What is proper attire for public worship?

[nebula]

Neither is approaching the Lord with irreverence and commonality in shorts and t-shirts. It's a matter of having the proper fear of the Lord (The most missing element in the body today) and dressing like you are going to meet the Person you should love and esteem most in the world.

Are you saying that you can only meet God at church? I can't meet God while I'm out working in the yard in dirty clothes?

We are supposed to give Him our best. That includes our appearance when we meet with Him corporately.

Why corporately? How is "meeting God" in private different from "meeting God" corporately?

You know, we would "meet with God" corporately at summer Bible camps in our camp clothes. Would you call that irreverant?

[nanasimmons]

The Church is not a building, it is God's poeple who have the Holy Spirit. It's not as if we are going to church to meet with God. We bring Him with us and He comes home with us when we leave.

He does teach us not to play favoritisms,not to give front row seats to the best dressed ,while the less fortinate gets the back seat.

These are all issues of an clean/unclean heart,these are the things that Jesus is concerned with.

He did not choose the high class of sociaty,but the low and He called us His friends. After He washed the disciples feet, He taught them to have a humble,servent like attitude toward others and not to be above them."Who is the greatest in the kingdom?"

I do believe we should dress modestly at all times.I don't see how wearing jeans is immoral or unclean in any way.

What I'm going to say might offend some but it is truth. When I was growing up girls who dressed skimpy,I dare say even less skimpy than nowadays,were considered loose moraled.

I find it hard to believe that someone could dress seductively,with out consciously knowing it.

This too is an issue of an unclean heart. The way I see it.

[carant2000_2001]

i would like to add to this subject.,please.

growing up in a family of five children, single

mother. we had no extra money for for clothes

we had hand me downs. my mother work 2 jobs

to put us thru school and to put food on the table

she had an 8th grade education, but to me my mom

was the smartest person alive. she reminded me daily

what love was all about. she loved bible stories and told

them often. she on the other hand was from the south

were they had special clothes they would wear to church

on sunday. so my mother would let that keep us from

going to church because i guess pride. thank the Lord

for our neighbors who didnt care what i looked like they were

just concerned about my heart. later on in my life a pastor

came to our house, he told my mom, to send us to church

he didn't care what we wore just so we came. my mom

also went to church. my mom has now passed on but i know

someday i will see her again thanks to that pastor not caring

what we wore he was concerned with our hearts.

sorry if i seem like i am rambling, but i think we as christians should

lookn the inside not out.

in Christ,

carolyn

[Ovedya]

A brother once told me, "You mean to tell that 5 days out of the week you put on a nice shirt and slacks for your employer, and on the Lord's day you can't show the same respect?"

That was a little legal for my taste, but I got his point. There is something to be said for being clean-shaven and neatly dressed for the Lord's Day. I've gone to the meetings of the church in jeans before - many times in fact - and the saints have never said anything; heck they're just glad I'm there. On the other hand, I've been inwardly convicted of my dress too.

In my opinion it is appropriate to be neatly dressed for a Lord's Day meeting. But no saint has any right to prohibit you from meeting with the church because of your dress, and no saint has any ground to condemn you for "disrespecting God's house" for wearing jeans and sneakers to a meeting. Sometimes folks let their religion get the best of them. They forget what the purpose of attending a Lord's Day meeting is in the first place.

[nebula]

The Church is not a building, it is God's poeple who have the Holy Spirit. It's not as if we are going to church to meet with God. We bring Him with us and He comes home with us when we leave.

Sometimes folks let their religion get the best of them. They forget what the purpose of attending a Lord's Day meeting is in the first place.

Boy, you can say that again!

(Personally, I kind-of think the whole church system is like that . . . but that's a bit off-topic. )

[David from New Bern]

I am enjoying following the conversation, but I would like to insert a strange point that seems to counter what I really believe. But, weird people think weird. Many people suggest a lax standard on clothing makes the church more accessible. And it does to young people, but what about traditional minded people in and out of the church. If the pastor doesn't wear a tie it bothers them. If someone stands in the pulpit and they look like they are headed to the beach...it bothers them. And in Christian maturity you will realize your freedom and your responsibility to a weaker minded Christian will not always result in the same action.

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.1 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV

I grew up during a period of time when men's hair lengths were extremely long. Now, as a pastor I'm more conservative for the sake of the weak. If my personal freedom were enjoyed I would look like a biker, but my effectiveness as a leader would be compromised. But, you say you are a pastor that's different. We are are called to be ministers. Now I would be wrong to enforce this on the weak, But it is an issue for the person taking responsibility in the body. And we are all being equipped to do just that. Now as the older generation passes on to glory it will be less of an issue and will probably eventually be replaced with a new generational issue. Now consider, that I pastor a church that is very blue collar and most have made a profession of faith within the last 8 years that I have been there. The older generation in my situation accepted a more relaxed standard and it was not an issue. But one brother thought flip-flops from a speaker and musician was offensive. His taking the shoes off was his freedom, but was his message heard? By the way it didn't bother me, but was it worth the freedom of expression. We have to stop being selfish consumers and become servants and leaders.

[Marnie]

In my church, the Pastor is the only man that wears a tie! And it's pretty professional, some would say wealthy, congregation. No jeans or the like, but lots of khakis and button downs on the men and dress slacks or skirts on the women. I would say in general Americans are way, way to casual, both at work and at church. For me, it's generally a skirt and top or a cool dress. I think it's respectful to be somewhat "dressed up."

[nanasimmons]

What would the apostles think if leaders came dressed in suit and ties?

Is there something holy about a tie? Were they invented as some holy garment to be worn by priest and religious leaders? So do we know God feels disrespected without this all holy,respectable garment present?

What would people think if their pastors came dressed in a robes and sandels like the apostles wore?

I sent my daughter to privite school for a couple years, and the school taught that girls must wear dresses at all times,(against my beliefs). They actually made her wear a skirt on the outside of her (purple) snowsuit, when they went outside sledding! How foolish she must have looked to passer-bys, and this is a good wittness, why?

We need to be careful not to teach doctrines of men,as if they are commanments of God.

[Gerioke]

I am enjoying following the conversation, but I would like to insert a strange point that seems to counter what I really believe. But, weird people think weird. Many people suggest a lax standard on clothing makes the church more accessible. And it does to young people, but what about traditional minded people in and out of the church. If the pastor doesn't wear a tie it bothers them. If someone stands in the pulpit and they look like they are headed to the beach...it bothers them. And in Christian maturity you will realize your freedom and your responsibility to a weaker minded Christian will not always result in the same action.

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.1 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV

I grew up during a period of time when men's hair lengths were extremely long. Now, as a pastor I'm more conservative for the sake of the weak. If my personal freedom were enjoyed I would look like a biker, but my effectiveness as a leader would be compromised. But, you say you are a pastor that's different. We are are called to be ministers. Now I would be wrong to enforce this on the weak, But it is an issue for the person taking responsibility in the body. And we are all being equipped to do just that. Now as the older generation passes on to glory it will be less of an issue and will probably eventually be replaced with a new generational issue. Now consider, that I pastor a church that is very blue collar and most have made a profession of faith within the last 8 years that I have been there. The older generation in my situation accepted a more relaxed standard and it was not an issue. But one brother thought flip-flops from a speaker and musician was offensive. His taking the shoes off was his freedom, but was his message heard? By the way it didn't bother me, but was it worth the freedom of expression. We have to stop being selfish consumers and become servants and leaders.

So if half the congregation likes long hair and the other half likes short hair, what do you do ? Wear a hat?

If you're worried about what people think in church, then you're probably there for the wrong reason. God looks at the inside of a man.

[His Ambassador]

There is no "dress code" for a public "worship" service. Those who feel not dressing formally is desrespecting the "house of God" need to be reminded that WE, not the church building, are the house of God. However, I have been distracted by some women who wear clothing that is too revealing and believe that should be avoided.