First Notes: In God We Trust - But What About One Another?
Dear First Baptist Family,
The data is in: many people struggle to trust others these days.
I recently read a report from the American Bible Society (ABS) that highlighted how Americans increasingly do not trust one another, institutions, and experts. This matters to ABS, because the less people trust in general, the less likely they will trust the Bible as a source of truth and direction.
The report says, “Many of the most pressing problems in American culture these days involve a loss of trust. We have become a suspicious people, doubting not only our social institutions, but often our neighbors and colleagues—sometimes with good reason. This trust deficit has clearly affected the nation culturally and politically, but its effect on our relationships might be just as strong, though less obvious. Might it also affect our spiritual lives?”
They studied interpersonal trust by asking people to place themselves on a continuum between “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree” regarding such statements such as “Most people are basically honest” and “People will usually keep their promises.” Unfortunately, the average was right in the middle, with lots of distrust identified.
They also took a look at institutional trust and discovered that less than 40% of Americans have a “very high” or “high” trust in medicine, education, and religion. Sadly, 17% of the population has “no trust” in religious institutions.
How do you invite people to trust Jesus — or to trust the church — when so many people feel like trust has been broken?
A Congregation People Can Trust
We’ve been working on our bylaws for several months with the help of our Long-Range Planning Committee. Last Wednesday, we met in a business session to discuss some proposed bylaw provisions.
The changes have to do with the structure of our Church Council, how we participate in church business when persons can be in-person, and so on. While some people think bylaws are boring (admittedly, the discussions can be a little dry), I keep reminding people that good process is important for a healthy church.
Having created good policies, trust is built when you do what you have said you will do.
Good communication matters, too. We try to continually improve in how we communicate with transparency about church-wide matters, particular ministry events, and the overall intentions and actions of our church.
We also seek to treat every person with dignity and gentleness. Trust often is broken through trauma. People who have suffered greatly through their church involvement, or those who have even been disappointed by clergy and other leaders, may really struggle to trust again. Certain types of trauma can especially make people suspicious of others.
Finally, sticking to Biblical truth provides the foundation for trusting in God. God is 100% trustworthy and the truth shared through God’s word is reliable and useful “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).
In short, to be a trustworthy community of faith, we need to be thoughtful about how we organize and operate, consistent, open, considerate, and Biblical.
A Willingness to Overcome the “Trust” Barrier to Reach People
I was so thankful for the work of our Community Council to facilitate the wonderful meal for Friends and Family Sunday. I am also grateful for those that took the big step of inviting someone to church, even if they weren't able to make it.
Sunday was a great step toward helping people to feel welcome.
The truth is that it's hard to walk into a church building if you've been away for a long time. People are wondering, “Is this a place for me? Can I be loved by you? Can I grow in faith here?”
I think about my time getting to know Jen, when we were falling in love. I remember the dating process, long conversations, and the excitement and anxiety of a new relationship. And then came the "first kiss.” What a moment! It took a long time to get there, but it was worth it.
In the same way, it takes a long time for someone to walk through the doors of a church building, begin to develop relationships, understand the beliefs and practices of the church, and then come to a moment of decision to join the church. That “kiss” represents the growth of trust and marks a next level in the relationship.
We need to be willing to listen to people, share meals together, and share the story of Jesus as we have opportunity. It might take people a long time to trust us, and it might take a long time to trust Jesus. But trust can be built. We want everyone to come to the realization that Jesus is “…the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16, ESV) and that His words are “trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5, NIV).
With love,
Pastor Brent McDougal
P.S. This week I'm wrapping up my sermon series on how to be a blessing to others (remember the B.L.E.S.S. acronym?). My topic will be “Share Your Story” from Luke 10:1-9.
The data is in: many people struggle to trust others these days.
I recently read a report from the American Bible Society (ABS) that highlighted how Americans increasingly do not trust one another, institutions, and experts. This matters to ABS, because the less people trust in general, the less likely they will trust the Bible as a source of truth and direction.
The report says, “Many of the most pressing problems in American culture these days involve a loss of trust. We have become a suspicious people, doubting not only our social institutions, but often our neighbors and colleagues—sometimes with good reason. This trust deficit has clearly affected the nation culturally and politically, but its effect on our relationships might be just as strong, though less obvious. Might it also affect our spiritual lives?”
They studied interpersonal trust by asking people to place themselves on a continuum between “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree” regarding such statements such as “Most people are basically honest” and “People will usually keep their promises.” Unfortunately, the average was right in the middle, with lots of distrust identified.
They also took a look at institutional trust and discovered that less than 40% of Americans have a “very high” or “high” trust in medicine, education, and religion. Sadly, 17% of the population has “no trust” in religious institutions.
How do you invite people to trust Jesus — or to trust the church — when so many people feel like trust has been broken?
A Congregation People Can Trust
We’ve been working on our bylaws for several months with the help of our Long-Range Planning Committee. Last Wednesday, we met in a business session to discuss some proposed bylaw provisions.
The changes have to do with the structure of our Church Council, how we participate in church business when persons can be in-person, and so on. While some people think bylaws are boring (admittedly, the discussions can be a little dry), I keep reminding people that good process is important for a healthy church.
Having created good policies, trust is built when you do what you have said you will do.
Good communication matters, too. We try to continually improve in how we communicate with transparency about church-wide matters, particular ministry events, and the overall intentions and actions of our church.
We also seek to treat every person with dignity and gentleness. Trust often is broken through trauma. People who have suffered greatly through their church involvement, or those who have even been disappointed by clergy and other leaders, may really struggle to trust again. Certain types of trauma can especially make people suspicious of others.
Finally, sticking to Biblical truth provides the foundation for trusting in God. God is 100% trustworthy and the truth shared through God’s word is reliable and useful “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).
In short, to be a trustworthy community of faith, we need to be thoughtful about how we organize and operate, consistent, open, considerate, and Biblical.
A Willingness to Overcome the “Trust” Barrier to Reach People
I was so thankful for the work of our Community Council to facilitate the wonderful meal for Friends and Family Sunday. I am also grateful for those that took the big step of inviting someone to church, even if they weren't able to make it.
Sunday was a great step toward helping people to feel welcome.
The truth is that it's hard to walk into a church building if you've been away for a long time. People are wondering, “Is this a place for me? Can I be loved by you? Can I grow in faith here?”
I think about my time getting to know Jen, when we were falling in love. I remember the dating process, long conversations, and the excitement and anxiety of a new relationship. And then came the "first kiss.” What a moment! It took a long time to get there, but it was worth it.
In the same way, it takes a long time for someone to walk through the doors of a church building, begin to develop relationships, understand the beliefs and practices of the church, and then come to a moment of decision to join the church. That “kiss” represents the growth of trust and marks a next level in the relationship.
We need to be willing to listen to people, share meals together, and share the story of Jesus as we have opportunity. It might take people a long time to trust us, and it might take a long time to trust Jesus. But trust can be built. We want everyone to come to the realization that Jesus is “…the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16, ESV) and that His words are “trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5, NIV).
With love,
Pastor Brent McDougal
P.S. This week I'm wrapping up my sermon series on how to be a blessing to others (remember the B.L.E.S.S. acronym?). My topic will be “Share Your Story” from Luke 10:1-9.
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