How do you like to dress for church?

[LovebirdsFlying]

This is a re-tooling of the thread on dressing up for church, which I closed because I messed up the poll. Please continue here.

Original OP:

There is a thread in Christian Advice in which the OP told a sad story. A group from church, out soul-winning, had encountered a very poor man who dressed in rags. He was eager for the message, but they told him he could not come to church dressed like that. Did he have friends who could loan him a suit and tie? He did not, so he was not welcome to attend church, much to his disappointment. And the OP's. And mine. I don't know how long ago this took place, but it could well be a true story. As I pointed out in that thread, during my adolescence, our family was very nearly turned away from a church (by ushers in three-piece suits) because we were badly dressed. I'll grant you that we were not properly dressed for church. We had been to the beach and then yard-sale-hopping, and the decision to go to church had been made at the last minute.

In the above cited case of the man who wanted to come to church but had only rags to wear, I think if they were so anxious to see him dressed "properly," they should have offered to buy him a suit.

I like to dress well, but I certainly wouldn't look down on someone dressed poorly. There was a time in my life when I had to wear rags too.

But let's define "nice," too, shall we? My husband doesn't wear a tie to church, but then, neither does the pastor. Some of the deacons do; others don't. I don't see many men over 30 in jeans. My husband will wear dress slacks and a button-down shirt to church. That's typical of the men there. Some wear a suit and tie, but mostly it's dress slacks and a shirt, no tie, rarely a jacket, sometimes a knitted sweater vest--sort of the old-style Archie comics look, minus the bow tie. I will be wearing a blouse and skirt this morning. I would wear slacks, but not jeans, on a very cold morning. And I am typical of what the women my age wear. Usually when you see a skirt suit and a hat, it's on an older lady.

While I think it was wrong for the ushers to try to turn us away, I also feel it is wrong not to put any effort into your looks when going to church. If we would dress up for a job interview, or to meet an earthly king, we should wear the best clothes we have for the Heavenly king as well. But, if the best clothes we have are rags, He knows that, and we shouldn't be turned away or looked down upon by human beings. There is a reason He is our judge.

What are your thoughts?

 

[drjean]

What a good topic, imo. For me, it's important to look the best I can for that day. Some days are better than others...and lately, without a church, I don't dress up at all.

However, I've always felt that we should dress up for the Lord and worship Him in our finest. Look at how God the Father dressed the priests of the temple! I think that's a great example of what is pleasing to God.

I don't judge others for what they wear but would try and encourage others who express that it's 'no big deal' that maybe it's important enough for planning and forethought. If someone is doing the best they can, then what more can they do? If they're as clean as they can be, wearing what clothes they can, then they are quite acceptable imo.

 

[Faith.Man]

My wife and I prefer the come as you are type church, preferring to concentrate on praise, worship and teaching. We do not currently have a home church.

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

Via drjean, I am reminded of an old expression I heard as a child. "It's OK to wear rags, as long as they're clean rags."

 

[miamited]

Hi LBF,

I had to choose other because of the end statement of the come as you are, option. As born again believers I believe we should wear normal clothing that is modest so far as what parts of the body are revealed. When I look to what the 'church' should be like I always turn back to the church described in the new covenant of the Scriptures. I don't find any requirements for what clothes we should wear in our fellowships beyond modesty. Even Jesus seemed to speak derogatorily of those who wear fine clothes. He questioned the first disciples who had gone out to see John the baptist about what they had gone out to see? Did they go out to see someone in fine clothes? No, he says, for those who wear fine clothes live in palaces.

If we then consider what life was like in those days, I think we find that most people didn't have any 'fine' clothes. There weren't closets full of different slacks and dresses and outfits to wear. I believe the historicity of those days shows that most people had one or maybe two everyday pieces of clothing and pair of sandals of some sort. Mom and dad didn't wake up the kids and say, "Ok kids, we're going off to church so dress up real nice for the Lord." I believe that this is just another way that Satan has worked to separate God's people so that others, just as I have seen happen, may say, "Oh, I can't go to a worship service to God! I have nothing decent to wear." I don't believe that anyone would be able to support such an attitude among the very earliest fellowships because no one had anything 'decent' to wear.

However, you concluded that option with 'anything is ok'. No, for the born again believer 'anything' is not ok. However, for the one who is not born again we can't expect them to follow the instructions of God's word and so I don't think we should be condemning of those who would wear tank tops and revealing clothes, but understand that they more than likely haven't yet established Jesus as the King over their lives. They haven't yet understood the teaching of the Scriptures that we should wear modest clothing because the immodest clothing may cause someone to sin.

I am surely as guilty as anyone that when I see a young lady wearing a very short skirt with all of her shiny smooth legs exposed that my thoughts are want to turn lustful. And today it is such a great, great struggle. I firmly believe that in the days that Jesus walked among us that a lot of what we wear out on the streets today, would have in those days, brought on great condemnation. That a man or woman would show so much of their body and attempt to glorify it in the ways that we do.

However, I'm constantly reminded that the Scriptures offer fair warning of this attitude. We are clearly warned that as we move further away from Jesus first visitation to us and come closer to his second, that man's heart will become more and more hardened and we will be more and more lascivious.

So, my answer is two-fold. Yes, we should expect that those who are born again should wear modest clothing because it is God's instruction, but those who are not will surely wear whatever they feel glorifies themselves in their beauty. However, never do I find that dressing up as in a suit and tie or beautiful dress is warranted in the Scriptures and methods of the early church.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Knee V]

I try to dress respectfully, modestly, and in a way that will not distract others. Sometimes that manifests itself as "dress-up", while at other times it's jeans and a shirt. I try to make a point to pants and a long-sleeve shirt in order to not show off too much of my skin while I'm there, but I'll still settle for a short-sleeved shirt now and then.

 

[ChristianLayman]

For Sunday Mass I dress up suit and tie, but sometimes for daily Mass or Holy Feast Days that fall during the work-week, I'm in my work clothes which are bluejeans, Lugs Boots and a button down collar shirt since my job is helping with on-site construction.

Personally, I believe that everyone should dress to the best of their ability, if nothing out of respect to the Lord. If one is willing to dress up for a meeting with someone of high stature, how much more should one dress to meet their King? This is no way intended to bring about class division as I realize that some folks really do have a tough time making ends meet. No, I'm more annoyed at those who dress sloppily due to apathy rather than due to financial want.

Even so, despite all of this, I do pause to consider what is it that God sees as His ways of discerning proper attire are different than that of men, and quite frankly, you could be the most well-dressed person in the whole parish and it won't matter one dime of difference if your heart is clothed in old, torn, filthy rags. With that, I pray with trembling that my interior is as pleasant and reverent to our Lord as I try to make my exterior.

 

[desmalia]

There is a thread in Christian Advice in which the OP told a sad story. A group from church, out soul-winning, had encountered a very poor man who dressed in rags. He was eager for the message, but they told him he could not come to church dressed like that. Did he have friends who could loan him a suit and tie? He did not, so he was not welcome to attend church, much to his disappointment. And the OP's. And mine. I don't know how long ago this took place, but it could well be a true story. As I pointed out in that thread, during my adolescence, our family was very nearly turned away from a church (by ushers in three-piece suits) because we were badly dressed. I'll grant you that we were not properly dressed for church. We had been to the beach and then yard-sale-hopping, and the decision to go to church had been made at the last minute.

In the above cited case of the man who wanted to come to church but had only rags to wear, I think if they were so anxious to see him dressed "properly," they should have offered to buy him a suit.

I like to dress well, but I certainly wouldn't look down on someone dressed poorly. There was a time in my life when I had to wear rags too.

But let's define "nice," too, shall we? My husband doesn't wear a tie to church, but then, neither does the pastor. Some of the deacons do; others don't. I don't see many men over 30 in jeans. My husband will wear dress slacks and a button-down shirt to church. That's typical of the men there. Some wear a suit and tie, but mostly it's dress slacks and a shirt, no tie, rarely a jacket, sometimes a knitted sweater vest--sort of the old-style Archie comics look, minus the bow tie. I will be wearing a blouse and skirt this morning. I would wear slacks, but not jeans, on a very cold morning. And I am typical of what the women my age wear. Usually when you see a skirt suit and a hat, it's on an older lady.

While I think it was wrong for the ushers to try to turn us away, I also feel it is wrong not to put any effort into your looks when going to church. If we would dress up for a job interview, or to meet an earthly king, we should wear the best clothes we have for the Heavenly king as well. But, if the best clothes we have are rags, He knows that, and we shouldn't be turned away or looked down upon by human beings. There is a reason He is our judge.

What are your thoughts?

I think we're in agreement on this issue. We should dress respectfully according to how He has blessed each of us. I've never been to a church that would turn away anyone dressed in rags, thankfully. And I don't think anyone should be. I am concerned about churches that encourage dressing like slobs or provocatively as if there should be no reverence, however.

 

[rturner76]

I dress as nice as I have at the time. If I have a suit, I wear it. Always look your best for the lord. You would look your best for some fool you never met on a blind date or something. Especially people that go to the club and spend 3 hours getting ready and spend 5 minutes getting ready for church. Not a good look. Step it up for the creater of the Universe and everything in it. Why not? I guess it's however you were brought up. My old church is loosening up. When I waas a kid men wore a suit bottom line or you did not look right. You would be the only male in the church with no suit. It's more relaxed nor. I think they are just happy people are coming to church. I think that's the attitude to avoid. "Hey, God's lucky I'm even here ok, I coulda been home watching the game" attitudes are common.

 

[miamited]

Hi CL,

You wrote: If one is willing to dress up for a meeting with someone of high stature, how much more should one dress to meet their King?

If that's the measure then I'd have to wear a suit and tie 24/7. I meet my Lord every day. Most closely in my morning prayer time. Guess I'll have to start getting out of bed and dressing better.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Erth]

I dress up because Sunday service is the most festive occasion of all.

Do I mind horribly though if someone else is not dressed up? No.

And if someone is dressed in rags because he's poor you may want to give him new clothes. It's the Christian thing to do!

 

[Erth]

The most festive?

I would have to disagree with you on that one.

Ok. I see that you're an atheist too. So it makes sense. Have a nice evening and take care.

 

[Erth]

Well there is THAT, yes. But seriously, I spent 20+ years in the Christian faith and attended church throughout my entire childhood, all of my teens, and part of my adult life. Most festive isn't really how I would describe it.

Please don't be put-off by the fact that I am an atheist. I'm not here to berate people. I am a moral, sane, rational guy... and I don't eat babies or "hate" god.

lol!

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

I dress up because Sunday service is the most festive occasion of all.

Do I mind horribly though if someone else is not dressed up? No.

And if someone is dressed in rags because he's poor you may want to give him new clothes. It's the Christian thing to do!

Exactly!

 

[nitrox314]

Isn't it a matter of "human" opinion on what "looks good"? I mean do you think that God cares what you wear if your heart is in the right place? There have been two events that have really affected me on this subject:

I was invited to a southern baptist church once after work and so I was wearing business casual and I still got stared down and I felt out of place. I never went back.

I also used to attend a non-denom church that was great but they wouldn't allow the homeless to come in. They had guards at the doors even. I asked and they said they didn't want homeless coming in for the "Free coffee".

So, how can we allow our "Clothes" to affect how we serve Christ? Just my opinion. But what does the Bible say?

Peter 3:3-4 tells us "Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious."

1 Timothy 2:9-10 states "Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works."

Because "Looking good" is by "The Worlds" opinion and we know what the bible says of "The World"... Romans 12:2 where is is written "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

So then, what is the Will of God? Remember that we were made perfect in Adam and Eve and they wore no clothes! They only wore clothes as a consequence to their choice to sin. So why do churches put so much emphases on looking "nice" or "good" or putting on your best? You already wear your best when you keep God in the spotlight within your heart, mind and soul.

 

[Thusia Zao]

I like to look decent for Church. Just my way of showing up for God's work. I like to keep myself presentable especially because I have a big role in teaching and worshipping in Youth.

Just my own outlook on things... Everyone is different. There shouldn't be a set way of dress in my opinion. I am a more, "come as you are" stand point. I just tend to look more dressed LOL.

 

[lismore]

There is a thread in Christian Advice in which the OP told a sad story. A group from church, out soul-winning, had encountered a very poor man who dressed in rags. He was eager for the message, but they told him he could not come to church dressed like that.

They wouldn't let John the Baptist in either then?

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

They wouldn't let John the Baptist in either then?

Or Jesus Christ, for that matter. Sandals and dusty feet, y'know.

 

[Aibrean]

I dress business casual mostly every day so church is the same. People might consider it dressed up, but it's just normal wear for me.

 

[alton3]

Trying your best is more important than looking your best. If the homeless man's filthy rags were the best he could do, it's good enough.