Personalities and characteristics

After being born again, do we all take on the same personalities and characteristics? Pastor is teaching on being of "one accord" and the practice of oneness..I often call myself shy, reserved, passive, soft...Pastor says these are all just excuses put in my head by the devil and that I need to be following my example, who is him, the pastor. He is aggressive and bold. Since I was born again, we are all supposed to be the same, we are all to be bold and aggressive. We are all made in God's image and God was not soft or reserved, so why do I think it is okay to remain the way I am and was before being born again, is what I keep getting asked.

I’m very skeptical of people telling me how I should live my life.

Welcome to CC!

Being in one accord means agreeing on the major issues and goals, not on every little issue. God made us different, and we are shaped by our upbringing and our experiences. In one family I know, one sibling is very outgoing and another is reserved. Which is "right"? Neither; they are just different. Your pastor is stepping far over the line if he is telling you that you need to be like him in personality; that's just arrogant and irrelevant. Feel free to be bold and aggressive and tell him to focus on what Scripture teaches. After all, Jesus was "gentle, meek, and mild" when dealing with the hurting, and bold as a lion when dealing with Pharisees.

God created you and I, each with our own unique characteristics. You were created on purpose for a purpose.
God knew what your personality would be from the beginning.
Blessings!

Says the gal who favors government control over our bodies.

Be conformed to the image of Christ. It is our reasonable duty to be conformed to the image of Christ. If you seek to be conformed to the image of Christ all those who seek the same will find fellowship with you and both in the Lord.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Inmy opinion, "in one accord" means being like minded, not exactly the same in personality. That would get kind of boring to me, to be just like everyone else. God made me an individual for a reason. Probably because different people need different things to come to God, so God sends different personalities to shepherd His sheep.

Should I rather let people like you control my body?

Before we go any further you need to Google the definitions of control and freedom. Or maybe you have a bad memory, the mercury has caused damage. Let me help you out here; I was the one advocating freedom of choice.

You were advocating freedom of choice no more than any other did. You’re just advocating a different choice than for instance I did.

You sure know how to twist things around. You remind me of AOC.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

From 1 Cor 12

I am so glad for the many different personalities, mindsets, perceptions and characteristics. I think it special when we come to know kindred souls, folks with whom we seem to understand, get, and trust more easily. However, I think we all have different strengths and weaknesses and that we and our journeys give us all different ways we can be used. I think He gives us all the word to show us how and where we should be of one accord. He is where we are One. In Him there should be long suffering, mercy, peace, hope, joy, love, and so on. But let's be honest, we all express ourselves differently, and we all don't seem to get along, dog gone it. I wish we could all get along, that we try and be at peace with everyone. I do know that what seems impossible for man, is possible with God. I use to, ok still do, wish we could all be kinder, more merciful with others and ourselves, but hey, there are days when I don't act like it myself, lol. All I can say is, Lord have mercy, we need You desperately.

This is something I struggle with as well, but at the end of the day all I can do is be myself and trust that the grace of God is sufficient for a person like me who isn't bold.

It really does seem as if introverts/shy people have no place in the church, doesn't it?

Nether the pastor nor anyone seems to understand. But I believe that God does.

But hey, if you can find out the root cause of your shyness then perhaps you can work on it with prayer and things will get better.

And its good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. Remember all things are possible with God.

This is not the right place for you two to have this conversation. Let's show some respect to the OP.
Please take it to PM, or start a separate thread to bicker it out.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are the geek for they shall inherit the internet.

Meekness is strength under control.