Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture Paperback – Special Edition, August 1, 2017

Insightful, witty, practical.This book is fantastically specific on ways introverts can create rhythms of life that nourish rather than drain their souls. It is equally helpful for extroverts who wish to establish healthier contexts for people to tend to God's movement in their inner lives.This book would be effective in leadership team-building, small group study, or a classroom setting. As an introvert, I loved its emphasis on understanding the value a reflective nature brings to the table. My extroverted friends who are pastors are saying how much they appreciate finding concrete ways to create space for spiritual practices that would honor the gifts and needs of introverts in their leadership and congregations.The new edition is worth buying for its clearer prose and updated examples based on the further research on introversion now available.A necessary book for anyone interested in developing personality strengths in an authentic way.

I am holed up in my ivory tower (my home) with a heating pad on my neck for all the nodding, nodding, nodding with every word I'm reading. Usually, I read with pen-in-hand, but there is no point; the whole book would underlined.I've spent the last 20 years crafting a rule of life without knowing there was a name for it, although I'm familiar with examen and lectio divina. It has proved so valuable a practice that I've had over 100 opportunities to share about the value of how I live.This book will affirm your introverted ways and encourage you to embrace your place in an extroverted culture. It is truly a valuable resource for every leader and layperson.

Introverts in the Church“Sometimes it seems that our many words are more an expression of our doubt than our faith” -Henri NouwenYou want to know what the worst two minutes of my life are every week? It starts with that moment directly after we sing in church when the worship pastor asks the congregation to turn to someone next to you and say hi. Every single time, my eyes just want to roll.I’m not against meeting new people. I actually think people are pretty cool. I used to think that I was just being shy and needed to fight my innate shyness, but in reality, what I loathe is the lack of genuineness. The whole procedure is forced and fake. By the time I am done shaking my neighbor’s hand, I have already forgotten his name. Why? Because I don’t know him and there has been no attempt to know each other.This situation is a great example of my introvertedness. Introverts, for the most part, don’t like small talk, instead wanting deeper and more meaningful conversations.I used to be very ashamed of my introverted nature. Now I embrace it fully. After reading Quiet by Susan and The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney, I felt like a new person ready to use my strengths in all that I do.However, the one place I still feel left out is church. Now I have gone to some amazing churches and a few bad ones. Most of the them have been wonderful and inviting places, but they are definitely designed for extroverts. Naturally, I picked up Introverts in the Church to learn more.It was great to hear about the common challenges introverts encounter at church including small groups, evangelism, and mission trips. McHugh shares his personal experiences of perceived failure in church. He mentions almost giving up on everything during seminary.This is a good book. I felt like I learned more from Quiet and The Introvert Advantage, but if you are looking for something shorter to read and specifically about church, then I would recommend this book.

A wonderful book, useful in its practical thought and ideas of application, and encouraging for us believers who dwell on the introversion side of the social energy. It was refreshing seeing Adam's view of things as a Christian introvert and his research of other believers and their experience on the church as introverts. I will definitely re-read this again and study it, and pray that God uses it to help my relationship with Him, and with fellow believers in the church. If you are an introvert who is feeling discouraged in the church, or an extravert looking to becoming more welcome to those who behave differently from you, then you must read this book!

This entire topic is very much needed right now, in the church and in general American society. Thank you to the author for pointing out that introversion is a gift, not a detriment or sin to Christian living. While it’s true that even introverts must be part of a larger community, I would appreciate the larger louder community respecting some of the older values of contemplation, prayerfulness, and listening. Hopefully many church leaders will Allow Christians to worship and serve in many different ways. In the body of Christ, introverts are the ears, maybe not the mouth.

The book is amazing! It made me feel less alone in my introverted nature.

I have been learning the full extent of what it means to be an introvert (and a HSP to boot)..the more I read about being an introvert, the more I've learned about being ME. I have often struggled with 'fitting in' with any church I've ever gone to, big or small. Now I'm understanding more WHY this may be so. And that God likes me as I am. Churches ARE geared towards extroverts, but we introverts have our place too. We introverts are important to God as well.

I am an introvert and have always known that. This book has helped me understand what that means about myself. It has helped me articulate what that means to my extroverted husband. It has made me comfortable with who I am and how I am. I wish every church leader could read this book; could understand that an introvert can have a role in church ministry.