“A Lack Of Slacks”

Thursday, July 26, 2012

     Do some churches have a "dress code" for men who stand in front for prayers, etc.?  Our church has many men wearing old t-shirts and shorts and going to the front!  I feel it is disgraceful; what do you think?  We also have women wearing the same thing.  I don’t believe our preacher likes it, but he is an elder, and it has not been addressed in the elders’ notes.  Just wondering what other churches do.  Thanks.  I enjoy this site.

Sincerely,
Attire Aware

Dear Attire Aware,

Some elderships do ask the men who are in public worship roles to have a certain level of formality to their dress; others leave it up to the individual to assess their attire appropriately when leading.  There isn’t a right or wrong way to handle the issue, but there are some definite principles that should be considered.

The Bible is clear that we shouldn’t honor a rich man that can afford to buy fine suits over a poor man that has more humble attire (Jas 2:1-4).  Our judgment should never be based upon such things.

However, the Bible also states that we should serve God with reverence and awe (Heb 12:28).  Financial concerns aside, how we choose to dress often reflects our attitude toward the occasion.  If someone shows up to worship God in the same clothes they would wear to paint their house or work on their car… that says something.  We take great pains to present ourselves respectable before men; we ought to think the same way when approaching God.  Once again, if all you can afford is a pair of old jeans, that is one thing… but most folks in America have other options.

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