Do Christians trust their churches?
Do Christians trust their churches? Yes. Also, no. I have been researching and following research around trust and generosity for more than a decade.
People who attend more, trust more
The more regularly Christians attend their church, the more likely they are to trust the church. I don’t know how remote participation counts. (If you know, please do email me!) My doctoral research found that trust was based on familiarity more than on shared values, which surprised me.
People who trust more, give more
Trust in institutions of all kinds is declining, which matters in all sorts of ways, not just charitable giving.
Who trusts the most? Older people. Who gives the most? Older people (70+, if you’re wondering on my definition of older.) Institutions like churches that rely on a diminishing pool of older donors are in trouble.
What about trust in denominations?
In a word, dismal. Trust drops by 25-30% compared to the local church and even amongst regular attenders (I have receipts.) I’ve done research with multiple denominations and in every case, I’ve encountered donors who did not know which denomination they belonged to. It’s hard to measure trust in something that people can’t identify.
Most people, of course, do know which denomination they belong to. Even in the same congregation, some people will trust intensely, some might be ambivalent and others verging on hostile.
Denominational friends, please don’t despair. Trust begins with acknowledging the truth of the situation. I recently heard Dr. David Robinson-Morris talk about truth, trust and imagination. We can’t imagine a better future without starting with the truth. And trusting that change is possible, which Christians have a long history of doing.
How to build trust?
People trust people more than they trust institutions. The more human connections, the better.
Is it worth it for denominational staff to travel to visit churches? Absolutely!
Do people pay attention if clergy call them? Yes.
Does a sincere thank-you go a long way? Yep.
Is prayer helpful? You know the answer to this one.
Are stories better motivators than guilt? Of course!
It’s hard to do any of the above if you are terrified. Perhaps the first course of action is cultivating gratitude, a gratitude deeper than one’s circumstances. I’m a big fan of Henri Nouwen here. I’ll share a post that also appears in my book, which is Three things a church can be grateful for, even in hard times. This post might also be useful:
Year-end fundraising advice from angels
If your organization would benefit from a theologically rich discussion of fundraising and generosity, please reach out. I know that denial is a common coping mechanism, but a loving look at the truth builds trust and brings forth hopefulness.