(OPINION) Fewer than half of American adults, including non-Christians, see pastors as “very reliable” when it comes to handling spiritual matters, and the share of pastors who believe the general public sees them that way is even lower, according to newly published data from Barna Research.
The research, which asks about pastors’ general trustworthiness and credibility, was included in The Resilient Pastor, a book by the Rev. Glenn Packiam released on Feb. 15. It offers pastors and Christians a way to remain resilient in their calling as they contend with the challenges of a world where Christianity no longer holds a dominant place in culture.
“Pastors are no longer perceived as a credible voice or a trustworthy source of wisdom on much,” Packiam explains in an excerpt of the book. “Churches don’t have much of a role in a community unless they can provide tangible help or practical care. And people aren’t likely to turn to a church for help when facing difficulties or crises. In fact, Christianity is just one way of making meaning of this world, and it isn’t really even a respected way. For many, it is archaic and outmoded, prude and rude.”
Packiam, who’s a senior fellow at Barna Group, is also an associate senior pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the lead pastor of New Life Downtown. The data show that when asked if pastors are a trustworthy source of wisdom, some 57% of Americans, in general, said pastors are at least somewhat wise.
When that data is further broken down, however, only 23% of all adult Americans agree that pastors are “definitely” a “trustworthy source of wisdom.” Among Christians, the figure increases to 31% but drops to 4% among non-Christians. Larger shares agree that pastors were “somewhat” a trustworthy source of wisdom, with 40% of Christians agreeing to this assessment. READ MORE
