I continue to be amazed by the increasing use of words heavy with theological overtones by business authors. Take the word "trust" for example. 

Stephen R. Covey (The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen R. Covey, Stephen M.R. Covey, and Rebecca R. Merrill (Paperback - Feb 5 2008)) and Jeffrey Gitomer (Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Teal Book of Trust: How to Earn It, Grow It, and Keep It to Become a Trusted Advisor in Sales, Business and Life by Jeffrey Gitomer (Hardcover - Dec 17 2008)) are two noteworthy entries.

"Trust" is very prevalent in discussions about Web 2.0 and what will characterize the coming world.

Jeff Jarvis, in his helpful book What Would Google Do?, devotes an entire chapter to exploring trust as a key characteristic of a Google world.

"Trust is an act of opening up; it's a mutual relationship of transparency and sharing. The more ways you find to reveal yourself and listen to others, the more you will build trust, which is your brand." Jarvis could be writing to the church.

And scarcely a church leader or congregation would disagree - in theory!

So let's talk congregational websites and WonderCafe micro sites.

When WonderCafe was first being conceived we floated the concept of having a comments section for each congregation. People could report on their experience of and in the congregation. The concept was hardly new, even at the time. Booksellers, electronics dealers and a host of others found that gathering and listening to honest comments helped them improve their relationships - and increased sales.

Overwhelmingly clergy vetoed the idea of a comments section for congregational pages. They cited the fear that disgruntled congregational members would use the technology as a platform for their grievances and so give a distorted picture of the congregation.

Now I do have some sympathy for this. As a preacher, I often lament the fact that when those I might like to impress come to worship it never seems to be on the occasion of my best sermon. "If only you had been here last week. They were on their feet applauding and on their knees crying in repentance! If you could catch us at our best moments then you'd see what we're really like!"

Well, it's time to get over it.

One of the things the church - nationally and at the congregational level - is fighting for is the trust of people. People under 45 tend to view an unwillingness to share information or to let others comment as a sign that organizations either have something to conceal (old boys network), do not want to listen or are not serious about what would improve the relationship.

Congregations have to be willing to risk hearing what others have to say about them. Says Jarvis, "the more you control, the less you will be trusted; the more you hand over control, the more trust you will earn." Sounds like a spiritual advisor, doesn't he?

The bottom line is this - each WonderCafe church microsite has a "Church Wall" (similar to Facebook). Turn it on*; use it and encourage others to use it. Then listen. Sure there might be some hard things said. You might also be buried in bouquets.

I would say "Be not afraid!" but I think someone else already mentioned that.

*Microsite administers, to turn on your "Church Wall," click the "Edit" tab of your microsite. Scroll down to "Comment settings," click on it, then check the "Read/Write" button. Go to the bottom of the page and click "Save."

Don't have a WonderCafe church microsite yet? Contact Emerging Spirit.