Are We Too Casual?

[FaithfulPilgrim]

I just got back from my church's Wednesday service and Idk how I feel about it. We have a "logo" and the Wednesday service is very contemporary. It's not as bad as my old church, though. We have a new youth pastor, so I think he is trying to get everyone to like him.

I like my Sunday service just fine as it is traditional in the Baptist sense (pews, hymn books, stained glass images of Jesus, choir over "rock music"), but still uses modern equipment like projection screens to display verses and upcoming events. I see nothing wrong with that as it can be another tool to for witnessing and sharing teaching.

I am drawn to higher, more liturgical churches. I like their aesthetics (especially the Orthodox) and worship style, but I often feel like I have to sacrifice some of my evangelical beliefs, YEC and premillennial views to really fit in.

Also, I feel we are too casual, yet some of the high churches are "too" high churchey for me and I prefer a combination of the two.

 

[twin1954]

I just got back from my church's Wednesday service and Idk how I feel about it. We have a "logo" and the Wednesday service is very contemporary. It's not as bad as my old church, though. We have a new youth pastor, so I think he is trying to get everyone to like him.

I like my Sunday service just fine as it is traditional in the Baptist sense (pews, hymn books, stained glass images of Jesus, choir over "rock music"), but still uses modern equipment like projection screens to display verses and upcoming events. I see nothing wrong with that as it can be another tool to for witnessing and sharing teaching.

I am drawn to higher, more liturgical churches. I like their aesthetics (especially the Orthodox) and worship style, but I often feel like I have to sacrifice some of my evangelical beliefs, YEC and premillennial views to really fit in.

Also, I feel we are too casual, yet some of the high churches are "too" high churchey for me and I prefer a combination of the two.

I have always said that you can tell how much someone takes the worship of God seriously by how they dress and act. I have seen some come in their pajamas. I certainly don't have a requirement in dress in order to attend church. If a man has just come from the field and has on his dirty clothes that is fine because he may not have had time to change. But when folks regularly attend in shorts and tee shirts, pants with hole in them and all the other ways that I have seen you know tha they could have dressed better to worship but didn't think much of it to bother.

 

[98cwitr]

Sometimes church can feel more like a country club than a church...but imo certain contemporary themes can actually break away from the "country club" mold and get down to real worship. I like a church I can be myself in, and not feel like I must conform to its status quo in order to feel peace.

Pros of casual:

Dress: Jesus doesn't care what you wear. "Sunday best" is a put-on and has no bearing on how "good of a Christian" you are. (sorry twin)

Music: Worshipping God should allow the Spirit to operate freely. When one goes out and throws on the latest rock station in their radio, then goes to church and only sings traditional hymns, do they no put on the same radio station they came to church on?

Scripture: It must be held as Holy. Modern evangelicalism has sullied Scripture in order to "convert" or "save" people. You will find more contemporary churches on the rise going back to literal translations. Contemporary has plenty of fire and brimstone, calls to repentance, and admittance and remittance of sin.

Cons of casual:

Challenges the status quo/tradition: This brings a divide in churches everywhere

Greying of theology: As individualized as we are, contemporary churches blur the lines of denomination and belief, which challenges faith and also bring divide.

 

[twin1954]

Sometimes church can feel more like a country club than a church...but imo certain contemporary themes can actually break away from the "country club" mold and get down to real worship. I like a church I can be myself in, and not feel like I must conform to its status quo in order to feel peace.

The question is then are they true churches or just make believe? I can feel comfortable in a church where everyone wears clean clothes, blue jeans and a nice shirt is fine, as well as those wearing a suit and tie. I personally would never enter into the presence of Christ without a suit and tie. I do not take His worship casually at all.

The fact is that you would never visit the President of the United States unless you were wearing a suit and tie. Why would we come into the presence of the King of Glory whose reign is everlasting and whose dominion is over all Creation any less dressed?

 

[98cwitr]

The question is then are they true churches or just make believe? I can feel comfortable in a church where everyone wears clean clothes, blue jeans and a nice shirt is fine, as well as those wearing a suit and tie. I personally would never enter into the presence of Christ without a suit and tie. I do not take His worship casually at all.

The fact is that you would never visit the President of the United States unless you were wearing a suit and tie. Why would we come into the presence of the King of Glory whose reign is everlasting and whose dominion is over all Creation any less dressed?

When we are reborn and resurrected standing before God, what will we wear? A suit and tie?

I don't know about you, but I stand before God naked in the shower...He always see me and I can worship Him anytime. Clothes, especially dress clothes, are a man-made construct to convey...as you said...seriousness. I'm not there to show other men how serious I am about my worship.

John the Baptist worshiped God and spread the word in camel hair. He didn't care about dressing in purple lien...so why do you?

 

[twin1954]

When we are reborn and resurrected standing before God, what will we wear? A suit and tie?

I don't know about you, but I stand before God naked in the shower...He always see me and I can worship Him anytime. Clothes, especially dress clothes, are a man-made construct to convey...as you said...seriousness. I'm not there to show other men how serious I am about my worship.

John the Baptist worshiped God and spread the word in camel hair. He didn't care about dressing in purple lien...so why do you?

It isn't about showing men how serious I am about worship it is just that I am serious about worship. My clothes make no difference but to come to worship dressed as though it is nothing important shows a contempt for worship when you can dress better.

I stand naked before the Lord every day even when I am clothed in my best. God demands that we give Him our best not just what we think will do. He commanded that the best part of the sacrifice, which was also the best, be given to Him. The people started bringing the lame and sick, the animals that were of no value, and He called it an abomination. God is no respecter of persons but He does demand that we give Him the best that we can. If a poor man can only bring a dove it was enough but a rich man was to bring the best of his flock, unblemished, and give it to the Lord.

The point is that when men give only what they think is sufficient or come casually to the worship of God He will not accept it. God will be worshiped not taken casually as though He means nothing. Can you truly worship God without bringing your best?

 

[98cwitr]

I will answer your last question with Scripture:

"First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."

Not calling you a Pharisee, twin I am just driving a point home....In my own words: "Let he who is without sin wear a suit and tie, for his heart is as clean as his appearance."

I am always at my best, for I am always me, but I could always be better if only I had eyes to see.

 

[twin1954]

I will answer your last question with Scripture:

"First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."

Not calling you a Pharisee, twin I am just driving a point home....In my own words: "Let he who is without sin wear a suit and tie, for his heart is as clean as his appearance."

I am always at my best, for I am always me, but I could always be better if only I had eyes to see.

I am not offended but you seem to have missed my point. God doesn't want your scraps.

 

[98cwitr]

I am not offended but you seem to have missed my point. God doesn't want your scraps.

Nor shall I give Him scraps, what I am saying is that what we wear does not bear witness to our love or reverence for the Lord.

What will we be wearing at the resurrection?

 

[FaithfulPilgrim]

On one hand, you should look your best for God. On the other, I think there is such a thing as overdoing it (wearing a suit when everyone else is wearing jeans and a t-shirt).

I usually wear khaki pants and a polo shirt to church. I don't like to wear suits, at least not once a week, but I feel I should also come to church in something better than just a jeans and a t-shirt.

I usually don't wear a suit unless it is an event like a wedding or funeral.

Also, I don't see anything with worshiping to rock music itself, but rather the motives and intentions who use that style of worship in the church service.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

My mother doesn't care what I wear (she still loves me) to Thanksgiving dinner, but I dress to honor her, her house and her meal. How much more should I dress to honor Christ, His house, and His meal?

The problem of being too casual stems from an imbalanced view of God. One must keep a balance of immanence and transcendence, and this is done by never forgetting that our God it Triune. People who are too casual see only (mostly) Christ's immanence, while ignoring (downplaying) the Father's transcendence.

 

[Frisky Wren]

I personally think the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to be cause to fracture the universal spiritual body of Christ into denominations . That all came to claim they possessed the trademark on him.

Being that Jesus is God and God is a Spirit who we cannot possibly comprehend, as he inspired us to know in the words he inspired us to copy down, I believe how I dress for worship is a sign of how much I respect myself.

 

[Goodbook]

What do you mean, too casual?
In dress? If you want to dress up for church, nobodys stopping you, but remember the letter from James about God having no respect of persons...that just cos someone is dressed up, doesnt mean you give them a higher place and if someone is dressed down doesnt mean you have the right to treat them badly.

Suggest to you pastor that maybe youd like to have a formal event at church where people have the opportunity to wear their best? Ok, not like a wedding but maybe a formal supper. That will give people time to think about what they wear that could honor God. I mean not everyone has those kinds of clothes in their wardrobe or maybe they do but never thought they could wear them so it could be something that you help your congregation with looking smart.

One time a church I went to had a royal theme night. So the ladies dressed in gowns and the men dressed in tuxes.

 

[twin1954]

Nor shall I give Him scraps, what I am saying is that what we wear does not bear witness to our love or reverence for the Lord.

What will we be wearing at the resurrection?

It does if you habitually come to worship in shorts and a tee when you have better clothes to wear. That is giving God your scraps and approaching His worship casually as though it is no big deal. I wear a suit and tie because I am vane and like to look good. I wear a suit and tie at every opportunity. I do not look down on or judge those who do not as long as they don't dress so casually that it is obvious that the worship of God is a casual thing to them. I also don't like when folks get up , let their children get loud or any other thing that distracts others from worship or listening to the Word.

I don't see it as essential that those things not be done and I never make a big deal out of it but I do notice. I believe it does show a lack of solemnity and a casual attitude toward God and His worship. The worship of God as pictured in the Old Testament was never casual.

 

[JM]

The way folks dress has nothing to do with their soul. A person can wear a suit and treat his wife and kids abusively before service, rushing them and yelling at them so they won't be late only to show up smiling and acting all holy in their Sunday best. The idea of having a separate set of clothes was an invention of Victorian England and the industrial age, people had more money and spent it on special clothes for church.

 

[98cwitr]

It does if you habitually come to worship in shorts and a tee when you have better clothes to wear. That is giving God your scraps and approaching His worship casually as though it is no big deal. I wear a suit and tie because I am vane and like to look good. I wear a suit and tie at every opportunity. I do not look down on or judge those who do not as long as they don't dress so casually that it is obvious that the worship of God is a casual thing to them. I also don't like when folks get up , let their children get loud or any other thing that distracts others from worship or listening to the Word.

I don't see it as essential that those things not be done and I never make a big deal out of it but I do notice. I believe it does show a lack of solemnity and a casual attitude toward God and His worship. The worship of God as pictured in the Old Testament was never casual.

If you come vainly before God, is that you caring or God caring about how you dress or look? No judgement here my friend, and I believe be should be convinced in our own minds, as Paul says. If one day can be holy to one man, maybe the same could be said about how we approach Him. As long it is in Christ we come, I think we're barking up irrelevant trees.

I notice too. I don't wear t-shirts and shorts to church, but as soon as I get out of church I untuck my shirt and kick my shoes off. Why are nice shoes so uncomfortable?

 

[mikedsjr]

I wear blue jeans. And they're ragged on the bottom. The church I go to has all kinds of outfits. It's in an area mixed with poor and wealthy. I will wear khakis if I work the help desk.


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[Goodbook]

You can find nice comfortable shoes. But I think in bible times everyone took their shoes off when they went inside anyway. Didnt Jesus wash peoples feet?

 

[mikedsjr]

Everyone wore sandals. That's why they had servants washing feets. They're feet became dirty and needed cleaning.


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[Leevo]

I have also felt this way at times. Especially having bounced in and out of the Catholic Church and Baptist churches the last couple years... Something I realized recently though, is that worship isn't about being pleasing to God, or having big ceremonies... It is about coming together as the Body of Christ and offering up thanksgiving to God for the gift of salvation. It is about worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. And personally, I believe that we should do the Lord's Supper weekly as a part of this, not as a requirement but as a way to remember Him and the reason we are there, but it is difficult to find a Baptist church that does this.