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\u201cHi. My name is Stephen. I\u2019m an introvert. It\u2019s been three days since I\u2019ve spoken to anyone, and that makes me happy. Please go away now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Is this how you think of introverts? If so, you\u2019re wrong. Well, wrong-ish<\/em>.<\/p>\n I am an introvert and I like people.<\/p>\n Thinking and thinking again before speaking<\/strong><\/p>\n Most know that introverts need to get away from the crowds to recharge and that we often need time to process our responses. But have you thought about how introversion affects the experience of group Bible study?<\/p>\n For example, in a small group, when the floor is open for discussion, while extroverts jump right in with comments, we introverts are still processing our thoughts. In fact, by the time we\u2019ve formed a response we\u2019re comfortable sharing, discussion time is often over and the leader is saying the closing prayer.<\/p>\n These are sad times for us because we really had a pithy and winsome insight to share.<\/p>\n No, introverts are not slow, just more intricate thinkers. We carefully weigh things mentally, or as I like to say, mull<\/em>. When we finally share it\u2019s important to us that what we share is meaningful and accurate.<\/p>\n As Val Nelson states on the Quiet Revolution website<\/a>, \u201cIntroverts prefer to think before speaking, to take in a lot of information about what\u2019s happening in the room, and to integrate all that into a new contribution. All that internal processing doesn\u2019t happen instantly, but it\u2019s important, and it brings a valuable perspective to the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n Introverts may be slow to speak, but when we do, you\u2019ll want to pause and listen.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s pause for a moment of silence<\/strong><\/p>\n As Adam McHugh suggests in his insightful book Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture<\/em>, many churches reward extroversion which makes introverts feel out of place, creating \u201cenvironments that are intimidating and unnatural for introverts.\u201d<\/p>\n What can you do to reverse that trend in your own small group ministry? How can you make sure you\u2019re not leaving the quiet ones behind? And how can you help them contribute to a group Bible study process? Here are some tips:<\/p>\n The first sentence in McHugh\u2019s book asks, \u201cCan introverts thrive in the church?\u201d The answer must be, \u201cYes!\u201d Why? Because we are all created in God\u2019s image and are called to be contributing vital parts of the Body of Christ.<\/p>\n For those of us who are introverts, this may mean giving us a little quiet space as we express ourselves in the way God shaped us.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Agree? Disagree? Have a question about this column? Email Stephen at <\/em>cnjintrovert@gmail.com<\/em><\/a>. Share your thoughts about being a Christian introvert!<\/em><\/p>\n Stephen R. Clark is a writer who lives in Lansdale, PA with his wife, BethAnn, where they are members of Immanuel Church. His website is www.StephenRayClark.com<\/span><\/a>. He is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and managing editor of the Christian Freelance Writers Network<\/span><\/a> blog. He is also a news writer for The Baptist Paper<\/span><\/a> and contributor to the Englewood Review of Books<\/span><\/a>. His writing has appeared in several publications. The content of this column is copyright \u00a9 by Stephen R. Clark.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n