Building Institutions in an Anti-Institution Era

We need builders more than we need cynics.

Why Institutions Are Out of Style

We are living in an era that elevates personal freedom, self-expression, and individual authenticity above all else. From the slogans we preach—“Live your truth,” “Follow your heart,” “You do you”—to the lives we construct online, our highest good is often seen as autonomy from anything that might constrain us. And institutions, by their very nature, constrain us.

Carl Trueman’s The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self helps us understand this moment. He explains how the modern view of the “self” has shifted over the last few centuries, from something grounded in God and communal norms to something rooted in personal feelings and psychological fulfillment. Trueman warns that in this expressive individualist framework, anything that limits our freedom is viewed as oppressive. That includes institutions like the family, the church, and the state.

This cultural mood leads many to tear down, criticize, or abandon the institutions that previous generations built. Many people use family-of-origin trauma to justify not getting married. A new generation rejects the demands of local church membership. Fewer people volunteer for civic organizations or serve on community boards. People are less likely to trust the government, the media, education, and even their neighbors.

But here’s the problem: we still long for meaning, belonging, purpose, and community—things that institutions are uniquely designed to cultivate.

The Data: Where Things Stand and Why It Matters

Recent research confirms what many of us feel: Americans are losing trust in their institutions—and the effects are serious.

1. Marriage Is Declining

• According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau report, only 44% of American adults were married in 2023—down from 50% in 2000.

• Marriage rates per 1,000 population have fallen from around 8.2 in 2000 to roughly 6.1 in 2023, underscoring that fewer young adults are entering this fundamental institution.

2. Weekly Church Attendance Is Eroding

• Pew Research shows a steady decline in weekly worship attendance, dropping from around 39% in the early 2000s to just under 25% by 2024.

• Religious scholar Ryan Burge highlights not only declining attendance, but a rise in online streaming—with many tuning in via video or podcasts without financially or relationally investing in a local congregation.

3. Civic Institutions Are Shrinking

• Membership in civic groups like the Boy Scouts has plummeted—since 2010, the Scouts have lost more than half their membership, dropping from roughly 2.8 million to under 1.2 million by 2024.

• Similarly, chapters of business networking groups and Rotary/Elks clubs have seen membership declines of 20–30% nationwide, reflective of broader disengagement from face-to-face civic involvement.

• Local social-service organizations (like food pantries, domestic violence shelters, and after-school tutoring programs) lack the volunteers needed to serve families in the city.

4. Trust in Major National Institutions Is Crumbling

• Pew Research finds public trust in the U.S. military dropped to 58% in 2024, down from around 75% two decades earlier.

• Confidence in large corporations stood at just 22%, among the lowest trust scores of all institutions surveyed.

• Even government agencies saw trust fall—only 29% of Americans reported trusting federal agencies, pointing to widespread skepticism about institutional legitimacy and efficacy.

---

Why These Declines Matter for Our Future

• Marriage, once a bedrock for stability and intergenerational formation, now serves fewer households.

• Declining church attendance means fewer avenues for spiritual growth, community, and sacrificial service.

• The collapse of civic associations weakens social capital, mutual aid, and local leadership structures.

• And when trust in national institutions erodes, it becomes harder to marshal collective responses to crises or preserve civic cohesion.

If these trends continue unabated, the structures that undergird healthy societies—families, churches, neighborly networks, and trusted institutions—will atrophy. And here’s my greatest concern: if we destroy institutions rather than rebuild or reform them, our country could face collapse, not in ideological slogans, but in real-world fragmentation within the next 30 years.

The Loss of Formation

One of the greatest casualties of institutional decline is spiritual and moral formation. Institutions—especially the family and the local church—are essential for shaping character. They teach us how to submit, how to serve, and how to love others sacrificially. They anchor us in truth and train us to persevere when life is hard.

When we walk away from institutions in pursuit of self-fulfillment, we may feel free, but we’re also untethered. We lose the practices that grow us, the mentors who shape us, and the communities that refine us. In our quest to be “authentic,” we often become isolated.

As Tim Keller observed in Center Church, “Without strong, vital churches, the city is a spiritual desert... The local church is the only institution that gathers people across racial, social, and economic boundaries for the purpose of loving God, loving neighbor, and serving the city together.”

The church, Keller argues, is essential to the spiritual ecosystem of a city. It is not one program among many—it is the beating heart of gospel-centered renewal.

A Biblical Case for Institutions

God is not anti-institution. In fact, He ordained them.

• The family was the first institution (Genesis 2:24), designed for love, formation, and generational legacy.

• The local church was started by Jesus (Matthew 16:18) and empowered by the Spirit to equip the saints, make disciples, and display His glory to the world.

• Even government is a God-given institution meant to promote justice and restrain evil (Romans 13:1–7).

Institutions are not perfect. They are full of broken people, just like us. But abandoning them because of imperfection is not the answer. Reform, rebuild, and renew—but don’t walk away.

If we want to live in a flourishing society—one marked by justice, compassion, stability, and truth—we need healthy institutions. And to have healthy institutions, we need faithful people willing to build and sustain them.

What We’re Building and Why It Matters

This is one reason we’re raising money to expand our campus and build new facilities at Cityview. Not because we’re interested in more square footage or fancier buildings. But because we believe in building something that will outlast us—a place where the gospel is proclaimed, lives are transformed, families are strengthened, and future leaders are formed.

We live in one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. People are moving here by the tens of thousands. If we don’t build now, we miss an opportunity to shape the spiritual future of our region. We’re not just constructing buildings. We’re investing in a home for generations of believers and seekers to come.

The local church is one of the last places in modern life where people of different races, ages, incomes, and political views gather to worship, serve, and grow together. In an increasingly fragmented world, the church is a countercultural witness to the unity and love of Jesus.

We Need Builders, Not Just Critics

It’s easy to be a deconstructionist. It’s popular to be cynical. Our online culture thrives on tearing people and institutions down. But it takes faith and courage to build.

If we care about the next generation, if we want to leave a legacy of truth and beauty and goodness, we must become institution-builders. People who show up. People who give sacrificially. People who commit for the long haul. People who help create something bigger than themselves.

We need parents who build strong families, teachers who invest in healthy schools, civic leaders who rebuild trust, executives who create vibrant companies, and pastors who lead churches with integrity. These are the builders our culture desperately needs.

A Legacy Worth Leaving

The institutions we build—especially the local church—will outlive us. And that’s the point. They are not for our comfort but for God’s glory and others’ good.

So let’s go against the grain of our age. Let’s resist the pull toward isolation, cynicism, and endless customization. Let’s re-embrace the beauty of commitment, structure, and spiritual formation in community.

Let’s build churches that endure. Homes that disciple. Networks that serve. Institutions that shine light in the darkness.

Let’s be the kind of people who invest in what lasts.