https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/ingredi…
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/ingredients-institutional-trust/
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No one disputes we’re living through an era of institutional decline and distrust. Multiple surveys show Americans acknowledging their loss of trust in virtually every segment of society. This decline in institutional credibility is, in part, a result of poor leadership and the exposing of corruption, with organizations covering up past failures or widening the breach of trust through their defensive posture or apathy.
It’s no surprise churches feel the headwinds in this environment. This is why so many church leaders are pondering how best to repair and rebuild trust in an age of widespread cynicism and suspicion. We should ask several questions:
- What ingredients are essential for our church to be considered “trustworthy?”
- How do we preserve the trust and goodwill our church has right now, if things are going well?
- How can we regain trust and goodwill after something goes wrong?
- If or when we fail as a church, how can we respond in ways that repair rather than widen the breach of trust?
These questions matter because trust is at the core of Christianity. We’re people of belief, trust, faith, and faithfulness:
- Christians are marked out by specific beliefs: We confess Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead.
- We’re marked out by a life built on trust: We rely on Christ alone for salvation.
- We’re marked out by a life of walking by faith, not by sight. Faithfulness to God and to his people becomes a defining element of our lives.
A crucial aspect of living a faithful Christian life is our growth toward ever-greater trust in God and a corresponding growth in becoming more trustworthy ourselves. As people of belief, trust, faith, and faithfulness, we’re uniquely equipped to contribute to the repairing and rebuilding of institutional credibility. This is one way we fulfill our role as salt and light.
What Is Trust?
Earlier this year, an insightful report on trust, developed by Martin Seeley, David Ford, Veronica Hope Hailey, and Gordon Jump, was relea…