Episode 339 - Why the Military & Your Barber Are More Trusted Than Institutions | Andy Crouch

Navigating Pandemonium: How Faith-Driven Entrepreneurs Can Rebuild Trust in a Broken World

Join host Justin Forman for a compelling conversation with Andy Crouch, bestselling author and senior fellow at Praxis, about the cultural moment we find ourselves in—one he describes as "pandemonium." In this thought-provoking episode, Andy unpacks why institutional trust has collapsed, what it means for entrepreneurs, and how the church's calling to serve offers a pathway forward.

Drawing from his deep understanding of cultural dynamics and three-generation rebuilding cycles, Andy reveals why small businesses and the military are the only institutions maintaining trust above 50%—and what that means for Kingdom-minded entrepreneurs navigating uncertain times.

Key Topics:

• Why our current moment is best described as "pandemonium" rather than chaos
• The collapse of prestige hierarchies and rise of dominance-based leadership
• How COVID accelerated institutional trust erosion that was decades in the making
• The three-generation cycle of cultural rebuilding (lessons from Genesis)
• Why small businesses maintain high trust levels while other institutions fail
• Jesus's radical alternative to both dominance and prestige hierarchies
• Practical strategies for lean, mission-focused entrepreneurship in uncertain times

Notable Quotes:

"Institutionalism is when the actual mission of the institution becomes less important than just protecting the institution itself. You go off mission, and your mission becomes just protect our thing." - Andy Crouch

"In the kingdom of God, anyone can be great because anyone can serve." - Andy Crouch (quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

"If you aim for community, sometimes you get community, but rarely do, but if you aim for mission, oftentimes community is just a natural byproduct, and you're probably gonna get mission too." - Justin Forman

Andy Crouch is a bestselling author, cultural commentator, and senior fellow at Praxis. His books include "Culture Making," "Strong and Weak," and "The Tech-Wise Family." He brings decades of experience analyzing cultural shifts and helping leaders navigate complex societal changes with wisdom and faith.