Church Clothes?! Church needs to modernize!

CheshireMark3 · Oct 27, 2013

I was at Church this morning and saw a young man standing awkwardly outside so I asked if it was his first time here, and he said it was. I introduced myself to him and directed him towards the 'welcoming team' (who are PAID to welcome new people into the church) and to my horror they demanded him take off his snapback (a baseball cap with adjustable snaps)

What sort of message are we communicating here?
When the congregation (of the churches I go to) have an average age of 70 can we afford to put off the youth in this manner?

What is your opinion of this matter, and what would you suggest I do about it?

"if God doesn't take me as I am, I guess I already got on my Church clothes" - Lecrae

saffron park · Oct 27, 2013

You're supposed to take off your hat in church, and most other buildings. This is an accepted part of etiquette in society. I only hope they weren't rude about asking.

CheshireMark3 · Oct 27, 2013

Firecycle said:
You're supposed to take off your hat in church, and most other buildings. This is an accepted part of etiquette in society[/URL]. I only hope they weren't rude about asking.

Firstly I appreciate the reply!
I understand the etiquette of the act. However for the people who aren't christian to be 'welcomed' with a demand is silly. I'd much rather have another person in the congregation than adhere to etiquette.

Hope you're having a blessed Morning/day/night!

God bless

rocklife · Oct 31, 2013

Maybe you can tell your church leadership or board about the welcoming committee not appearing so "welcoming." If they are rude and don't want to change, you should reconsider your membership there. Sometimes the attitudes are too entrenched or there are behind the scenes politics, if you follow the money trail.

Serendipity.. · Oct 31, 2013

CheshireMark3 said:
I was at Church this morning and saw a young man standing awkwardly outside so I asked if it was his first time here, and he said it was. I introduced myself to him and directed him towards the 'welcoming team' (who are PAID to welcome new people into the church) and to my horror they demanded him take off his snapback (a baseball cap with adjustable snaps)

What sort of message are we communicating here?
When the congregation (of the churches I go to) have an average age of 70 can we afford to put off the youth in this manner?

What is your opinion of this matter, and what would you suggest I do about it?

"if God doesn't take me as I am, I guess I already got on my Church clothes" - Lecrae

Gee the churches I go to you can wear almost anything. I often wear whatever I wear round the house not that I am scruffy but tshirt and Jeans is dressed up here. People turn up in swimmers and T Shirts or singlets and no shoes. Lol nobody could care less what anyone wears. I sure feel sorry for anyone shallow enough to worry about it as a rule for entry.

Sedoy · Oct 31, 2013

I do not care what people wear to church. If they show up wearing tank top and speedo it is between them and God. It just shows how much respect they have for God and His house of worship.

If somebody values hat on his head more then time spending in worship to God then maybe he does not want to worship God to begin with.

RDKirk · Oct 31, 2013

Serendipity.. said:
Gee the churches I go to you can wear almost anything. I often wear whatever I wear round the house not that I am scruffy but tshirt and Jeans is dressed up here. People turn up in swimmers and T Shirts or singlets and no shoes. Lol nobody could care less what anyone wears. I sure feel sorry for anyone shallow enough to worry about it as a rule for entry.

That really kind of depends on where you are and what the local morals are.

Serendipity.. · Oct 31, 2013

RDKirk said:
That really kind of depends on where you are and what the local morals are.

Pfft. The most godly spirit filled church services I have ever been in were in anything goes clothing. Generally it's smart casual by most but..

It's not about what you wear its as long as you are there! Ones outward appearance should never be used as and indication of a moral or spiritual standard inside. If you do that you might end up eating your words more than once.

Enforcing a dress code with paid greeters sounds like one of the local clubs (where alcohol is served) not like church here. Seriously we would be in hysterics here if someone tried using dress code police in normal mainstream churches.

In saying that the local exclusive brethren do something like that but they are weird.

WisdomTree · Oct 31, 2013

Isn't it standard etiquette to take off your headcover when entering a building?

Serendipity.. · Oct 31, 2013

WisdomTree said:
Isn't it standard etiquette to take off your headcover when entering a building?

In some of the local clubs and pubs yeah and that's about it.

If churches are being fussy about clothes they must have too many members.

jsimms615 · Oct 31, 2013

I would talk to the pastor about it and tell him what happened and your concerns. Let the church leadership address it with the welcome team.

I was raised to believe it is bad manners to wear a hat indoors.

savedgirl2010 · Oct 31, 2013

At my church, I have seen men wear baseball caps, cowboy hats,I have even seen some doo rags...now they do take off the hats once service begins..but we have never turned anyone away...I think there are some things that are not appropriate for church , like really skimpy shorts, or very low cut shirts...but I see no problems with jeans and a t shirt....

manofsorrows · Oct 31, 2013

I've seen this too, and I find it deeply upsetting. Imagine a young man struggling to find God and to go to church, one day summons all his courage to show up, only to be mistreated for not wearing the "appropriate" attire. Why would you risk turning away a non-believer, possibly someone who may not return to church, just because he's wearing a hat? What message are we sending to unbelievers? When we see someone who sticks out, we should make it a point to make them feel welcome, so perhaps the Lord may speak to them through us, and then maybe after they receive the Lord, if you consider their attire inappropriate, you can speak to them then.

ViaCrucis · Nov 3, 2013

First of all: a group paid to welcome people to the church? That sounds like Church Growth gone wonky, especially when the message is counter-intuitive to the whole "seeker-friendly" thing the Church Growth movement tends to sell itself as.

With that out of the way...

As someone who has never been the sort of person who feels the need to dress a particular way at church, I can sympathize. I usually remove my hat, if I'm wearing one, just out of habit/courtesy; but frankly if I was visiting a church and someone snapped at me about the way I was dressed, there's a good chance I'm not going back.

Then again, I probably wouldn't be going back again if I discovered there was a group of people paid to welcome visitors--I just find the whole idea outputting and artificial.

Before I moved (and thus had to find a new place to worship), one of the big things that attracted me to my church was the authentic friendliness of the people. I don't want a church that tries to sell me on the fact that they're "seeker friendly" or "come as you are", the whole Church Growth thing is ridiculous. Just be real. And that means not flipping out because someone has a hat, and it means not laying on the phony friendliness.

Yeah, I still can't quite get over the whole paid welcome committee thing.

-CryptoLutheran

RDKirk · Nov 3, 2013

The Body of Christ does not need to "modernize." Not in clothing, not in musical styles, not in any manner that the world seeks to be "modern."

The Body of Christ needs to find its own voice and style wherever we operate, and it that will almost never be in slavish conformance with the surrounding culture.

It should be neither "conservative" nor "modern," nor have any deliberately national flavor. Nobody should ever enter a church and be able to peg its culture to any single worldly culture.

"Everything is permissible to me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible to me, but I will not be ruled by anything."

Not all clothing is beneficial in the Body of Christ, sometimes not to the wearer, sometimes not to the people around him. We should all seek to wear what is beneficial.

Many of us dress slavishly to cultural styles, but we should all reject being ruled by fashion magazines--none of them has the work of Christ in mind.

We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Heaven has its own cultural values, and it's those we should be seeking.

jsimms615 · Nov 3, 2013

ViaCrucis said:
First of all: a group paid to welcome people to the church? That sounds like Church Growth gone wonky, especially when the message is counter-intuitive to the whole "seeker-friendly" thing the Church Growth movement tends to sell itself as.

With that out of the way...

As someone who has never been the sort of person who feels the need to dress a particular way at church, I can sympathize. I usually remove my hat, if I'm wearing one, just out of habit/courtesy; but frankly if I was visiting a church and someone snapped at me about the way I was dressed, there's a good chance I'm not going back.

Then again, I probably wouldn't be going back again if I discovered there was a group of people paid to welcome visitors--I just find the whole idea outputting and artificial.

Before I moved (and thus had to find a new place to worship), one of the big things that attracted me to my church was the authentic friendliness of the people. I don't want a church that tries to sell me on the fact that they're "seeker friendly" or "come as you are", the whole Church Growth thing is ridiculous. Just be real. And that means not flipping out because someone has a hat, and it means not laying on the phony friendliness.

Yeah, I still can't quite get over the whole paid welcome committee thing.

-CryptoLutheran

I agree. That is strange

All Englands Skies · Nov 3, 2013

CheshireMark3 said:
I was at Church this morning and saw a young man standing awkwardly outside so I asked if it was his first time here, and he said it was. I introduced myself to him and directed him towards the 'welcoming team' (who are PAID to welcome new people into the church) and to my horror they demanded him take off his snapback (a baseball cap with adjustable snaps)

What sort of message are we communicating here?
When the congregation (of the churches I go to) have an average age of 70 can we afford to put off the youth in this manner?

What is your opinion of this matter, and what would you suggest I do about it?

"if God doesn't take me as I am, I guess I already got on my Church clothes" - Lecrae

What Church do you go?

While it always seems to be a bit rude to wear a hat in Church, never heard of anybody demanding someone to take a hat off before.

Church Clothes?! Church needs to modernize!

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