Trust is critical to church planting or church envisioning. The Malphurs Group (TMG) puts it this way: If they don’t trust you, you can’t lead them! An advantage the church planter has over the church revitalizer is that people grant you a high degree of trust up front. They in effect are joining you, unlike church revitalization where you are joining them and have to earn their trust.
Here are some ways to win or keep their trust.
1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. People are or will become suspicious if you don’t communicate. They assume you’re trying to hide something from them. So work hard at communicating what’s happening in and to the church.
2. Tell the truth. Don’t communicate that which is false or a half truth. Eventually the truth comes to the surface and will support you or undercut you and the ministry. Be clear about the direction of the church as found in its mission.
3. Finally, be a person of conviction. There is something about conviction that engenders credibility.
People will grant church planters the trust they need to lead upfront. It’s up to you not to lose it. So, work hard at maintaining your trust level.
