Social Dallas Podcast: "Trust" | Robert Madu | January 11, 2026

Episode Theme Overview

This special episode launches Social Dallas Church’s “Word of the Year” for 2026, focusing on "Trust." Lead Pastor Robert Madu, with teaching moments from his team, explores what it means to have "confident trust" in God, especially in today’s climate of widespread skepticism and uncertainty. The message is both a challenge and invitation—to let God form deeper levels of trust within each individual and the church community throughout the year.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcement of the Word for 2026: Trust

• Scriptural Foundation: Hebrews 10:35-37 – “Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord... Patient endurance is what you need now so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.”
• Kind of Trust: Not ordinary or blind trust, but "confident trust"—forged over time, formed in waiting, grounded in God’s character.

Notable Quote:

“Not ordinary. Trust. Confident. Trust. Not blind trust. Not borrowed. Trust."
— Lead Pastor (03:37)

2. Trust as God's Word—Not Human Choice

• Robert Madu admits that "trust" would not be his personal word of the year. He highlights that true words from God often push us into areas where we are weak, not already strong.
• Cites biblical examples (Abraham, Moses, David) where God gave people a prophetic word to describe what He would form in them—not what they already possessed.

Notable Quote:

“God will give you a word not because you are strong in it, but because He is shaping you to become it.”
— Teaching Pastor (06:49)

3. The Cultural Crisis of Trust

• Trust is described as foundational to all relationships, yet it's a severely eroded "currency" in modern society.
• Observes how skepticism, cynicism, and suspicion define contemporary culture—whether regarding institutions, leaders, even churches.
• References societal changes, mentioning the rise of AI (“age of AI”) and how it’s hard to discern what’s real.

Notable Moment:

• Pastor jokes about hesitation to tell strangers he is a pastor due to public skepticism toward church leadership (13:51).

Notable Quote:

“Skepticism and suspicion is the air that we now breathe.”
— Teaching Pastor (15:45)

4. Where We Place Our Trust

• The problem isn’t that people can’t trust, but that they place trust in the wrong objects: systems, platforms, plans, emotions, and even themselves.
• Urges the congregation to “throw away” trust in anything but the Lord.

Notable Quote:

“If you’re going to throw away anything, don’t throw away your confident trust in the Lord.”
— Lead Pastor (17:51)

5. Hebrews as a Call to Endurance & Trust

• The Book of Hebrews inspires with its “relentless exhortation” for believers to keep going, not shrink back.
• The author’s anonymity is considered significant—a reminder that faith sometimes persists without all the information or certainty.
• The original audience were mature, enduring persecution and loss, yet the author urges them not to let their grip on trust loosen—highlighting that trust can become exhausting.

Notable Quote:

“Sometimes, trusting is exhausting. …You’re so tired of having faith and so tired of believing…”
— Teaching Pastor (31:23)

6. Transactional vs. Confident Trust

• Pastor Robert contrasts “transactional trust” (I do my part; God, you must reward me) with “confident trust” (faith rooted in God’s character, not circumstances).
• The journey this year is to move beyond transactional faith to a trust that stands regardless of immediate outcomes.

Notable Quote:

“Confident trust relies on the consistent character of who God is.”
— Teaching Pastor (33:02)

7. Trust is Contagious and Communal

• Encouragement to remain in community, as “trust is contagious”—we draw strength from witnessing others’ faith in adversity.
• Cites Hebrews 10:23-25, emphasizing the importance of not giving up meeting together.

Notable Moment:

“Your trust affects my trust. ... When we get together, it allows trust to become contagious.”
— Lead Pastor (38:08)

8. Trust in the Dark and Uncertainty

• Uses the venue’s building sign (Texas Trust Theater) with burned-out letters as a metaphor: “Can you trust God when the light is out?” The call is to trust not only in daylight but especially through dark and uncertain times.

Notable Quote:

“The question is not, can you trust God when the light is out? Can you trust God in a dark place?”
— Lead Pastor (41:05)

9. Story of Louisa Stead: Trust from Pain

• Shares the story of Louisa Stead, writer of the hymn “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” who penned the lyrics after her husband died rescuing a boy from drowning.
• Highlights that meaningful trust is often forged in the crucible of pain, not triumph.

Notable Quote:

“Sometimes you gotta lay not knowing or knowing on the altar to say, God, I’m going to keep trusting. Sometimes trust is all you have left.”
— Teaching Pastor (44:00)

10. Call to Surrender and Trust in Jesus

• Pastor Robert leads a call for surrender—trust in Jesus is not just church attendance or mental agreement, but a wholehearted commitment.
• Urges listeners that the true transformation comes not from effort but from receiving what Jesus has accomplished.

Notable Quote:

“It’s not about your effort or you trying hard. It’s about receiving what was done for you on a cross.”
— Teaching Pastor (47:55)

11. Closing Worship & Prayer

• The episode closes with collective worship (“I trust in God my Savior, the one who will never fail...”), a moment for recommitment, and a prayer for trust to be formed afresh in every heart.
• A reminder to distinguish between human failures and the faithfulness of God.

Notable Quote:

“I want to be louder about my trust in God than I am about my trauma.”
— Teaching Pastor (55:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• [03:37] “Not ordinary. Trust. Confident. Trust. Not blind trust. Not borrowed. Trust.” — Lead Pastor
• [06:49] “God will give you a word not because you are strong in it, but because He is shaping you to become it.” — Teaching Pastor
• [15:45] “Skepticism and suspicion is the air that we now breathe.” — Teaching Pastor
• [17:51] “If you’re going to throw away anything, don’t throw away your confident trust in the Lord.” — Lead Pastor
• [31:23] “Sometimes, trusting is exhausting. …You’re so tired of having faith and so tired of believing…” — Teaching Pastor
• [33:02] “Confident trust relies on the consistent character of who God is.” — Teaching Pastor
• [38:08] “Your trust affects my trust. ... When we get together, it allows trust to become contagious.” — Lead Pastor
• [41:05] “The question is not, can you trust God when the light is out? Can you trust God in a dark place?” — Lead Pastor
• [44:00] “Sometimes you gotta lay not knowing or knowing on the altar to say, God, I’m going to keep trusting. Sometimes trust is all you have left.” — Teaching Pastor
• [47:55] “It’s not about your effort or you trying hard. It’s about receiving what was done for you on a cross.” — Teaching Pastor
• [55:57] “I want to be louder about my trust in God than I am about my trauma.” — Teaching Pastor

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–05:25 — Opening, worship, announcing “Trust” as the word of the year; reading Hebrews 10:35-37
• 05:25–10:33 — Pastor’s honest confession about struggling with trust
• 12:14–15:45 — Discussion on trust as foundation and its erosion in society
• 17:17–18:12 — What we must “throw away” and where our trust must be rooted
• 20:27–28:32 — Lessons from the Book of Hebrews and the endurance it calls for
• 31:23–33:02 — Moving from transactional to confident trust
• 36:05–39:18 — Imagery drawn from the Texas Trust Theater building and metaphor of trusting in the dark
• 42:10–44:00 — The story of Louisa Stead and writing of “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”
• 47:55–58:26 — Call to surrender, collective prayer, and worship conclusion

Summary & Final Encouragement

This episode sets the spiritual tone for 2026 at Social Dallas: God is inviting the community to let go of misplaced trust and let Him form “confident trust”—even through pain, exhaustion, and uncertainty. The journey will require endurance and authenticity, both individually and together. As Pastor Robert says, “Sometimes trust is the only thing you have left”—but it is enough, because “Jesus is better.”