3 types of church people (just for fun)

Readers, Talkers and Singers

It occurs to me that one can group church people into 3 rough categories, based on their preference for expressing faith.

The readers.

Aka “Bible students.”

  • Spend at least half their quiet time quiet — I mean, reading the Bible.
  • Favourite verse: Matthew 4:4

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

  • Drawn to churches with engaging sermons, “good word,” and “rev.”
  • Psychological profile: inclined to be intellectual.
  • Most likely to pray quietly, least likely to have spiritual experiences or fall during laying on of hands.

The talkers.

Aka “prayer warriors.”

  • Spend at least half their quiet time praying.
  • Favourite verse: Matthew 11:12

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.

  • Drawn to churches where prayers are loud and frequent and there’s regular fasting.
  • Psychological profile: likelier to be assertive.
  • Most likely to have frequent dreams and visions, fast often and sing warfare songs.

The singers.

Aka “worshippers.” (Or “praisers.”)

  • Spend at least half their quiet time in “praise and worship”
  • Favourite verse: Ephesians 5:19.

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…

  • Drawn to churches with a solid choir or music team, lots of dancing.
  • Psychological profile: tend to be emotional.
  • Most likely to cry while singing or, in smaller gatherings, to have a “special number.” Also most likely to have spiritual experiences.

This is mostly just for fun, of course.

Yes, I think it’s a helpful way to think about differences in religious preference, but no I don’t think it’s anywhere near predictive in reality. Of course many people will be combinations and some won’t even fit neatly. Which is why I call it a rough grouping.

All that to say: don’t make too much of it.

Of course each group tends to fall into the too-human trap of assuming their way is THE way.

And I won’t mention churches by name, but you can almost group them this way too, no?

Anyhow, what group do you fall in?

Me, I’m a reader. 🙂

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Published by Doc Ayomide

I’m a medical doctor with specialty training in psychiatry, and I love thinking and writing about what it means to be human.

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