Home > Author > Adam S. McHugh
61 " Introversion and shyness are not synonymous. Introversion is a natural personality trait where we go inside ourselves to process our experiences. Shyness, on the other hand, is a condition marked by fear or extreme anxiety in social situations. "
― Adam S. McHugh , Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture
62 " Even the healthiest of people struggle to measure the world and themselves with an accurate yardstick, as the power of sin infects everyone’s mind as well as his or her actions. "
63 " I am convinced that true healing ultimately comes from the outside; it comes as an act of hospitality, as we respond to and welcome the indwelling presence of the Creator God who “formed my inward parts” (Ps 139:13). "
64 " We cannot find freedom in our introversion until we embrace our primary identities as sons and daughters of God. "
65 " The nature of the gospel is such that it can only be fully imparted through shared life and authentic personal relationships. "
66 " We define ourselves in relationship to Christ: who we are is how we relate to him. The Son, sent by the Father, lives in us through the Holy Spirit, and we can’t truly meet ourselves until we meet him. "
67 " Introverts have layered personalities, and they prefer to slowly unpeel the layers as they bond with people over time. "
68 " I believe that the truly healthy church is a combination of introverted and extroverted qualities that fluidly move together. Only in that partnership can we capture both the depth and breadth of God’s mission. "
69 " Our slower pace of life, our thoughtfulness, our spiritual and intellectual depth, and our listening abilities are prophetic qualities for the evangelical community, calling us to a renewed understanding of God and a fresh reading on the abundant life Jesus came to give us. Yet because of the extroverted bias in many of our churches, introverts are leading double lives. We are masquerading as extroverts in order to find acceptance, yet we feel displaced and confused. We are weary of fighting our introversion, and we long to live faithfully as the people we were created to be. "
70 " Others are able to mediate the gentleness of Christ to us when we are not able to be gentle with ourselves. "
71 " If we look closely enough, we will find that there are echoes of grace in all of our interests. To look at our passions this way is to view the world sacramentally, a world that is teeming with outward signs of invisible realities. "
72 " Many evangelical megachurches, in their hope to create comfortable environments for seekers, have stripped their sanctuaries and worship services of any sense of mystery and the sacred. Their fast-moving, high production events may entertain us and their avid employment of modern technology may dazzle us, but many times, they cannot help us hear the still, small voice of God. "
73 " By no means are introverts against intimate relationships; indeed we are motivated by depth in our relationships. "
74 " Our spirituality may be grounded in Scripture, yet is quieter, slower and more contemplative. In an upfront, talkative, active evangelical culture, we can be viewed as self-absorbed or standoffish, and we can feel like outsiders even when we have faithfully attended a church for years. "
75 " A disinterest in small talk makes us reluctant to approach strangers, and we do not always have the energy to engage people in long conversation. Confrontation is not usually a comfortable approach for us, as our inner processing slows us down in a debate format. "
76 " Theological cornerstones of evangelical churches—like the accessibility of a personal, relational God, the authority and inspiration of Scripture, and the command to share the gospel and make new disciples—are paramount, indispensable values. Yet our methods for expressing those values are often tilted toward extroversion, and when we conflate our values with our methods we run the risk of alienating introverts. "
77 " Introverts move a little slower, speak a little less, and rest a little more. "
78 " We might say that modern evangelicalism has a hearing problem. We may preach before we truly understand a situation or embrace its gravity. Our verbal effusiveness can devolve into breezy clichés, hollow soundbites, and repetitive song lyrics, things that don’t honor the uniqueness, complexity, and beauty of each person. "
79 " Each falling tear carries pain and it's teh only way to get it out. "
― Adam S. McHugh , The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction
80 " Each falling tear carries pain and it's the only way to get it out. "