GroshLink

As a border-line introvert/extrovert involved as a leader and in leadership development, not to mention married to an introvert who has served in a variety of leadership roles, I'm quite interested in the soon to be released Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture (Adam McHugh, InterVarsity Press, November 2009). If you are too, check out the free on-line PDF of Chapter 1, click here.

Note:  Excellent author interview at Adam McHugh on 'Introverts in the Church'. Here's a sample of the Q&A.

What are some of the benefits that introverts can bring to the ministry?

“Through my diverse experiences as a church pastor, hospice chaplain, and college campus minister, I have become thoroughly convinced that introverts bring tremendous gifts to ministry. Perhaps the most profound of those gifts is our ability to listen. People in our culture so rarely have the experience of being truly listened to – having not only their words and thoughts but also their feelings taken seriously and reflected back to them.  Because introverts process internally, instead of talking in order to understand, we are natural listeners and we also offer a non-judgmental posture which helps others open up to us. I think that we can become a contemplative presence in whatever setting we are in – listening for what’s underneath the words being said and also paying attention to the movements of the Holy Spirit, gently guiding others to hear God’s voice in their lives and in the community.”