When a local church uses an authoritative teaching method, what impact does it have on reaching people in relation to their personality temperaments?

What difference does it make when local churches use authoritative teaching methods for sharing their faith?  What are the expected results if you place a pastor in a church environment where he or she must teach in an authoritative style?  How does a congregation respond to an authoritative environment?  Likewise, do all people respond the same or are there variations dependent upon a person’s personality temperament or combination thereof?

What exactly is an authoritative method for teaching people?  The authoritative method is basically described as having the sanction or weight of authority, such as the ability to determine an individual decision based off the variables of an issue or subject.  Another way of looking at it would be an even balance of “love” and “discipline.”  In other words, allowing an individual to follow his or her conscience, based off the guidance from a higher authority (e.g., the Holy Spirit, the Word of God), in determining his or her response to the “subjective” matters of an issue…since he or she is ultimately accountable to the higher authority (e.g., God) for his or her decision(s).

So when it comes to a church setting, based on the authoritative method of teaching, sometimes we hear people say that allowing people to make their own decisions on subjective issues is too much work.  Some pastors will say, if we don’t have people follow the “closest interpretation” of Scripture, then we are teaching them to be disobedient.  Similarly, some of these same pastors will say that they are being disobedient themselves if they personally allow a person to choose something different than the “closest interpretation.”  In doing so, they will quote the author of Hebrews, presumably the Apostle Paul – “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.  They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.” (Hebrews 13:17a NIV)  On the contrary, the Apostle Paul stated – “…each one us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12 NIV)         

Below you will find four different examples explaining how a pastor or a church member, in regard to his or her personality temperament (e.g., choleric, melancholic, sanguine and phlegmatic), would potentially respond to being placed in a church that emphasizes an authoritative teaching method.  This breakdown helps explain why certain individuals may be drawn into or prefer to avoid an authoritative teaching environment. 

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Choleric temperament – rational based thinking:  Bad tempered or extremely irritable.
Pros:  Great leaders; high standards.             
Cons:  Controlling; condescending to others.

What happens when you place a person – with a choleric temperament – into a pastoral position of a local church that emphasizes authoritativeness?  As for this scenario, you couldn’t ask for a better match since people with this type of temperament love the opportunity to lead others.  The authoritative environment helps people with a choleric temperament alleviate one of their biggest weaknesses – controlling others.  Likewise, this same person must learn to rely more on God, which brings out one of the best traits of his or her best personality temperament… effectively leading people. 

What should you expect when you have church members (or potential church members) placed underneath a pastor with a choleric temperament in an authoritative-style church.  For starters, once people adjust to authoritative environment, the members would likely appreciate being respected for their differences of opinion on subjective issues.  On the other extreme, you may have a lot of people leave the church because of the perception – “God is not in a box.”  

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Melancholic temperament – emotional-based thinking:  Sensitive; gloomy state of mind
Pros:  Great musicians and artists; perfectionists                     
Cons:  Manipulative; like everything in a box

What should you expect when you place a person – with a melancholic temperament – into a pastoral position of church with an authoritative environment?  This ends up being another win-win situation.  The authoritative setting helps people with a melancholic temperament avoid one their biggest negative traits – the tendency to manipulate other people into their way of thinking.  On the positive side, when it comes to trying to change people or looking for the perfect answer, this same person will learn to put more trust in God.

What happens when church members (or potential church members) are placed underneath a pastor with a melancholic temperament in an authoritative-style church?  Fortunately, many people will grow stronger in their faith and dependence on God as the pastor gets out of the “God in a box” mentality and learns to put more trust in God.  Nevertheless, some people may still want to leave the church because of the perception – “God is not in a box.”  

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Sanguine temperament – impulsive participatory responses:  Cheerful; optimistic
Pros:  Great salespeople; charismatic personality                    
Cons:  Too pushy; lack of self-discipline

What should you expect when you place a person – with a sanguine temperament – into the same pastoral position involving an authoritative environment?  As for a sanguine, the outcome is another win-win situation.  The authoritative setting helps people with the sanguine temperament avoid one of their biggest drawbacks – being too pushy by sometimes pushing a one-sided agenda (a subjective interpretation) vice a fundamental truth (an objective interpretation).  As for a positive note, since this same person likely possesses a natural charisma as well as a knack for selling things, the authoritative approach will just offer more ways to share the message of Christianity. 

Again, what happens when you place church members (or potential church members) underneath a pastor with a sanguine temperament in an authoritative-style church?  As with almost any teaching environment involving the sanguine temperament, a lot of people will still be drawn into the church by the charismatic personality of the pastor as well as his or her passion to share the gospel in newfound ways.  As for people wanting to leave the church, the same recurring scenario occurs – “God is not in a box.”  

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Phlegmatic temperament – reluctant participatory response:  Not easily excited to action; sluggish
Pros:  Great behind-the-scenes workers; easy-going               
Cons:  Non-confrontational; reluctant

Finally, what happens when you place a person – with a phlegmatic temperament – into the same pastoral position involving an authoritative environment?  In this case, the authoritative environment works great for a person with a phlegmatic temperament, since he or she may not have to take a polarized position on a subjective issue.  On the positive side, this same person tends to be easy-going and should enjoy an environment that helps him or her avoid controversial situations by doing what he or she probably does best…being non-confrontational.

What is the expected result when you place church members (or potential church members) underneath a pastor with a phlegmatic temperament in an authoritative-style church?  As for a positive, most members will probably like the relaxed atmosphere and enjoy not being confronted.  Again, the same recurring theme applies as with the other three temperaments, a lot of people may leave the church because of the perception – “God is not in a box.”  

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In summary, how does the authoritative teaching method impact the way we share our faith with others?  The authoritative teaching method helps resolve many issues within churches as well as our individual testimonies.  No longer does a church need to avoid having pastors and/or members with certain personality temperaments due to some of their potentially negative traits.  Overall, the authoritarian and permissive teaching methods are far from conducive for bringing out the positive traits of people with the choleric personality temperament as well as the other temperaments.  If we want to share our faith with all people, we need to make a difference in people’s lives, without trying to change the things that make them unique in regard to their temperaments.  Ultimately, we need to depend on God to make the changes.  In other words, we need to help each person follow his or her conscience, based off guidance from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, in determining his or her response to subjective matters of faith…since he or she is ultimately accountable to God.  (Romans 14:12)