Feeding the Sheep or Amusing the goats?

[Guest]

Hmmm..............

Having read over the posts in here I thought I'd toss in my 2 cents.

Due to my work schedule and finances, I don't own a suit. Period. I'm not wearing a suit to church while riding a mountain bike to get there when the temp is pushing 112! (40 or so C.) I've moved around a lot in the military and each new base I was stationed at, I wore clean blue jeans and a work shirt to churches deliberately. Why? To weed out the ones only interested in the "Sunday Morning Fashion Show." Worked pretty well, too. I've had the privilege of meeting some really great brothers and sisters that way.

While I think we should dress properly for church, the service should be more about Jesus and getting to better know Him. We're supposed to go and get trained up for service in the Kingdom - not a fashion show. The church I attend now is basically casual dress. We've even had a couple of folks come to visit who said we were all going to hell. (They left in a huff, and worship proceeded after they were gone.) I'd rather be more concerned about someone hearing the gospel and getting saved than what they were wearing. Why do I say that?

A few months back we had a homeless man come in and sit in the back. He was in pretty bad shape, and smelled really bad. It was on a Sunday morning just before the second service. He was treated with respect, and that really surprised me in a way. He said we were the first church that didn't throw him out that morning, and he was crying. He got saved a week later and was baptized -- all because a few people showed him Jesus.

You see, I used to be like that smelly homeless guy at one time.

[EricH]

I wonder if people had similar questions regarding Jesus' ministry when He performed miracles and met felt needs to get into people's lives

[KeilanS]

A few months back we had a homeless man come in and sit in the back. He was in pretty bad shape, and smelled really bad. It was on a Sunday morning just before the second service. He was treated with respect, and that really surprised me in a way. He said we were the first church that didn't throw him out that morning, and he was crying. He got saved a week later and was baptized -- all because a few people showed him Jesus.

You see, I used to be like that smelly homeless guy at one time.

Thank you for sharing that Walla!

[Zadok Rox]

You know, would it not be true to say that we shouldn't ever wear anything we wouldn't feel comfortable wearing in church? We are supposed to be witnesses to Christ not just in church, but everywhere. It's hypocrisy if someone wears a skimpy bathing suit or a revealing skirt outside of church while thinking they should dress fancy for church. Christians should dress modestly at all times, and always wear clothes that respect the body God has given us. (Now obviously someone will wear different clothes at a park than when they are at the beach, but there's still a big difference between a modest bathing suit and a skin tight skimpy one.)

Good points.

Yeah, what firehill said.

[Marnie]

I would like to clarify my position concerning how to dress for church. When I was growing up, it didn't matter if someone had money or not, they all had a Sunday suit. It may have only been one, and may have come from Good Will, but they had one suit, one tie, and a pair of dress shoes. We didn't have much money when I grew up, but I had one sunday suit, and one pair of shoes, that often got stretched so they would last longer. All the women wore a dress to church. It wasn't necessarily fancy, but they had at least one Sunday dress. Often times, I have found it is cheaper for a woman to purchase a dress than pants. For the most part, all these arguments are nothing but excuses, similar to the ones used by women to justify wearing pants. Things like the fact they might stand on a ladder, or other such nonsence. The reason most don't dress for church today is they don't want to be the least bit uncomfortable. To some, it is such a great issue, they won't come to church if they have to dress up. Maybe I'm older than some here, but it wasn't always like that.

If a person came to church, and didn't have a suit, or in the case of a woman, she didn't have a dress, and they couldn't afford one, I would pretty much guarantee you that if I offered to buy appropriate clothing for them to wear to church, they would refuse it, because that was never the issue to begin with. It wasn't about money, but about personal comfort, period.

I do agree that if someone visits a church, and is wearing rags, we need to show them respect, and share the gospel with them. At the same time, there is no harm in buying them something better for church, and if that was all that was standing in the way of a person being able to attend a church I was going to, I would be willing to purchase something nice for them to wear.

On the casual note...everywhere you go now it's casual, not just church. I think it's kind of a shame. You ought to be small Jewish woman looking for a dress these days...oy vey it's hard!

[None]

I know of churches that have lost members because they have become overly casual..

Then these members are snobs, and these members don't care about the state of a persons heart. if they cared, they would not make a issue of clothing.

Though, it's inappropriate to dress in clothing that might cause other members to desire flesh.

Swimwear or nonswimwear.

[Treasure]

You know, would it not be true to say that we shouldn't ever wear anything we wouldn't feel comfortable wearing in church? We are supposed to be witnesses to Christ not just in church, but everywhere. It's hypocrisy if someone wears a skimpy bathing suit or a revealing skirt outside of church while thinking they should dress fancy for church. Christians should dress modestly at all times, and always wear clothes that respect the body God has given us. (Now obviously someone will wear different clothes at a park than when they are at the beach, but there's still a big difference between a modest bathing suit and a skin tight skimpy one.)

Amen!!

My church is kinda casual. Some dress up and some don't. The bottom line is that while God does expect our best, I believe He's more interested in what's in my heart than what's on my back. Of course it goes without saying that I don't go to church or anywhere dressed inappropriately. We should always remember that our lives should have nothing in them that would lead others into temptation.

[Eliyahuw]

If a person came to church, and didn't have a suit, or in the case of a woman, she didn't have a dress, and they couldn't afford one, I would pretty much guarantee you that if I offered to buy appropriate clothing for them to wear to church, they would refuse it, because that was never the issue to begin with. It wasn't about money, but about personal comfort, period.

I couldn't afford a suit, my childrens food and clothing and medical care came before my needs. And if you had done such a thing, i would have walked right out that door and never darkend the door of your church again because you would have been highly insulting to me when i would be ewearing the best that i had and it was clean and presentable!

I do agree that if someone visits a church, and is wearing rags, we need to show them respect, and share the gospel with them. At the same time, there is no harm in buying them something better for church, and if that was all that was standing in the way of a person being able to attend a church I was going to, I would be willing to purchase something nice for them to wear.

Sure its harmful, if someones wearing their best, then your insulting them and the message you send is that their not good enough to come to your church.

You know some folks don't take charity, it belittles them and says their not good enough to take care of their families.

[Eliyahuw]

I know of churches that have lost members because they have become overly casual..

Then these members are snobs, and these members don't care about the state of a persons heart. if they cared, they would not make a issue of clothing.

Though, it's inappropriate to dress in clothing that might cause other members to desire flesh.

Swimwear or nonswimwear.

Quite frankly, someone that wants to desire flesh is going to desire flesh whether a person is dressed in a swimwear or sackcloth and ashes. It is nothing more than where the state of that persons heart is to begin with!

[freedfromsin]

That is a bunch of bull! Such lack of concern for others shows the state of the heart of the person who clothes themself in a manner to draw lust.

I know of churches that have lost members because they have become overly casual..

Then these members are snobs, and these members don't care about the state of a persons heart. if they cared, they would not make a issue of clothing.

Though, it's inappropriate to dress in clothing that might cause other members to desire flesh.

Swimwear or nonswimwear.

Quite frankly, someone that wants to desire flesh is going to desire flesh whether a person is dressed in a swimwear or sackcloth and ashes. It is nothing more than where the state of that persons heart is to begin with!