Type-Aware Ministry: Understanding Self, Others, and Relationships in Ministerial Formation

Audience

This event is for you if you are a Director of Ministry and Mission, DDO, IME lead, diocesan formation adviser, bishops' staff, theological educator, and those involved in clergy wellbeing.

About the day

This online day explores how psychological type theory can enrich ministerial formation, supervision, leadership development, and relational health. Bringing together leading researchers and practitioners, the morning moves from foundational type theory through the incumbent-curate relationship to clergy resilience and wellbeing, closing with theological integration. The afternoon turns to type-aware approaches to reading and preaching Scripture.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the day, participants will be better able to:

●      Understand the contribution of psychological type theory to ministerial formation.

●      Explore how type preferences shape leadership style, pastoral practice, and relationships.

●      Recognise how differences of preference can create both tension and creativity within ministry teams.

●      Apply type-aware approaches to supervision, MDR, curacy, and ongoing ministerial development.

This event consists of two sessions: a Morning Programme and an Afternoon Programme. You're welcome to attend either or both of these sessions. To attend both, please register for each session separately.

Click here to learn more and register for the Afternoon Programme: 'Now We See in Part'.

Morning Programme

(9.30am–12.00pm)

Type-Aware Ministry: Understanding Self, Others, and Relationships in Ministerial Formation

9.30–9.35 | Welcome, Prayer and Orientation

Canon Dr Neville Emslie

An introduction to the Christian Network for Psychological Type and the theological rationale for the morning, framed around the conviction that “the self that God calls into ministry is not a generic self, but the particular person created, gifted, limited and transformed by grace.”

9.35–10.05 | Session 1: Psychological Type and the Ministerial Self

Revd Canon Professor Leslie Francis with Revd Graham Osborne

An introduction to the four preference pairs (Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving) as they shape ministerial energy, discernment and decision-making. Drawing on research by Francis, Village, Watt and Voas, the session examines the changing psychological profile of Church of England clergy and the strengths and challenges this brings.

10.05–10.20 | Breakout Reflection

“Where have differences of personality or approach helped or hindered ministry relationships?” – considered across leadership teams, curacies and diocesan teams, with an emphasis on understanding difference rather than diagnosing difficulty.

10.20–10.50 | Session 2: Psychological Type, Formation and the Incumbent-Curate Training Relationship

Revd Dr Greg Smith

An exploration of the incumbent-curate relationship as a formative environment for ordained identity, drawing on research showing that satisfaction in curacy depends less on tradition than on relational dynamics and quality of supervision.

10.50–11.00 | Breakout Discussion

“Thinking about incumbent-curate relationships you have experienced or observed, what relational practices help create an environment where both people can grow in confidence, self-awareness and vocation?”

11.00–11.30 | Session 3: Psychological Type and Flourishing Ministry

Revd Canon Professor Leslie Francis with Very Revd Dr Sue Jones

Using the Francis Burnout Inventory, this session examines the relationship between personality, resilience and long-term flourishing – moving beyond a deficit model of clergy wellbeing to explore the five-fold typology of flourishing emerging from FBI research.

11.30–11.50 | Closing Integration: Type, Scripture and Transformational Ministry

Revd Dr Duncan Strathie

A closing theological reflection situating psychological awareness within Christian anthropology, exploring how self-knowledge becomes a resource for discipleship.

11.50–12.00 | Final Reflection and Prayer – Led jointly by contributors.

Supporting publications

G Osborne (2016) Be a better leader: Personality type and difference in ministry, SPCK

C F J Ross and L J Francis (2020) Personality, religion, and leadership: The spiritual dimensions of psychological type theory, Lexington Books

Format

Online via Zoom

Recording

This event will be recorded. The recording file will be shared by email to all registrants within 1–2 weeks following the event.

Pricing

The event is free for everyone.

Booking Terms

Tickets are subject to BAPT’s Conference and Events Booking, Cancellation, and Recording Policy. Where a recording is included for an online event, your booking covers both live attendance and access to the recording. If you are unable to attend live, refunds are not normally available once the event has taken place.

Contact

For any questions or concerns, please email Jerry.