About The
Spiritual Strategies Institute
“For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” — Hebrews 4:12
Every human being has both a soul and a spirit — intertwined and valuable, but not identical.
The soul includes our mind, will, and emotions — the places where decisions are made, feelings arise, and reasoning occurs.
The spirit holds our capacity for communion, discernment, and maturity before God.
Many of us don’t know where the soul ends and the spirit begins.
Some of us overestimate our spiritual maturity; others underestimate theirs thinking they lack the title or the education that the culture requires.
Some of us even try to nourish our spirit by strengthening our soul. We feel discouraged when it doesn’t work.
The Spiritual Strategies Institute was created to bring clarity to this issue and to train those willing to become disciples.
Our mission is simple:
To bring relevant scriptural insight to individuals in order to discern the condition of their soul and to encourage them to become stronger disciples.
Our process is intricate:
We have found 5 levels of spiritual maturity mentioned in the Bible. Additionally, we have identified 24 personality traits in the human soul.
With sensitivity and precision, we discern the difference between the soul and the spirit to identify strengths and vulnerabilities in each person.
After decades of study and research, we have built a psychometric assessment, strategic toolkit, scholarly coursework, journal articles, coaching processes, and biblically based podcasts to assist those seeking greater spiritual maturity.
Spiritual Strategies Profile
A 24-trait assessment of the soul — mind, will, and emotions — measured with clarity and compassion on a ten-point scale, revealing strengths, vulnerabilities, and patterns that shape relationships, leadership qualities, and emotional maturity.
These 24 traits are then explored in:
- Personalized reports which identify our most influential traits
- The Spiritual Strategies Toolkit
- Behavior Transformation Processes
- Coaching from trained individuals
Every resource is designed to hold up a mirror without judgment — only honesty and hope.
A Framework for Spiritual Maturity
Scripture reveals that the spirit grows in stages, just as the body does.
Not everyone is a spiritual infant.
Not everyone’s spirit is perfectly mature.
Discovering your level of maturity is essential and valuable
SSI’s library illuminates these stages so that individuals can ascertain the strength of their discipleship with fresh clarity — not through comparison, but through truth.
A Community of Co-Laborers
We are not the experts. We are simply students of Scripture who have developed a complete trust in its integrity.
Eric Samuelson — Founder of SSI — often says:
“ I was trained to ask hard questions, so I challenged the Bible from every angle, and I found its integrity unshaken.”
Out of that conviction we built this Institute, not as authorities, but as companions — discovering alongside those we serve.
Where All of This Originates
Our authority is not based on personal brilliance; it is not derived from psychological theory; nor is it based on organizational experience.
It rests on a Scriptural Foundation — examined, tested, and eventually trusted.
Eric’s own story bears witness to this.
When he first encountered the Winslow profile decades ago, its insights exposed a low Nurturance score — a truth others had hinted at but he had never fully conceded. His lack of compassion needed serious attention.
In time, he realized something deeper: The Winslow Traits, when rightly understood, reveal the presence or absence of spiritual maturity.
As Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord.” Luke 1:46
The human soul acts as a magnifying glass, identifying cracks and fractures in the spirit. Again, the two are incredibly intertwined, but scripture has a power to separate and evaluate each one with the goal of developing strong Disciples.
What you can expect
A neutral, grace-filled environment. No assumptions about where you “should” be. No pressure to appear more or less mature than you are.
Just tools, truth, and a path toward growth.
Whether you are new to the faith or decades into the journey, the Spiritual Strategies Institute exists to accurately identify key aspects of your soul and the spirit God is shaping within you. Once this has been achieved, we then invite you to examine your discipleship using the various tools provided here.