Kristian Widjaja's Blog » Christianity

Can your Myers Briggs temperament change?

Kristian — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:50:48 +0000

I recently took a Myers Briggs type test on Facebook and the result that I got was ESFJ. This was not surprising as I took the official test in 2002 and also got an ESFJ at that time. So, it looks like this application is pretty accurate. The application’s result states:

ESFJ (Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, Judgment)

You are warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative. You want harmony in your environment, and work with determination to establish it. You like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time. You are loyal and follow through even in small matters. You notice what others need in their day-by-day lives and try to provide it. You want to be appreciated for who you are and for what you contribute. Famous people with your ESFJ personality include: Bill Clinton, Sally Field, Danny Glover, Terry Bradshaw, Mary Tyler Moore and Nancy Kerrigan.

Back in 1999, I also took this test as part of my Bible Study home group at Christian Layman Church, and my result was more like an ISFJ. As a kid, I was pretty shy, and I only had a few close friends. Since then, many things had changed: I experienced a turnaround in my Christian Faith, started to be more outgoing, building relationships with people easily. It felt like the Holy Spirit was awakening me from introversion into extroversion, which was quite amazing. And I believe this change has a purpose!

Over time, most people will probably stabilize and score consistently in the Myers Briggs test. I’ve been fairly consistent with my ESFJ, but who knows? God may have something else in mind, and change me again…

Genuine Childlike Faith

Kristian — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:47:43 +0000

On Mother’s Day, we had church service as usual at Great Exchange Fremont. At the end of the service, our kids joined us to give the moms gifts. When it was time for the benediction, Joshua ran on the stage and kneeled down in prayer… totally unexpectedly.

Whenever I see kids acting in genuine faith like this, I remember what happened when little children came to Jesus:

Mark 10:13-16 The Little Children and Jesus

¹³People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

National Day of Prayer

Kristian — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:55:52 +0000

May 7th, 2009 is the National Day of Prayer! In 1952, congress established the National Day of Prayer to be the first Thursday of May.
Let’s all come together to pray for our Nation, our leaders, and our local communities.

Original video source.

Want to Spice up your Marriage? Attend a Weekend to Remember Conference!

Kristian — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:26:59 +0000

For those of you who are married, how is your marriage doing? Is it still fresh, new, and exciting? Are you busy in your daily routines? Have you grown distant? Or do you hate each other?

Whichever situation your marriage is in, I would highly recommend attending a Weekend to Remember conference by FamilyLife. I have attended this conference twice, and I think it sets a great foundation for your marriage.

I happen to have some heavily discounted (transferable) coupons for a Weekend to Remember conference.

Normally, the registration fee for such conference is $129 per person. With my coupon, it is only $39 per person, that is a 70% discount!

The next conference is this weekend (5/1 – 5/3) in Santa Clara. Please let me know if you want to use this coupon, and I’ll send it to you for free. You can also use the coupon for any other location in the US. Check out the Weekend to Remember website for other dates and locations.

MealCare: Meals for new Parents

Kristian — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 06:21:32 +0000

Having a baby is a joyful but also challenging event. Things that we take for granted, like a good meal, could become an extra burden for new parents. I am running a ministry at my church, Great Exchange Covenant Church in Fremont, called GrX Mealcare. GrX Mealcare helps new parents by providing meals within the first few months of their baby’s birth.

This month in particular, we are experiencing a higher than usual birth rate. 3 babies were born this past month alone. I’ve been busy recruiting volunteers and scheduling them in to bring meals at regular intervals. With this ministry, I hope to achieve the following:

Immediate relief and support for new parents by providing meals.
Building relationships by connecting volunteers with new parents.

Servant Leadership by Jean Tabaka

Kristian — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:16:50 +0000

Today I attended a presentation at eBay by Jean Tabaka about Servant Leadership, popularized by Robert Greenleaf.

There are 10 characteristics of a servant leader:

Goal Setting – aim for a larger and greater purpose
Principle of Systematic Neglect – highly focused prioritization
Listening – hone your skill to invite insights through questions.
Language as a Leadership strategy – words count when listening and evangelizing.
Values – be responsible for building, not destroying team sense of values.
Personal Growth – educate yourself on work and on your personal path of growth.
Withdrawal – knowing when to let go, trust the instincts of the team.
Tolerance of Imperfection – rely on team’s guidance for what is best.
Being Your Own Person – be true to yourself
Acceptance and Empathy – receiving what is offered with approbation, never rejecting. (Instill a sense of love in your organization)

I am stilll processing these to see if they are relevant to me, and how I would apply these to my work / life.

What I did observe was that the presentation had many Spiritual undertones. It reminded me of the ultimate example of servant leadership in Jesus Christ. The passage that comes to mind is John 13:4-14 where Jesus showed servant leadership by washing his disciples’ feet.