Why Public Trust in the Church Continues to Erode

For centuries, at least in the West, the church held an unparalleled position of trust and reverence. They were seen as the stewards of moral clarity in a world ever-increasing in cultural chaos. They were the shepherds who guided their flocks with conviction and commitment to the unchanging word of God.

In fact, as recently as 2009, more people in society trusted the clergy, but today? Well, let’s just say that pollsters from Gallup have given us a brutal reality check, and the news isn’t flattering.

According to their latest survey, public trust in clergy has hit a historic low, with only 30% of Americans rating their honesty and ethics as "high" or "very high." Compare that to 56% just two decades ago. What happened? Did the culture lose its moral compass? Or—and this is the uncomfortable question—did the shepherds forget their job?

Let’s be honest: you don’t lose 26 percentage points in public trust overnight. It takes years of compromise, scandal, and outright failure to bring a once-respected institution to its knees. And clergy—particularly those in the evangelical camp—have been working overtime to alienate the very people they’re supposed to serve.

Rather than standing firm on the rock of Scripture, too many church leaders have decided to plant their feet in the quicksand of cultural relevance. Whether it be The Gospel Coalition, the Southern Baptist Convention, or Christianity Today.

Why preach conviction when you can pander? Why proclaim unpopular biblical truth when trendy platitudes will do? After all, isn’t it easier to follow the culture than to confront it?