{"id":974,"date":"2009-12-18T03:01:26","date_gmt":"2009-12-18T03:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/12\/introverts-in-the-church-a-personal-review-part-1.html"},"modified":"2009-12-18T03:01:26","modified_gmt":"2009-12-18T03:01:26","slug":"introverts-in-the-church-a-personal-review-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/12\/introverts-in-the-church-a-personal-review-part-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Introverts in the Church: A Personal Review, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 3 of series: Introverts in the Church: An Interview and Review
\n<\/em>Permalink for this post<\/a> \/ Permalink for this series<\/a>
\nIn the last two days I\u2019ve posted an interview with Adam McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture<\/em>. Today I want to add a review of this book. This review will be different from most that I write in that it will be more personal and less analytical.
\nTo begin, I should admit that I\u2019ve known Adam for about a decade and consider him a friend. I first got to know him when I was Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church. Adam, a student at Princeton Theological Seminary, did an internship in our church one summer. During that time I got to know Adam mostly through his presence at our staff meetings, though we had some individual conversations as well. I did not work directly with Adam, except as he was preparing to preach on Sunday in our worship services.
\nThat was, I believe, Adam\u2019s first sermon. He delivered it before he had ever taken a preaching class in seminary. And it was an excellent sermon. Nothing like the typical beginner\u2019s sermon from a seminarian, which is usually way too scholarly and literary, meant to impress more than communicate. Adam\u2019s effort, on the contrary, was both theologically solid and personally compelling. I thought to myself: \u201cThat guy is going to be one of the finest preachers in our denomination.\u201d
\nI suppose I should say, given Adam\u2019s quite public display of introversion these days, that his relationships with my staff and congregation were quite strong. If you had asked me after his internship had concluded, \u201cIs Adam an introvert?\u201d I would probably have answered, \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d At that time, I did not know whether Adam derived energy from interacting with people or whether that drained him. He did it well. That much I knew for sure.
\nSince Adam\u2019s internship at Irvine Pres, he and I have remained in fairly consistent communication. I think Adam would say that I\u2019ve been an encourager and adviser. Given the fact that my advice sometimes led him into fairly unpleasant ministry situations, I\u2019m not sure how Adam would rate my effectiveness as a counselor.
\nI have had the privilege of knowing Adam well over the years. I have walked with him through several difficult seasons of his life. Thus I have witnessed Adam\u2019s true mettle. I have watched and prayed as his character and faith have been tested. I have seen how he has remained faithful to the Lord even as the Lord has remained faithful to him. I have witnessed Adam\u2019s personal, relational, and theological growth. Thus I have the deepest respect for Adam as a person of deep faith and solid integrity.
\nThis means, of course, that I have been inclined to appreciate anything Adam writes, including Introverts in the Church<\/em>. In fact, I wrote a \u201cblurb\u201d for this book after reading an advance copy. Here\u2019s what I wrote several months ago:<\/p>\n

What a timely and badly needed book! Introverts in the Church<\/em> will encourage thousands of Christians who have felt as if they don\u2019t quite fit. It will help them find their rightful place in Christian community, so that their gifts might be well used in the work of the kingdom. This book will also help churches be a place where all people can flourish as disciples of Jesus. Adam McHugh has given us a precious gift through his openness, theological soundness and godly wisdom.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I still believe what I wrote, now more than ever, since I recently finished my second reading of the book.
\nIf you are worrying that I am biased in favor of Adam because of my relationship with him, I will confess it openly. But I don\u2019t think my evaluation of Introverts in the Church<\/em> has been unduly shaped by my high regard for its author. I\u2019ve read enough books to know when I think one is good. And, for the record, I\u2019ve also read enough bad books, including ones written by friends, to know when I think one is bad. I think Adam\u2019s is good, very good, actually.
\nIf you don\u2019t believe me, let me cite two pieces of evidence in my favor, or in Adam\u2019s favor, to be more accurate. First, Introverts in the Church<\/em> made Scot McKnight\u2019s list of the Top Books of 2009<\/a>. Scot, who is a top scholar and an astute observer of things Christian, reads a lot<\/em> of books. I respect his judgment and, in fact, have noted several books on his list that I want to read for myself. (Thanks, Scot.)
\nSecond, a recent edition of The Christian Century<\/em> featured Adam\u2019s book as its cover story and included a substantial excerpt from it in the magazine<\/a>. This speaks volumes about the quality and applicability of Introverts in the Church<\/em>. Moreover, as you may know, The Christian Century<\/em> is a mainline publication, one that spans the theological spectrum from conservative to liberal. The fact that this magazine chose to feature Adam\u2019s book bears witness to its wide reach, even though it is plainly evangelical in its orientation and published by an evangelical press (InterVarsity).
\nSo now you know of my highest regard for Adam McHugh, and my strong recommendation of his book, and the fact that other, more objective critics have also given Introverts in the Church<\/em> a thumbs up. But I have more to say about the book itself and my personal reaction to it. The second half of this review will be posted on Monday, Lord willing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 3 of series: Introverts in the Church: An Interview and Review Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series In the last two days I\u2019ve posted an interview with Adam McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture. Today I want to add a review of this…<\/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-974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-introverts-in-the-church"],"yoast_head":"\nIntroverts in the Church: A Personal Review, Part 1 - Mark D. Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/12\/introverts-in-the-church-a-personal-review-part-1.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Introverts in the Church: A Personal Review, Part 1 - Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Part 3 of series: Introverts in the Church: An Interview and Review Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series In the last two days I\u2019ve posted an interview with Adam McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture. 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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\/974","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=974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}