Or, maybe they do.
- I’m a pastor and an introvert.
- I get energy from being alone.
- Being with people for long periods of time drains me, although I have strong people skills.
- I love to read.
- I go on silent retreats.
- After church every Sunday I need to spend time without high people interaction.
- Did I say I am an introvert?
Am I automatically disadvantaged as a pastor?
Do only the gregarious, back slapping pastors lead big churches?
Some years ago I learned that my introversion offended a church leader where I once served. We held an overnight leadership retreat at a local retreat center. After the last session ended around nine, we provided snacks and games. At about 10, I went to bed as was my habit. Most of the other leaders stayed up past midnight. Had I stayed up with them, I would have been toast for the sessions to follow the next morning.
I learned months later that my leaving the group to go to bed offended him. He brought it up more than once. He was an extrovert and did not like me yielding to my introversion.
Should I have stayed up to “work the crowd”? Perhaps. But that incident illustrates the challenges introverts often face when they serve in ministry.
As I’ve pondered this issue more deeply, I read the book Quiet, the Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, a great read. As an introvert, Susan presents a compelling case for the the power of introverts. If you are an introvert, you will feel affirmed if you read it.
Here’s a good article on introverts here.
If you are an introvert, what challenges have you experienced in ministry?
