When you receive your report, it will have a percentage score on each of the 35 Outcomes. There is always the temptation to want to interpret scores that we achieve on tests, assessments, and scales in terms of “pass” or “fail”, “good” or “bad”. This would certainly be the case if you were taking a math test, or even when you were doing a personality assessment that measures depression. On those types of assessments there is a much clearer expectation of what is the type of grade that you received.
But when we are measuring Outcomes like a Sense of Calling or Cultivating Solitude it is not useful to have a general standard against which we compare scores. That is the way that most personality tests are created. They give the test to a large group of test subjects, compute the average score (and standard deviation) of the group, and then use that data to conclude that your score is normal, above normal, or very low.
In the Discipleship Assessment you are rating yourself and comparing your score to other scores that you, yourself have determined is true of the way that you are. The higher you rate yourself, the more you have concluded that you are achieving that Discipleship Outcome. It is not important what the average Disciples has scored on that Outcome, we are all in a process of growth and maturity in Christ.
So, the best way to interpret your scores is to compare them to the scores that you gave yourself on the other Outcomes. What are your highest scores where you feel that you have grown the most in your spiritual life? Then look at your lowest scores. These are the areas that become your areas of discipleship focus. This is where you need the power of the Holy Spirit to empower you to grow.
Here is your agenda to develop into a disciple that is growing in all five Dimensions:
- Find your 5 strongest Outcomes and rejoice in them
- Identify the lowest two or three Outcome scores and prayerfully take them to the Lord in prayer
- Make a commitment to grow these areas
- Spend time in the scriptures to help you understand these Outcomes. Get a copy of our new book, “Life in 5D”. There are several pages of reflection on each of the 35 Outcomes. We also have a list of books that we feel can be helpful to assist you in this journey. Read, study, and meditate on these Outcomes until you understand how to discipline yourself to achieve them in your daily life.
- You may find it helpful to follow this process with a mentor or spiritual partner. Some people find it helpful to do this in a group as the group, together commit themselves to spiritual growth and discipleship
- After a period, return to the website and take the free, re-assessment and compare your new scores with those you got initially. You may find that some other scores are now in need of attention, and that you have new strong points. Discipleship is a dynamic process that requires us to constantly adapt our responses to changing life circumstances. This is what “walking in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) is all about!
