Adam S. McHugh, Presbyterian pastor and author of Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture (2009), wrote an article in the Summer 2011 edition of Leadership Journal about introverted leaders that included these words:
. . . in more than a decade of Christian leadership I have come to see the significant contributions introverts make to others and have learned effective introverted models of leadership. So we must distinguish between our energy level for a task and our gifting for that same task. Just because we lose energy doing something does not necessarily indicate we are not a good fit for it. I am convinced that calling, not personality type, is the determinative factor in the formation and longevity of a leader.
. . . What stands out to me about my conversations with introverted pastors is their firm conviction that they labor in the power of God. They did not necessarily choose church ministry because they found a perfect match for their gifts or personality type (p.80).
So What?
The priesthood of all believers is for all — including both extroverts and introverts. Ordained ministry, at times especially in a parish setting, requires a highly relational clergy yet most certainly benefits from the perspective of both introverted and extroverted practitioners.
- Consider the ministry leaders who have significantly impacted your spiritual development. How many were introverted? What stands out about how these individuals interacted with and influenced you?
- Do you agree with McHugh’s assertion that “calling, not personality type, is the determinative factor in the formation and longevity of a leader?” Why or why not?