Heart, soul, mind, and strength: A study of holistic adult faith at Florence Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Florence, Kentucky

Many Christians are unaware of the four aspects of the commandment to love God (heart, soul, mind, strength) being a means to faith development. They relate to God in their own way, which becomes an incomplete combination of the four. Some Christians love God more with their minds or with their strength, for example. Others experience God more with their hearts or with their souls. The biblical imperative to love God with all of one's being is difficult. It requires change. It asks each Christian to give more of him or herself. And for a congregation to love God more wholly, its participants need to challenge the present structures of ministry. The commandment to love God is a call for constant growth. Obeying it makes a person change his or her very nature because of the very nature of God's command.;The hypothesis driving this study is that the "Faith Individuality Types" or the personal preferences of heart, soul, mind, strength, of the participants of Florence Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) can be determined and that individuals in the church can strive for a more holistic faith if they are aware of their need to grow their faith by changing the way they think, feel, act, and connect with God.;The research takes many forms. The congregation learns about the depth of faith through two sermon series and a website. They are led to take an anonymous survey, either online or on paper, that identifies each individual's preference for loving God, or Faith Individuality Type. The respondents become aware of their individual faith and they learn how to grow it by becoming more whole. The congregation also learns about its overall relationship with God as the church's elders and ordained staff discusses the results, showing the church to have a diverse faith. It loves God with its heart, strength, mind, and soul, even though it may not love God with 'all' of each. There are more Soul People than other identifiable faith types but this is the result of the background of its participants.