The Impact of Trust on Church Growth in Embu County, Kenya

Leadership is one of the biggest challenges facing churches operating in the ever-changing and complex 21st-century environment, with authentic leadership playing a critical role in the church's growth.  This study sought to assess the impact of Trust on Church Growth in Embu County, Kenya. The specific objective of the study was to establish the impact of trust on church growth. A descriptive survey design and positivism philosophy were adopted in this study. The target population of this study was all congregants of churches in Embu West Sub County. A purposeful sampling technique was employed to obtain the sample. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used in the collection of data. Data analysis utilized both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics revealed a high score of trust in church leadership (4.18, SD = 0.518). A strong positive correlation was found between church growth and trust (r = .722, p<.01). Regression analysis showed that trust significantly predicted church growth (R² = .740, p <.01). Conclusions were drawn that trust is indispensable to church growth. The study affirmed trust as a critical component in the leadership framework with implications for church growth. Therefore, church leaders should prioritize building trust within the congregation. Church policymakers should implement and enforce policies that promote trust within the church. Leadership developers should prioritize and recommend the development of leaders who embody trust.