{"id":970,"date":"2009-12-16T03:01:05","date_gmt":"2009-12-16T03:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/12\/introverts-in-the-church-interview-and-review-part-1.html"},"modified":"2009-12-16T03:01:05","modified_gmt":"2009-12-16T03:01:05","slug":"introverts-in-the-church-interview-and-review-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/12\/introverts-in-the-church-interview-and-review-part-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Introverts in the Church: Interview and Review, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 1 of series: Introverts in the Church: An Interview and Review
\n<\/em>Permalink for this post<\/a> \/ Permalink for this series<\/a>
\nToday I want to post the first of a two-part interview with Adam McHugh, the author of Introverts in the Church<\/em>. If you haven\u2019t heard of this book, you might be startled by the title. You might even think it\u2019s a joke. Then again, reading this title might resonate with something deep inside of you, something you feel but haven\u2019t expressed in words, or not very often, at any rate. If you\u2019re an introvert, and there are many of you who read my blog, the fact that somebody has written a book called Introverts in the Church<\/em> may just touch your soul in an unexpected and welcome way.
\nLet me reassure you, Introverts in the Church<\/em> is no joke. In fact, it\u2019s a thoughtful, faithful discussion of a topic that desperately needs more attention in the church today. I\u2019ll say more about this book when I review it in a couple of days. But, first, I want to interview the author, Adam McHugh.
\nA word about Adam. According to his website, aptly named Introverted Church<\/a>, Adam is:<\/p>\n

an ordained Presbyterian minister, a spiritual director, and an introvert. He has served at Presbyterian churches, as a hospice and hospital chaplain, and as campus staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Adam grew up in Seattle, Washington, and graduated from Claremont McKenna College and Princeton Theological Seminary. He and his wife life in Southern California, where Adam focuses on writing, teaching, and speaking. I got to know Adam over ten years ago when he interned at Irvine Presbyterian Church, where I was the Senior Pastor. I\u2019ll say a little more about my relationship with Adam later. Now, let\u2019s begin the interview.
\nMark: Hello, Adam. Thanks so much for taking time to do this interview. Let me begin with a fairly obvious first question: What inspired you to write the book?
\nAdam: It started out as deeply personal.\u00a0 I knew two things: first, that I was called to be a leader in the church, and second, that I was an introvert.\u00a0 I often found these things to be in deep tension with each other, and so I set out to discover how to lead as an introvert, or even if I could lead as an introvert.\u00a0 But I realized, as I started talking with others, that my struggles as an introverted pastor were representative of struggles that many introverts have in Christian community, whether leaders or not.\u00a0 Those conversations became the springboard for my research and eventually, the book.\u00a0 <\/em>
\nMark: Okay. That makes sense. It\u2019s hard to imagine a book like this being written by an extrovert. Anyway, one of the claims you make in the book is that while many Christian traditions have a bias towards extroversion, evangelicalism in particular may be a difficult culture for introverts. Why is that?
\nAdam: If you think about what it\u2019s like to enter your average, mainstream evangelical worship service, it feels like walking into a non-alcoholic cocktail party. There is a mingling, chatty informality to evangelicalism that can be daunting for people uncomfortable with small talk and who may prefer a quieter, more contemplative sort of environment.\u00a0 When you walk into churches of other traditions \u2013 like Catholic, Quaker, or high-liturgy Protestant churches \u2013 there is more of a quiet reverence in their sanctuaries and their worship features more silences and fewer words. Evangelicalism is a highly talkative, social, upfront, active tradition, and those of us who tend to listen before we speak and like to observe before we engage may feel marginalized, or even spiritually inadequate in such an atmosphere.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>
\nMark: If you\u2019re right, and I think you are, for the most part anyway, this would suggest that many introverts wouldn\u2019t even settle in an evangelical church. Are you suggesting that introverts should consider participating in traditions other than evangelicalism?
\nAdam: My point in writing the book is not to encourage people to change churches, but rather to help them find their place in whatever tradition they are a part of.\u00a0 I make suggestions for how introverts can discover and relish their rhythms of engagement and retreat, and how we can participate in community in ways that feel authentic to who we are.\u00a0 I also hope that my book will shed light on some of the extroverted tendencies of many church cultures, and that it will help churches become more hospitable to people with introverted temperaments.<\/em>
\nMark: I can just hear some people\u2019s response to what you\u2019ve just said: \u201cBut we\u2019re welcoming to all people. We don\u2019t prefer extroverts.\u201d I think it\u2019s sometimes very hard for extroverts to understand introverts. A little later I want to ask you something about how churches can become more hospitable to introverts. But, before we move on, I want to ask a question I probably should have asked earlier: Can you clarify what it means to be an introvert?
\nIntroversion is not synonymous with shyness, passivity, arrogance, timidity, or insecurity.\u00a0 An introvert is someone who first, finds energy in solitude. We lose energy through social interaction, no matter how much we may enjoy it, and we recharge in private, or with a close friend. Second, introverts process internally.\u00a0 For us, thinking precedes speaking, and when we are presented with new information, we reflect internally on it before we discuss it.\u00a0 And third, we tend to prefer depth over breadth.\u00a0 We would rather have a few close friends than a large circle of acquaintances, and we may enjoy exploring certain topics in great depth rather than spreading ourselves thin over many interests.<\/em>
\nMark: This is a crucial description, I think. Of course you say much more about introversion in your book. And, I should add, that your claims are carefully researched and backed up with psychological data. I think it is common for people to think of introverts as people who are shy, passive, timid, or insecure. They may be perceived as arrogant. Of course all of these adjectives are negative, not neutral. But you\u2019re saying\u2013and, indeed, the psychological literature is saying\u2013that introversion isn\u2019t a personality or character defect. Rather, an introvert is someone who is energized by being alone (or perhaps with one other person). This person doesn\u2019t dislike social situations, but finds them emotionally, physically, and even spiritually draining. By contrast, extroverts get energy from social interactions, and find themselves drained by time alone.
\nWell, that\u2019s enough for now. I\u2019ll continue this conversation with Adam McHugh tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 1 of series: Introverts in the Church: An Interview and Review Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series Today I want to post the first of a two-part interview with Adam McHugh, the author of Introverts in the Church. If you haven\u2019t heard of this book, you might be startled by the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-introverts-in-the-church"],"yoast_head":"\nIntroverts in the Church: Interview and Review, Part 1 - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/970\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}