Note: The Chambersburg Public Opinion is doing an article on how people dress for church. They are interviewing Earl this morning and he asked me to write up something with some of my thoughts. Don’t know if any of this will get used or not, but thought I’d pass along for you to get my 2 cents on the subject.
I always tell people that how they dress is greatly dependent on their primary view of Jesus. If your primary view is that of ruler, King, authority figure, etc., then when you go to his house, you will probably get all dressed up. If however your primary view of Jesus is that of being your best friend, then you’ll probably dress more casual.
For me personally there are two aspects to it…one is personal and the other is professional. From a personal standpoint, if I were to visit with our governor or President I would get dressed up. The reason for that is to be respectful, but mostly I’m doing it for them because that’s what they would expect and possibly require and in some ways I’d be doing it trying to impress. On the other hand, if I go to my best friend Andy or Bill’s house in a suit, they are going to laugh at me. To them it’s not about what I look like, but rather what’s going on inside of me that counts. So for me personally, I don’t get dressed up for church because I choose to see Jesus as my best friend. It was Jesus Himself in Matthew 23 who condemned the “religious leaders” of His day for looking good on the outside, but on the inside being dead. I guess my point is Jesus couldn’t care less what you look like on the outside, it’s what’s going on inside you that He’s most concerned about.
Now from a professional stand point, we have a little joke in United that our dress code is, “Please Do”. One objection that un-churched people often have is, “I don’t have anything to wear so I can’t come to church”. I’ve had quite a few stories from people who said they were able to share, “Well our pastor usually wears jeans and a t-shirt to preach in so as long as you have something like that, you’ll fit right in”. In the same way I’ve had new people tell me how comfortable it made them feel and how much more relatable I was because of the casual environment. The apostle Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some”. So for me if dressing casually will help remove barriers that might be keeping people from coming into a relationship with Jesus then I’m all for it.
Interesting thought process… my dad and I were having this conversation the other day. I was raised where you dress up for church… it feels weird to “dress down” and go to church. However, you make a valid point that if I were visiting a dear friend I certainly wouldn’t wear my “Sunday best”. (Hmmm, does that phrase even work anymore?!)
My only objection to this is when I see people too dressed down… somehow a wife beater (a white tank top) and cut-off jeans doesn’t seem right either.
On a side note – you wrote “I guess my point is Jesus could care less what you look like on the outside, it’s what’s going on inside you that He’s most concerned about.” I think you meant to say that Jesus COULDN’T care less. To say he could care less means that he cares some and there is less he could care. Just a pet peeve. =)
Stephanie,
Thanks for the thoughts and I did fix the typo…thanks for the catch.
I agree, our Dress Code is “Please Do”, but often times I remind especially the ladies during the summer that our dress code is, “Please Do”. Where I would disagree is that for some people a tank top and cut-off jeans may be the best that they have. So I’d rather they come like that then not at all. In the same way I always say that I hope every Sunday I can smell cigarette smoke and alcohol, meet wife abusers, homosexuals and addicts. The church isn’t for the healthy but the sick. If every Sunday everyone looks good on the outside, then we as a church aren’t doing a very good job of inviting in those who so desperately need to hear about the new life that Jesus offers.
I totally see your point… if cut-offs and a tank top is the best they’ve got then by all means please come wearing it. The point is to get the Word out. I think I’ve always been to churches where everyone wore their Sunday best that it’s hard to think in another manner. Jesus certainly spoke to whomever would listen – no matter what they were wearing.
Thanks for your thoughts… I wish I lived in PA instead of VA and could visit your church. =)
Anytime you’re in the area…we’d love to have you come for a visit! In the meantime you can keep track of us both on here and on the United web-site. http://www.unitedworshipexperience.org
We need to stop a realize, jesus didnt dress up. he wore ragged out clothes, but he got the word out and people listened to him. Too much emphasis is placed on our material things, like clothes.This world is shallow to see things that way. As long as you are walking to the lord, that is what matters only. So when I speak to him before I lie down to sleep, should I dress up since Im praying to him? What people wear or how “dressy” it may be does not bring them closer to god. Some of the “pretty flowers are the ones that are most poisonous”. God knows and sees what we are pretty or plain.He loves us either way.