Tom the PSate

No, it isn't a bad spelling of some cuss word or other derogatory phrase. It happens to be the result of my APEST test and I have to say I have mixed emotions about it. The actual results are: Prophetic 25, Shepherd 19, Apostolic 15, teaching 12, Evangelism 7. According to the results my primary ministry leadership styles are prophetic and shepherd. the other three are secondary with evangelistic being a distant last.

Here's the same thing as a graph.



My mixed emotion comes from the surprise I had with prophetic coming in first. I figured the shepherd would be there and I knew that evangelism would be last. I think the surprise had more to do with definitions.

I have always accepted the definition of a prophet as one who foretells the future and calls people to repentance. I never worried too much about the former since most of prophecy in the Bible isn't of that kind anyway and I've thought of myself as very good at the latter. In fact I kind of stink at it.

The assessment that gets printed with the results kind of leads in another direction. Among the characteristics it lists for a prophetic leader are things like: Questions what has become normative, Disturbs common thinking and practices, agitates for positive change, Comfortable dismantling for future victory. I'm not sure I'm always positive or good at these but I do feel at home with them.

The key to this information is to understand it in terms of my leadership but also to make sure I surround myself with people who have other strengths, especially an evangelist or two.

Final thoughts:

1. One more assessment to add to the mountain of assessments I've taken.
2. If you have an idea that you want me to shoot down just let me know.
3. Books by Hirsch and Frost are pretty good.
4. Worth the $10 but can't some rich guy pay them so they can offer it free?