Introverts In The Church [Paperback]

More than 10 years ago a good friend and fellow missionary scolded me for being a 'recluse', for being 'selfish with my time' and 'too inside' my head. Faced with this kind of harsh critique from a friend and brother in Christ in the past, I would have been crushed, either forcing myself to be 'more social' or retreating deeper into solitude. However, neither happened because at that same time in my life I discovered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which helped me understand my own temperament. Not only did it affirm those things which were not flaws, but God-created characteristics, it helped me develop those traits in healthy ways. This was most true when it came to understanding what it meant to be an introvert. I have since used this tool to help people in spiritual, missional and community formation with great success. (For the curious, I am an INTJ).

That is why I was so thrilled when I saw the IVP was set to publish 'Introverts In The Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture' by Adam S. McHugh. I received an advanced copy a weeks days ago and have already consumed. This book is one of the most critically needed works for the Church in our culture. McHugh manages to confront the extroverted bias in church culture without denigrating extroverts while encouraging introverts without letting them off the hook of their own responsibilities. Incredibly practical, deeply pastoral and a significant key for becoming truly missional people, this book is a prophetic message of hopeful correction and direction.

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the only complaint i have about this book is that it focuses on pastors. I think if he'd have generalized and included other types of leaders the book would have been more sucessful. As well if you feel that anything contemplative is unbiblical you might not enjoy this book. Despite that this is a very good book. It let me know I'm not the only introvert that struggles with feeling church life is important and yet feeling like running away at the same time. It also emphasizes the importance of pushing our boundaries and that ministry is not always easy or natural.

Introverts in the Church by Adam McHugh has been one of the most revealing and helpful books I've read for quite some time. Not only does he take the time to properly define, delineate and demonstrate what it means to be an introvert, but does so in the context of the church that is largely identified by extroversion. His ideas apply not only to those in the pew, but those in leadership positions as well.

Introversion is a personality orientation that is deeply introspective, where a person locates energy and strength from within the self. They find that they are best energized for life and tasks in moments of solitude. While privacy is important to introverts, the ultimate goal is not simply to be alone, but to encounter God afresh in these moments of silence. Every person has extroverted and introverted qualities, but most, if not all, people will tend toward one side of the continuum. For introverts, the goal is to find self-acceptance and to look for ways to contribute to the life of the church and world in ways that reflect your personality characteristics.

In a church (particularly the evangelical church) and world that embraces extroversion, introverts sometimes feel left out and often misunderstood. McHugh tries to shorten the gap by helping both introverts and extroverts better understand each other. Perhaps the most important idea communicated in the book is for both personality types to create space for one another; taking the time to appreciate the gifts and contributions each can make. In the end, interdependence, and not independence, is the key. For introverts, our slower pace of life, thoughtfulness, intellectual and spiritual depth, and listening abilities, McHugh believes, can be the answer to much of what ails contemporary evangelicalism.

McHugh also addresses introverted spirituality, community and relationships, leadership, evangelism and church relations. In these chapters, he provides valuable insight from case studies and personal experience on how to live and participate in each of these areas in an introverted way.

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It helped to better define my personal tendencies and interests, while at the same time showcase ways in which my gifts as an introvert can help to inform and give shape to the church in which I serve. It helped me to come out of my introverted closest and embrace my personality for all that it is.

I recommend this book to both introverts and extroverts alike. The former as a way to better understand and appreciate your unique personality traits and live within them. And for extroverts, who need to learn of the depth and value that introverts can bring to the church and world through their contributions. This is a well-researched, well-written and thoughtful book. My hope and prayer is that its message is heard loud and clear ' in an extroverted and introverted way.