Dressing for Church

Aren't we supposed to go to God just how we are? I don't dress in formalwear every day, and I doubt that God cares. I think the state of our hearts is more important than what's on our bodies.

I think God likes it when I dress pretty.

Some people think going to church is a formal occasion,

That would be me.

Today I went to church in a t-shirt and shorts.

Personally, I think that is disrespectful. (Of course, I don't even like how lax people have become about how they dress for the theater, but CHURCH?)

Princess Di's kids can dress however they want in the private quarters at the Palace, but when you're in the throne room? Uh-uh.

You can take the Abba, "daddy" thing too far. It's possible to get so familiar with God you forget your proper place, like the disciples lounging around taking Jesus for granted then getting all uppity when someone came in with an alabaster box and showed him the proper respect. He might be daddy, but you show him the full respect and honor of a King, especially in public and even more especially before others. You don't come loping into his meeting any old way. "Hey, man it's cool. I'm the apple of the dude's eye." Indeed.

In my opinion, about the time you care so little about your personal appearance and what message it sends, you've forgotten the true awesomeness of God.

and I doubt that God cares. I think the state of our hearts is more important than what's on our bodies.

You need to read your Bible a little more closely, particularly a little story Jesus told about compelling people to come to the marriage feast and what happens to those not properly attired. Weeping and gnashing of teeth. (You know, that term used for people who think they should be in Heaven but get cast off.) But, hey, they knew the, dude, right? They could come any old way, right? At least they showed up, right? Nope.
Many are called but few are chosen.

The book is replete with warnings about becoming too familiar, so familiar you begin to fail to give God his proper due. And showing up at church in shorts and a t-shirt? In my opinion, if you haven't just crossed a dangerous line, you're heading there.


(And since I don't usually comment on the Religion threads, that's all I have to say about that. In other words, I wash my hands of this thread and will not be back.)

and what happens to those not properly attired.

Okay, one more word. Someone will probably come in and say that is a metaphor, it's not about actual clothing. True. But it's also not about a t-shirt and shorts. It is all about attitude. Anyone can claim to respect God, but....

If you really think your outward appearance is no reflection of your inner state, I can't help you.

Thank you for stopping by, Gene, and I will definitely take your words into consideration.

I'm sorry you don't want to come back, but I extend the invitation to you anyway. On any of my threads, you are welcome. But if you don't make the appearance, I'll know why. "I don't usually comment on the Religion threads"

Outward appearance is a reflection of your inner state. I don't WANT to wear stiff, uncomfortable clothes. I WANT to be in church. Stiff, uncomfortable clothes will only distract me from what church is really about and make me think about how dressed up I am and how uncomfortable it is.

Of course, it's a slippery slope... next week I might show up in a low cut top and a mini-skirt.

If you really think your outward appearance is no reflection of your inner state, I can't help you.

Let me tell you a little story.

I grew up in hand-me-downs. All the clothes I owned were, to be perfectly honest, butt-ugly. But I went to church anyway, wearing what I had nonetheless. I was always bathed and my hair was de-snarled as much as possible, but what I wore wasn't at all "worthy," I suppose you would say.

When I was in 8th grade I remember having two pairs of jeans from Kmart (and that was a splurge), and a fuschia pocket t-shirt that I wore 2 or 3 times a week, holes and all. My parents couldn't really afford a whole lot more.

I think that to imply that Jesus wouldn't want me in church because I was wearing a holey t-shirt and cheap pair of shoes and a bra that was so flimsy it could hardly hold my breasts up completely takes away from what the Bible says about a loving and compassionate God.

What about people living in poverty in Africa who come to church half-clothed, unbathed, and starving to death? Are you saying that they're not worthy of worshipping because they own nothing but rags? I think that's crap.

I'm not saying that huge-ass plus-size me should go to church in a bikini, but to deny someone access to God because of their appearance is crap.

"To deny someone access to God because of their appearance is crap."

It is crap - but I also don't think anyone is saying that.

What Gene is saying is that, given your ability to show respect through your appearance, you should do so. If you don't have the ability to wear stiff, uncomfortable clothes, you can't. But you should not deny yourself access to God because of it, and you should definitely never deny access to God to ANYONE.

It's not like *I*, or anyone else, really, can deny access to God.

I guess some people's image of God is some faceless, strict being who will strike us down dead every time we sin (oh to have to live that way).

My "image" of God is of a kindly grandfather, I guess. I imagine someone who rejoices every time I spend time with Him and talk with Him, no matter what I have to say. I imagine someone who is very disappointed with me when I make a mistake, and waits eagerly for me to ask for forgiveness and come back to His loving arms. I just don't see God as someone who waits eagerly for me to screw up so He can punish me.

Back to the real subject here: I'm not saying that we should be lax about what we wear. I think Christians should do their best to be clean, groomed nicely, dressed modestly, etc. Other people watch us. We're God's family, a reflection of Him. But I'm also cognizant that not all Christians can have a closet full of DKNY (myself included). I think God is MUCH more concerned with our hearts than the quality of our wardrobes.

I think the people we're called to care about also care more about our hearts than our wardrobes.

I think the people we're called to care about also care more about our hearts than our wardrobes.

I suppose it would depend on who it is...

Someone's gotta care about "America's Next Top Model," right?

I think we should always give God our best no matter what it is. If we have nice clothes in our closets that we save for a nice dinner out, but show up to church looking like crap what is that saying about our relationship with God? Don't you think he knows? If we all showed up looking like very lazy dressers, not caring about our appearance, what does that say to those coming in for the first time?

In our church we have all walks of life dressing in all sorts of outfits but who's to say that so and so isn't wearing the BEST jeans they have? So we love everyone regardless of dress. Besides, we are all at different stages of our walks with God as well. As we grow closer to him, we want to please him and look nice for him. We must remember we are going to church to worship God, not feel comfortable. It's not about us, it's about Him.

I agree with Gene. In scripture it's quite clear that God wants our best. For someone like the widow with her last two mites, it might be her best set of rags. God spent quite a bit of time especially in the OT detailing what the priests were to wear before they came before him. Also when he told Moses to assemble the people together, he told them to wash and put on clean clothes, because they were going to meet the Lord that day. He wanted them to put on their best for him.

I definitely think God cares, but it's between you and the Lord and nobody else should butt their noses in and tell you what to wear. When we go there, we end up with the other extreme of legalism and that's not good either. It's definitely a heart issue.

Clothing has always been for the people's sake. To impress upon them the importance of the occasion. If you are not treating the occasion as important within your heart, then you've buggered it up. But, if the occasion is important within your heart, it doesn't matter what you're wearing. You're the one who cares about that.

If they ever start making comfortable dress clothes I'll be excited to wear them to church. But if what I'm WEARING makes me not go to church, because I just don't want to put that on, it would be better to go naked (well, maybe not that far).

I am an atheist, but any time I do go into a Church, Synagogue or Mosque on a pre-planned event or visit, I will in nearly all occasions strive to be "properly" dressed. Not through convention, or worrying about what the neighbours might say - people can think how they wish, I could care less - but out of respect for another persons Faith.

By the same token, I would be irritated to the point of anger should someone be denied access solely due to dress standards, thats insane and destroys a lot of the theory behind their Faith. Ultimately dress should hold no bar to access, provided wherever genuinely possible due respect is paid, that includes being properly dressed on pre planned visits.

If an atheist can do it, and many of my friends are and do, then I see no excuse for those who have a deep belief in that Faith - whenever it is genuinely practical to do so ...

It says that the people in the church are more interested in GOD than in what everyone else is wearing. I'd rather worship with a bunch of people in jeans and T shirts than with a bunch of people in suits and dresses. In my experience, the ones who dress to the nines and who are worried about how they look in church are pharisees (or at least have pharisee-like behaviour). The people who REALLY had a genuine, sincere connection with their god and who were in church to worship wore jeans and t shirts.

I'd rather be with a bunch of scruffy christians than with a couple of strait-dressing fakers.

I agree with you. Nobody ever should ask somebody to leave over dress...ever. I make a point every worship day to look nice, usually wearing a dress most of the time. But I've been on vacation and walked into a big church more than once wearing shorts. I didn't feel comfortable doing it but God knows my heart. There may be others not even caring maybe having a rebellious attitude saying "I don't care what God's desire is for me, I'm free to do what I wish. God loves me anyhow" They show up scruffy but quickly change later for a nice dinner wearing very nice clothes. I've seen this scenerio played out many times.

We also had something happen in our church that I was very angry over. A teenager came in with all sorts of piercings and baggy scruffy clothes. One of the older men in our church (a suit) made a comment to the kid saying he should be ashamed of himself coming into a church dressed like that. The kid walked out shortly after.

Many of us were very upset with this "christian." We cut him NO slack concerning this. It's not about externals. This kid may never walk into another church ever again because of one very rude and uncalled for comment thinking we all felt that way.



so would I..... but that's not the point. You're making a complete contrast here. You're insinuating those dressed nice are fakers while those not are the true Christians. That's just not true.



You may be an atheist, but I agree, as a Christian, with much you have to say here.



The point is should we as Christians take advantage of God's grace and lower the dress standard knowing he loves us anyway, or should our outer appearance reflect our internal love, honor and respect we have for a God who did more than enough for us? And also, what does scripture have to say on this?

I wish Qwerty had a verse for us. Now I have to look one up...

My experience with my childhood church is exactly like this (the baptist one, not so much the lutheran one). We were a poorer family in the church, and as I was involved in youth group and such, I was always kind of a loner because I didn't have the cool clothes and such. And I don't think that's right.

And it's also my experience that the scruffy Christians have the much cooler music and a much more...authentic relationship with God (that isn't true of ALL Christians, however...don't get me wrong).

From my own experience, the days I had to dress up for church were the days I was playing church. It didn't mean anything beyond going to school, etc.

I wear a suit to church.

Why? Because when I was a child, that's what my mother taught me to do. I don't wear it to show off the fact that I, in fact, own a suit (because, let's be honest, I wear a shirt and tie every day of the week and hate it), I wear it because my mother taught me "that's just what you do".

Count us in the group that doesn't wear super flashy clothes to church. Although we wear clothes that are clean and in good repair.

There's one notable exception to this. Growing up, the one time a year we were guaranteed to get new clothes was Easter. We wore brand new clothes to church every Easter Sunday.

After I became a Christian, it became important to keep this tradition. Why? Because (to me, at least, and that's all that really matters here) the new clothes represent the new life in Christ.

That's cool. I never thought about it this way Gid.



Dress has nothing to do with that tho Jythier. You can play church regardless of what you're wearing.



hahahah this is what mom's do I guess. I also taught my kids to dress appropriately for church. I never let them wear shorts and flip flops because I didn't think it was appropriate. But neither did I insist on shirt and tie either. When they would see grown men with shorts they would ask questions about this....."how come they can?" But I wouldn't relent and would insist on collard shirts and at least khakis. I actually thought these guys were not leaving the younger set a good example. I'm not talking guys off the street but men who are committed to God and are regular members in good standing.

Plus, I was a missionary for two years. All I ever wore was a suit. It would feel . . . foolish . . . to suddenly stop wearing such attire in a house of worship.

I'm pretty sure God has seen me nekked.

well if he did Mason....I'm sure he'd make you some clothes out of fur.

  



somehow I can't picture you in a suit SC. Don't know why....just hard seeing it. Ha! Maybe you don't write like a "suit person."

I most certainly do not. But the only day of the week I'm not at least in shirtsleeves and a tie is Saturday . . .