The polarized church part 1: defining the spectrum

While the terminology of extrovert-introvert originated with the psychologist Carl Jung. These temperaments have been observed by philosophers, doctors, and theologians long before that. Our tendency towards one side verses the other can have a profound influence on how we think, feel, act, and learn. 

Introvert- Extrovert

listener- talker

quiet - gregarious 

thinker - doer

reflective - experience

strategist - spontaneous

One of the biggest things that separates the introvert and extrovert is how they interact with others. The extrovert feels energized by social interaction, and feels drained by solitude. Where Introverts are the exact opposite. Keep in mind, nobody is a pure introvert or extrovert. It is a spectrum, and we are all capable of all of this. It’s like being left or right handed, we can use both hands, but most of us are most comfortable and most productive with our dominant hand. Even if we are successful at becoming switch hitters so to speak that will never change what energizes and depletes us. So we can never switch sides absolutely, no matter how much we push ourselves or others. We must allow ourselves, and others to recharge according to ones own temperament, rather than force one to live a one size fits all sort of life. People are naturally more diverse than that, and scripture recognizes that people have diverse needs. 

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 
- 1 Corinthians 12:21-26

The Visual PARABLEist

The Introvert