I know it’s a bold claim, but let me assure you that your light in the workplace has never been more important to our society than right now!
Earlier this year, I wrote an article entitled, What Do Americans Think About Jesus Christ, The Bible, Truth, and Ethics?, delving into the state of belief about God amongst Christians and non-Christians in America today.
The study this article was based on demonstrated we have much work to do in two key areas:
1) helping believers understand the fundamentals of the faith, and
2) helping unbelievers understand what it means to have a relationship with Christ!
While the state of belief (or lack thereof) among people is concerning, what is even more concerning is the results of a study released by Barna, Pastors’ Credibility Is in Question—Even Among Pastors!
In this study, adults were asked whether pastors are trustworthy sources of wisdom and reliable in terms of relational and spiritual matters.
Are Pastors a Trustworthy Source of Wisdom?
The simple answer is no; pastors are not considered trustworthy sources of wisdom. Only 4% of non-Christians regard pastors as trustworthy, while a whopping 60% said definitely not or they were unsure.
Sadly, over a quarter of Christians (29%) said they lacked trust in pastors’ wisdom, while only 31% said they thought pastors were trustworthy.
Are Pastors a Reliable Source of Information in Relational Matters?
Pastors fair a little better regarding their reliability in relational matters. Yet, still, less than one in ten (7%) non-Christians think pastors are good sources of information on relational matters. Nearly half (49%) said pastors were not reliable regarding relational matters at all or were unsure.
Pastors faired better among Christians, yet have 1 in 4 (25%) who said pastors were not reliable sources in relational matters
Are Pastors a Reliable Source of Information in Spiritual Matters?
Pastors rated a little better in terms of being a reliable source in spiritual matters, with slightly more than one in ten (11%) saying pastors were very reliable. Unfortunately, nearly half (48%) of non-Christians said pastors were unreliable sources or were unsure about their reliability regarding spiritual matters!
Happily, pastors did the best among Christians in spiritual matters with only 17% saying pastors were not reliable in terms of spiritual matters
Your Light in The Workplace Is Critical!
None of the three audiences surveyed in this study (pastors, non-Christians, and Christians) gave pastors high marks for trustworthy wisdom, relationship advice, or even spiritual advice!
So, the plain truth is if non-Christians do not have high regard for pastors (despite the reason), then one way we can impact the world for Christ is through our own personal example.
You see, if we can’t get non-Christians to darken the door of a church to hear how God loves them and wants them to be part of His family, then they need to see Christ through our lives.
We are the only example of Christ’s love that many non-Christians will ever see or know.
Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
We are the light. We need to let our light shine in the world, our communities, and certainly in our workplaces. We do that by being trustworthy sources of God’s wisdom, as we love one another as Christ loved the Church, while we help others live their lives according to God’s will!
More Articles
I have written several articles on this topic. You can find them by typing “power and influence” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are five of my favorites.
- #445: Is Our Prosperity an Indication of God’s Blessing on Our Country?\
- #404: Are Power and Influence Important to You?
- #402: Is Good Leadership More Than the Exercise of Power?
- #390: Are Certain Positional Leaders Destroying Our Society?
- #131: How Space Mountain is Like Following Jesus
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Does the pastor’s credibility gap among non-believers surprise you? Do you think you, as a believer, can effectively be a light to shine God’s love to the world?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?
Category: Relationships | Power/Influence
It’s sad that Pastors are often viewed warily by non-Christians, but not shocking. There have been enough high profile Pastors over the years whose hypocrisy and bad behavior put a black eye on all the good ones. Not to mention the sexual abuse uncovered in the Catholic Church. Thus your advice is well taken, Ron. Everyday Christians need to lead by example. Otherwise, people seeking a religious path will never come forward.
I have to admit I was surprised by this study and saddened by the results. But, this is why it is so imperative that believers lead by example, a Godly example!