What Verification Means
A plain language guide to understanding verification badges on Faithful Finds.
The Short Version
Verification confirms identity and familiarity. It does not confirm quality, beliefs, or value.
What Each Badge Means
The owner created a listing and stated they are Christian-owned. No one else has confirmed this.
A participating church confirmed they know this person. The church did not review their work, prices, or beliefs.
Other business owners on the platform confirmed they know this person. They did not review their work or vouch for quality.
How to Interpret Verification
Examples of what you can and cannot conclude from a verification badge.
You can reasonably conclude:
- "This person's identity has been confirmed by someone other than themselves."
- "A church or peer knows who this person is."
- "This is less likely to be a fake or spam listing."
- "This person has a relationship with a local church."
You cannot conclude:
- "This business does good work." (Verification is not a quality review.)
- "This person shares my beliefs." (Churches don't verify theology.)
- "The church recommends this business." (Churches confirm familiarity, not endorsement.)
- "This business is better than unverified ones." (Verification is not ranking.)
- "Faithful Finds has vetted this business." (We don't review listings editorially.)
- "This person is trustworthy." (That's your judgment to make.)
Common Questions
"Does verified mean better?"
No. A verified listing simply has an additional identity confirmation. An unverified listing may be run by someone excellent at their craft who simply hasn't requested verification. Judge quality by the work, not the badge.
"Can I trust a church-verified business?"
You can trust that a church knows who this person is. Whether you trust them with your project is still your decision. Do your own due diligence—ask for references, get quotes, read reviews elsewhere.
"What if a verified business does bad work?"
Verification doesn't guarantee quality, so poor work alone is not grounds for removing a verification badge. However, if the listing contains false information (like fake location or identity), you can report it for misrepresentation.
"Why doesn't verification mean more?"
By design. If churches were asked to vouch for quality, they would become liable for outcomes. By keeping verification narrow—confirming identity only—churches can participate without taking on risk they can't manage. This keeps the system sustainable.
In Summary
Verification is a credibility signal, not a quality guarantee. It confirms that someone is who they say they are. Everything else—whether they're skilled, affordable, reliable, or aligned with your values—is for you to determine.