Connector
Congrats on taking an important step in discovering your destiny! The Ministry Gift Assessment reveals your Ministry Gift. We also call it your Destiny Orientation (D.O.). It’s your core trait or design, and it influences the basic way you relate to your world.
General Orientation Traits
You are a Connector and have a pastoral orientation based on the gift of pastor named in Ephesians 4:11; and are "wired" by God to function in pastoral gifting, thinking and action. You connect people and groups; you're a true “people person” who is stimulated and energized by time spent in conversation and community. You are continuously at work to bring people together, counsel the broken and cultivate community wherever you are.
You are highly relational and tend to put people above tasks and results. You like to foster smaller gatherings and larger events in which people learn to express themselves and serve one another in meaningful ways. Your intrinsic value for other people communicates compassion, loyalty and esteem that enriches the lives of those with whom you spend time.
People with the pastoral orientation tend to be caring leaders, supportive counselors, and ones who cultivate cohesive communities. Most people with this design are able to function effectively in a wide variety of activities that connect people to one another in unity and purpose.
You are most fulfilled and content when you see the people under your influence experiencing personal growth, receiving healing, growing in their faith and ministering to each other. You also desire to see people you are responsible for relating in healthy ways. You focus on inward transformation rather than outward appearances. Connectors care if people are cared for, understood, heard, listened to, and accepted.
You see the quality of community as most important and have the mentality that says, “Just love each other!”
Issues
You cultivate an atmosphere of caring community among friends and co-workers, but sometimes you may be too accommodating and compliant. You are vulnerable to the opinions of others and may have a high need for acceptance and approval. As a result you can become preoccupied with maintaining the happiness of the group as opposed to accomplishing a perceived mission. Your focus on unity and support may mean you avoid confrontation or making hard decisions when necessary. You might be more effective by using a little more “tough love” and realizing that growth is often painful and a bit chaotic. You are considerate and conscientious but when dealing with conflict, you may be inclined to compromise inappropriately for the sake of peace.
It is important for you to avoid putting yourself in people-pleasing situations by surrounding yourself with people who know you and help you to become the best version of yourself. It is important to have a firm understanding of your identity as God’s son or daughter so that you can move powerfully from your identity and not for it. You would also be helped by working with a diverse team who can empower you to say “no” when appropriate, and who help to pull out your strengths to become the most best “you” in a public setting.
The Connector in the Workplace
The pastoral orientation expresses itself in different ways in different people, but everyone with this design tends to be a caring leader, a supportive counselor, and one who cultivates a cohesive community. Most people with this orientation are able to function effectively in a wide variety of activities that connect people to one another in unity and purpose.
In the workplace you are most likely to be the one who is steering the organization toward the well-being of its members and raising up new leaders who carry your same passion for community. You are probably well-suited for a career in human resources, counseling, medicine, support services, coaching, social work, church and non-profit leadership. In business and social settings, you are often the one who is the trusted counselor and shoulder to cry on. In ministry or service to others, you are usually the one who creates a sense of family and community in the organization.
Church and Ministry Settings
In ministry settings, this gift provides the relational glue that keeps the other expressions of the ministry of Jesus working well together. Pastoral people infuse a love and concern throughout the Body of Christ that is necessary for maximum health and impact. Without the connector, the recruiter would have no example to point to of what the love of Jesus looks like. Pastoral leaders are essential to the well-being of the local congregation. They provide the nursery for new believers. It is into the connector’s arms that new spiritual babies are brought home and raised up. They provide the elementary school for the students; the hospital for the wounded and spiritually infirm, and they provide the local family for the spiritual orphans. Connectors hold the members of the Body of Christ together.
Watch out that as a lifestyle you learn to rest and care about yourself and the needs of your own family. People’s needs will never be satisfied and it is important to understand that you are not your community’s only “need filler.” Instead, cultivate a community that learns how to get their own needs met in healthy and productive ways. Your job is not to be drained every day, but to teach people how to become responsible for their own lives and able to get powerful and filled up without you having to do it for them! You are not responsible to meet every person’s needs even though your orientation will want you to. You have incredible people skills and in ministry you will put those skills to good use.
Relationship to Other Orientations
Connectors tend to work well with everyone because they are uniquely designed by God to care for individuals and to bring everyone into unity and community. Those with a pastoral orientation are usually adaptive and tolerant, and can mold themselves around the gifts and ministries of more assertive people. When a connector is aligned with a healthy builder/apostolic leader, together, they are able to build community with greater purpose. Apart from builder/apostolic input, a pastoral leader may tend to build community for its own sake and make survival of the community the main mission.
When properly linked to the other orientations, a pastoral leader will provide the essential elements that only he or she can bring: spiritual nurture, caring community, and a true sense of loving family. The connector can be upset by the revealer, challenged by recruiter and held accountable by the trainer, yet a healthy connector will understand the necessity of each orientation and grow from any discomfort or risk to create a multi-faceted community the reflects the fullness of Christ.
Biblical Example
A great biblical example of a connector is Barnabus. He is identified among the apostles, but he had a strong pastoral ministry, especially in ministering to Paul. He knew the importance of community, and as an example of this belief, donated everything he owned to the church. He is credited with “pastoring” Paul and connecting him to the churches and leaders who had previously not accepted him. Barnabus dedicated his life to building others up.
You are made to build relationship. Go for it!