Three out of four Americans believe politicians lie to them often or almost always. Government isn’t far behind. But when we asked who people trust not to lie to them, one group landed near the very top of the list: their own faith leaders.
That finding from our latest American Beliefs research says something important for church leaders heading into a mid-term election season. The people in your community may be tired of spin, split on the issues, and wary of institutions. Yet many of them still look to their faith leaders as people they can trust. That’s a gift, and a responsibility.
It’s also why a familiar question keeps coming up in our MissionInsite training sessions: “Can I see how my community leans politically?” The short answer is that MissionInsite doesn’t include political affiliation by zip code or household. The longer, more useful answer is that you’re far from flying blind. There’s a lot you can learn about your neighbors’ attitudes, concerns, and values with the data and tools already at your fingertips.
Three places to look
Whether you’re working inside the system or using one of our single-use reports, available for purchase without a MissionInsite subscription, these three sources can help you understand the political, social, moral, and life concerns shaping your community.
- Start with the Mosaic e-Handbook. Many Mosaic Type profiles include comments about the group’s political views. It’s not a guarantee of how any one household votes, but it’s a strong clue about the mindset of the people living around you.
- See what’s weighing on people with MinistryInsite reports. These reports show people’s life concerns in your area, drawn from the 15,000-person 2025 American Beliefs Study. Expect financial, political, and health worries near the top, because those are the leading concerns nationally. In fact, “social and political tensions and discord” has remained a high concern every year of the survey (2021 and 2025.)
- Read between the lines with ReligiousInsite reports. These reports cover religious beliefs, denominational affiliations, and social and moral values. A quick scan of the direction and intensity of responses will give you a good sense of where people may stand politically.
What 1,500 Americans told us
Our most recent American Beliefs research, conducted this past March, explored the attitudes of 1,500 Americans on “Honesty in America,” among other issues. Knowing political questions would be top of mind this year, we also asked the panel, “In general, do you consider yourself conservative, moderate, or liberal?” Here’s how they described themselves: 
Notice the biggest slice of the pie: moderates, at 38%. Conservatives (32% combined) and liberals (30% combined) come out nearly even. If your community looks anything like this national picture, the people in your pews and on your block are likely more varied, and more in the middle, than the loudest voices in the news might suggest.
Back to trust
We also asked, “How often do you believe the following will lie to you?” A striking 75% of respondents said politicians lie “often” or “almost always,” with “government” right behind at 71%. At the other end of the scale, only 7% said the same of doctors, and just 9% said it of their personal faith leaders.
In a season when trust is scarce and tensions run high, that’s worth re-reading. Knowing your community well, including its range of views, its worries, and its values, can help you lead in ways that keep that trust intact and open doors to real connection with your neighbors.
Want to go deeper? Keep an eye out for new American Beliefs Study research, and read more blogs exploring what the results mean for your ministry.
Emily Reece
Ministry Advancement Strategist
ACS Technologies
With three decades of ministry service under her belt, Emily Reece serves as an advanced expert on MissionInsite with ACS Technologies. In this position she draws from her experience at the local church, national, and denominational levels to assist congregational leaders with practical strategies to connect with their communities. Having used MissionInsite in various roles since 2009, Reece enjoys “helping translate numbers into neighbors” through her work with multiple denominations.
