the 16 Personality Types so You Can Create a Love that Lasts Forever (New York: Delacorte Press, 1994), 261.
[4] Olaf Isachsen and Linda Berens, Working Together: A Personality Centered Approach to Management (Coronado, CA: Neworld Management Press, 1988), 255.
[5] Kroeger and Thuesen, 1994, 260.
[6] Isachsen and Berens, 256.
[7] David Keirsey, Please Understand Me II (Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis, 1998)
[8] Isachsen and Berens, 260.
[9] Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen, Type Talk (New York: Broadman Press, 1988)
Another problem for defining the gift of teaching is that many people with the gift are not called to be teachers in the traditional sense, and many classroom teachers do not have the gift of teaching. In fact, an observation of excellent classroom teachers from elementary through college would not reveal any clear patterns, because the skills and gifts needed will vary widely according to the subject taught and the age of the students, but the bible clearly says there is a gift of teaching, and the act of defining it will reveal that many people who see themselves as gifted teachers do not have the biblical gift.
In there defense I would say that the biblical gift of teaching is not necessarily the best for all types of teaching. Especially in the lower grades, gifts such as hospitality, helping, giving and serving, gifts associated with the sensing (S) personality types will predominate. This is almost certainly the best for younger children, because the focus of these gifts is a large part of what children need: an understanding of our whole society with its traditions, expectations, values, and responsibilities. The SJ types especially are very civic minded and have an inherent continuity with the stream of our culture which they not only teach but also demonstrate in their lives. SJ types are the pillars of most communities and without them many of our traditions and institutions would disappear over time. In the classroom, they instinctively pass along these civic values. To say that these teachers do not have the spiritual gift of teaching is not at all meant to be disparaging.
We do need to have a clear view of the gift, however, and a look at the Greek word is helpful. The word, didasko, “involves learning and understanding an area of knowledge. Also, it involves helping others to get to where they are in their understanding to where the teacher is[1].”
This type of teaching is best suited to the ENTP. Although not many ENTPs are drawn to teaching below the college level, the ones found there make a valuable contribution. “They are usually outstanding teachers, continually devising new participative ways to make learning exciting for the students[2].” Keirsey and Bates recognized the ENTPs teaching ability, but teaching is never seen as a major theme of the ENTP. The case for ENTPs having the gift of teaching cannot be made solely by a straightforward comparison of the literature, since they are most often seen as inventors or entrepreneurs. The defense of this relationship must be made somewhat obliquely, and is aimed therefore, at those who have some understanding of personality types and can decide whether the arguments are correct based on their own understanding and observations.
I suggest observing specific ENTPs in teaching, public speaking, or any occupation that involves helping others understand “an area of knowledge.” I believe you will most likely observe give-and-take discussions where they demonstrate skills appropriate for the gift of teaching:
1. A desire to present (and challenge) all points of view on an issue. “...ENTPs aren’t necessarily committed to what they’ve said; it’s merely a matter of getting all the words and points of view out on the table, where they can be confronted[3].”
2. An ability to take broad, complex fields of knowledge such as politics, medicine, or financial planning, and present them in a way that is easily understood.
3. An ability to combine theory with specific examples thus appealing to a more universal audience than other types.
4. A desire for logical accuracy. “ENTPs trust logical reasoning above all[4].”
5. An ability to ask challenging questions.
6. A desire to make people think and see things from new perspectives. “...they can argue for the sake of arguing, which can make others wary of engaging them in any real depth. For the ENTPs such engagements are opportunities to help others think as well as to clarify their own thinking[5].”
ENTPs, as should teachers, accept ideas based on their merit as ideas and not on authority or tradition. “The basic attitude of ENTPs is one of skepticism. While they are open to new ideas, they are skeptical of their validity until logically proven otherwise[6].” They are apt to challenge any concept or teaching to uncover holes or weaknesses, which may be another level of protection God has given the Body of Christ—teachers should be the last ones to dogmatically accept or hold on to ideas. The ones transmitting doctrine to the flock should be the most open to questioning their own and others’ ideas, doctrines, and reasoning, because a dogmatic teacher can be dangerous for any denomination. “ENTPs are also the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that is the way things have always been done[7].”
The ENTP is considered the best debater, which would be a problem if any other type had the gift of teaching. The teacher of another type would have difficulty answering the objections and challenging logic of the ENTP. “ENTPs want the person in charge to be knowledgeable and competent. Authority is not granted by position. They will question authority and test it, especially in their own area of expertise[8]”; “Most iNtuitive-Thinkers learn by discussing and challenging, and this is especially true for ENTPs[9].”
We can also look at teaching in the context of the MBTI. It makes sense that the gift of teaching would differ from the gift of knowledge only in extraversion, as teaching is the transmission of knowledge and understanding to others. And from the gift of prophecy only in thinking, as teaching is speaking the mind of God―prophecy is speaking the will of God. And from evangelism only in intuition, as teaching is convincing others of the principles of God―evangelism is convincing others of the reality of their own situation and their need for a savior.
Summary: For each of the sixteen personality types there is a theme or set of related themes that run through the various descriptions of that type. A major theme of the ENTP is inventing, not just in a technological sense but in new ways of doing things. Another common theme is that of an entrepreneur. While I believe the match is a good one, these themes are difficult to correlate with teaching and based solely on the major themes (and even secondary themes with the exception of Keirsey’s observation) the ENTP personality is a moderately weak match for the gift of teaching based on the literature alone. This match will have to wait on more analysis for confirmation or refutation.
References
[1] Tim Blanchard, A Practical Guide to Finding Your Spiritual Gifts (Wheaton, Il.: Tyndale House, 1983), 21.
[2] David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis, 1978), 185.
[3] Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen, 16 Ways to Love Your Lover: Understanding the 16 Personality Types so You Can Create a Love that Lasts Forever (New York: Delacorte Press, 1994), 261.
[4] Olaf Isachsen and Linda Berens, Working Together: A Personality Centered Approach to Management (Coronado, CA: Neworld Management Press, 1988), 255.
[5] Kroeger and Thuesen, 1994, 260.
[6] Isachsen and Berens, 256.
[7] David Keirsey, Please Understand Me II (Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis, 1998)
[8] Isachsen and Berens, 260.
[9] Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen, Type Talk (New York: Broadman Press, 1988)
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