Do you feel that a pastor should be wearing a suit and tie (or formal attire) when s/he is preaching?
My dad and I got into this discussion before he left for speaking engagements in Korea. I told him that I personally don’t mind seeing a pastor in jeans, even, and preaching the gospel. My parents completely disagreed. They feel that a suit and tie for a pastor is absolutely necessary.
Does it matter?
I know for some, it does. A pastor friend in DC gets complains from his congregation that he dresses to casual while preaching.
Francis Chan from Cornerstone Church once said that he doesn’t want to change who he is on just on Sundays. He is the same on Sunday as he is Monday – Saturday, so he preaches in what he is comfortable in. The day that he gave this sermon, he pointed out that he is wearing his jeans with holes in them to further annoy some members. It was funny the way he said it, and am positive he had no malicious intent.
Too bad I thought of this after my parents left, but I want to ask them, if Jesus was here today, what would he be wearing?
Couldn’t be argued that Jesus would be wearing casual clothing, maybe even jeans as he did his ministry? Wouldn’t Jesus be a blue-collar worker, by the fact that he was a carpenter by trade?
Or am I completely wrong?
My personal feeling is that the pastor should dress in a manner that means that they do not stand out. In a contemporary or blended service, this would mean a button-down/polo shirt and slacks (for men, or the equivalent for women), or even jeans occasionally, but not the college look of t-shirt/shorts/flip-flops. In a traditional service, this would mean wearing a suit/tie and maybe a robe over that when preaching. The point being is that it’s the Word that is important, not the person.
This is why clerical garb came into being! Just wear a big white robe! To me, it is not super important, but as one who preaches the Gospel, if my dress causes people to stumble, well it would be better for me to have a millstone tied around my neck….
Also consider this reading from Romans 14:
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Romans 14:13-18
I don’t really care what the pastor wears to church on Sunday morning, as long as he or she wears vestments over their clothes as they lead the people in worship. You see, vestments communicate that worship is not about the preacher or the people. It is all about God. Vestments also communicate a sense that something holy is happening when the congregation gathers to worship.
When preachers wear casual clothing as they lead worship and preach the Gospel, they, in my humble opinion, send the message that we can approach God in a casual, informal manner. The focus of worship then is shifted from God onto the people. We must then ask, “what, or who, are we really worshiping?”
Worship should also communicate an element of mystery and strangeness. Vestments worn by worship leaders help to communicate some of the mystery and strangeness inherent in Christian worship.
I believe one an unfortunate reality in most American protestant churches is that our worship is not mysterious or strange at all in the eyes of the world.
Matt – I agree that Word is more important than the person preaching it. Therefore, if it’s not taking away from the Word, then I am inclined to think that we can wear whatever we want.
Jim – But, it does get distracting, to many. And it may cause other Christians to stumble, which then, the time of preaching becomes about us, rather than God.
Steve – I agree with the statement that sometimes, the mystery of God and worship is lost. A lot of times, I feel that worship, in some churches, have become too much of a production. Do we really need a fog machine in time of praise and worship?
But I also want to ask, do you think that it’s a bad thing that we approach God in a casual and informal manner? Perhaps that can cause a more intimate and closer relationship? Just a thought…
Thank you all for your comments.
Personally, I do not think that I can actually wear jeans when I preach, even if it is for youth service on sundays. I just don’t feel comfortable.
But I also don’t think that I have to wear a neck tie every Sunday, either.
Yes, I suppose I am saying that it is “a bad thing that we approach God in a casual and informal manner.” I can’t think of an instance in Scripture where a human being approaches God casually or informally. This is where we can learn something from our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters. Everytime they enter the sanctuary they genuflect and make the sign of the cross on themselves. This is a recognition of the presence of Christ in the host and that they are entering into the presence of God’s holiness. Holiness and casual/informal are incongruent.
Approaching God casually and informally is a way of keeping God at arms length. It is also a way of trying to limit or control God. It’s a way of putting God into a box where we can be comfortable with him and his holiness. But this is not the God revealed in Scripture or in the person and work of Jesus Christ. When we think it is OK to casually come into the presence of God, then the god we are worshipping is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Mary or Jesus.
I’m sorry to go on so long. But, I guess you can tell, I think this is important. I hope my comments are helpful.
Joseph – Great question. I think that the clothing is an important part of relating to your context. I think that the clothes that you wear is perhaps determined by the context in which you are preaching.
We have a dress code as pastors at Resurrection, which is interesting – no jeans or jean like pants on any day in the office and only at the evening worship services. It was unspoken, but recently was written down.
What I’m guess I think about this issue is that we are no longer our own when we enter the ministry or the pulpit.
In regards to “he doesn’t want to change who he is on just on Sundays,” I wonder why clothing is so much of an indicator of who we are as ministers?
This kind of thought is not so much theology as it is ideology and ideology is the maker of idols.
So, I say: we may prefer to where certain things, but as long as the requests upon our wardrobe are not heretical or completely devoid of spirituality, we allow our congregation to help us choose our presentation. (this is why I lean towards vestments, too).
Steve- Thank you for your words. And I agree with you for the most part. But I am reminded of a sermon that Adam Hamilton gave recently, in which we are to hold the Love of God and the Hallowing of God’s name in balance. Hamilton stated that Abba is the more informal way to say “father” like “dad.” But when we get too comfortable with that notion, we don’t revere God or hallow his name.
In Korean, we have to types of speaking – the formal and informal. It’s really hard to be intimate with someone while speaking the formal tone of our language. Because being formal does leave a distance between one another. It’s when we become good friends, that we start using the informal language, and become closer and more intimate.
I kind of view the relationship with God. What a friend we have in Jesus? And to be a friend, I feel that there is a little casual, informality to be that intimate. But I agree with Hamilton and with you, that we can’t JUST be informal and casual, because then we lose the sight of the holiness of God and hallowing God’s name. And thank you for your comments, they are helpful.
Andrew – I wear jeans to church during the week. But it’s because I take the bus to church and the bus stop is a ten-minute walk from my church. So I just wear something that would allow me to walk ten-minutes. I don’t know if anyone really minds, because no one has brought it up. The American church senior pastor (that we share the building with) is total Hawaiian style during the week – shorts and slippers.
Jim – I’m more in agreement with you then I may have led you to believe in my post.
Though I’m not Francis Chan, if I were to make that comment, I would’ve meant something like this:
That the clothing that I wear doesn’t make me less of a sinner. I can’t hide behind my clothes. Just because I wear my Sunday best doesn’t make up for the sinful week I had leading up to Sunday. And we see it in youth who change their attire to make them appear in a certain way, to belong to a certain group.
Does that make sense?
But I agree with your first comment, that if we do something to make our brothers and sisters stumble and struggle, we should think really hard to see if it’s worth it to stick to our guns.
I agree with Andrew, it really depends on context. But I also think your attire can help make a point. I’ve been wearing a robe again for Lent, because I’m preaching through the Sermon on the Mount, which can be some pretty hard stuff for folks to hear, and like mentioned above, I didn’t want my attire to distract from the Word. However, this weekend I’m preaching the same texts for a day long retreat, at which one of my overall points is that it doesn’t really matter what we wear. As Jesus said, we can clean the outside all we want, but it’s the clean inside that God cares about most.
I think it’s not only about context, but about balance as well. Just as too casual can distract in certain ways, we can get way too caught up in looking good.
Oh, and I wear jeans to the office everyday, except I wear khakis on visits usually. That’s just cause usually it’s to older shut-ins and I just don’t want to offer a chance for debate on my attire.
Thanks Dan for your input.
As a kid, I always thought those robes that my dad and other pastors wore were really cool.
joseph,
i found your post as i was searching for this very answer. a friend of mine has some real issues about pastor’s wearing casual attire to preach in and my husband said to her this. “some things are simply preferences and they ARE NOT biblical mandates, but we tend to turn them into biblical mandates”. i thought that was pretty profound, and so i have been doing a little research in the scripture. guess what? i can’t find a thing about how a pastor should dress. i do know that these times that we live in are changing, and what was once (about 50 years ago), something that attracted people to church to hear the gospel now prevents them. our “Mission” and our “Message” should never change, however our “Method’s” MUST change. afterall, isn’t that what it’s all about….fulfilling our “Mission” and revealing the “Message”? Christians today in my opinion do not reflect at all who Jesus is or what His message is all about. corporate church services seem to close people off. you cannot enter here cause this is a holy place and you should be dressed appropriately….what’s up with that? last i read in the scripture Jesus came to save ALL mankind.
and to steve, i mean no disrespect but i am puzzled by what you said about the scripture saying that there isn’t anyone who approached God who wasn’t dressed appropriately. can you clear that up for me? the scripture i read show’s me that ANYONE can be in the presence of God no matter what. God used some pretty decadent people to Get the message out. “Rahab” the prostitute to name one. and what about the woman at the well? do you think they knew they were going to be in the presence of God that day and changed their attire? somehow i don’t think so. the Scripture is full of instances where people were standing in the presence of God himself and they were standing there just as they are and always were. dirty, unclean sinners. just like ALL mankind is. the disciples got angry cause Jesus was in the midst of “sinners”, prostitute’s, murderer’s, theive’s, etc.. Jesus set those apostle’s straight real quick. in Act’s chapter 15 it talks about how in one instance they were wanting all men to be circumsised in order to fall in-line with the way they worshiped. then the scripture goes on to tell us that they were wrong for doing that. we should keep the basics, ie. “The Mission” & “The Message”, and let people worship in a way that works in their culture.
i said all that to say this. our culture is changing and if it means we as Christians need to change our method’s in order to get the “message” heard then i truly believe that God is all for that. i also think we should burn all the suits and ties and robes, etc. they are a hindurance to our culture hearing the “Message”. that’s just a personal preference though, i don’t believe it is a biblical mandate……tee hee!
it’s been great reading all these posts thank you to all of you.
have a great day and God Bless you all.
DawnRae
Where do I start? Yes I am the one that started this in small group saying that I have a problem listening to preachers preach/teach when they aren’t dressed up. It is a stumbling block for me.
But as my friend so aptly put it, the seeker church isn’t there for me, a saved person, they are there for the unsaved. Maybe that is why I don’t go to her church. I want to be fed to.
So I will continue going to the “corporate church” where I am comfortable in the clothing and the rules (wearing a dress for ladies that are on the platform). To me it is how I show respect to the person of God and to HIS church.
I want to thank you all for this conversation, it has given me a lot to think about.
God bless!
Bec
DawnRae – I agree with you in that we can approach God in any way. But I strongly feel that as the culture changes, we should adapt to the changes, but I don’t think we can completely follow the culture where it goes. Maybe that thinking is a product of my father raising me. I’ve always believed that we as Christians are a little counter-cultural. I do think that burning all the robes and what not is a little drastic approach. heh. I do thoroughly love the tradition of the church. While there are many people out there who need to be part of a more contemporary worship, there are people out there who need to be part of a more traditional worship. We can’t abandon both people seeking God. I guess, “to each his own” is what I’m saying. Though I don’t know if that’s the right thing to say
Becky – If I weren’t a pastor, I would also need a church that is more than seeker-friendly.
And as Jim pointed out, we all need to look at Romans 14.
Personally, I don’t have a big problem with the attire of the pastor.
But if my attire or anything about me causes people to stumble and fall, I should really consider why I do what I do…
thank you all for your comments.
joseph, yeah i do think burning all the robes is a bit extreme and i do not see a need to abolish all traditional churches, there is a place for all types of worship services and i truly believe that. i just wish that those who are from a more traditional background (me being formerly one of them) would not be so hateful towards those that are reaching out to the folks of the past few decades who have no clue as to who God is, and do not feel the pull towards the traditional church. and where as one may prefer their pastor to be wearing a suit and tie or a robe, why do some feel the need to bash the pastor’s who’s congregation prefer their pastor to be wearing casual attire? i’m like you, i don’t reaaly care either way what the pastor is wearing. i’m more focused on his leadership and his teachings. if lot’s of lost souls are being introduced to God and lives are being changed i get excited no matter what people are wearing or what type of worship music they are listening to. unfortunately i just see a lot of older folks (me being one of them)wearing their sunday best, warming the pew and babysitting eachother. i’m not seeing a lot of connecting with people who have no clue as to who God really is. i’m just venting a lot of frustration and i really like all your blog postings. this is great! please forgive me for taking advantage of your blog to vent like this. maybe i need to see a therapist, eh?
The issue of what to wear in the pulpit has never been an issue for me. Where I have problems is during other occasions eg. at the hospital, or going to someone’s home. Perhaps my critics may not be interested in Christian charity, but on more than one occasion I have been told that I am either over dressed or under dressed. It seems petite, but maybe I should rethink this. What should we were when in non-preaching situations?
(spelling error correction)
The issue of what to wear in the pulpit has never been an issue for me. Where I have problems is during other occasions eg. at the hospital, or going to someone’s home. Perhaps my critics may not be interested in Christian charity, but on more than one occasion I have been told that I am either over dressed or under dressed. It seems petty, but maybe I should rethink this. What should we were when in non-preaching situations?
I’ve read most all the comments, and I am one of those who disagree that a pastor should (out of necessity) wear a suit and tie to preach. I very much agree with Francis Chan’s view on the matter.
One thing though that I believe is being over looked is it all really depends on the people you’re ministering to. I respect anyone, whether in a suit and tie, or in jeans and polo shirt, as long as they speak the Truth of the Gospel.
You’ll have Susie on one hand that thinks we keep to the old traditions and dress up on Sunday, then we have Johnny on the other hand who loves that song that says, “Come, just as you are to worship”. It’s all the people’s ‘opinions’ on the matter, and if they are uncomfortable with the way the pastor dresses, I guess they may not be so focused on getting fed rather than judging the feeder.
I’ve heard it go as far as a person saying that they couldn’t listen to a pastor with a beard… So from all this I just believe we be who we are, and how we are comfortable as long as we dress modestly and speak the Truth, what does it really matter?
Don’t forget David when he danced in his underwear before God and claimed that he’d become even more undignified that that.
I am a senior citizen and have been a Christian for a long time 60 years to be exact. I have watched pastors go from looking like a pastor to looking exactly like the world.
True, Jesus said, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel but he did not say look like the world.
We have gone from looking like people who are set apart from the world to looking like the world.
I do not have a problem with pastors (men of the cloth if you will) wearing open collared shirts during the week but on Sunday I would like him to be set apart from the world meaning (wear a suit and tie). When we enter the sanctuary we are standing on Holy ground to worship a Holy God. I do believe most of the world has something decent to wear to church and if they don’t I don’t think that should hinder them from worship, but using that excuse to come to church wearing ragged blue jeans with a hole in the knee is just that (an excuse).
If we were expecting the president of the country to be at our church or at our home, we would put on our best, but we want to limit God to ragged blue jeans and old tennis shoes or women’s clothing that is so revealing we look like we have just come from a sitting with Playboy Magazine.
I personally don’t believe we need to bring the world to the church. I believe we need to take the church to the world and for all practical purposes, in today’s time, who would know the difference? Only God.
If He is Holy, then enter His house looking like you think he is Holy.
I find it curious that the people who most condemn our pastor for wearing jeans hypocritically wear pants ( and they ain’t men) . I thought that is was even more abhorrent for a woman to adorn themselves in mens clothing (slacks) than a pastor to wear jeans.
I was more envious of the pastor than irritated by his jeans as I sat there overdressed in my dress shirt (no tie) sweater and corrderoy pants. I am wearing jeans next Sunday as a signal to some of the other old , set in their way, farts that they are wrong and they need to grow up…. by the way…I’ll be 59 in a couple of months.
I think that Dressing and Preparing our Hearts in His Love is Dressing Properly for church …. Instead of adorning ourselves in Self Righteousness , Criticism and Judgement. ( and to say nothing about jumping on God’s anointed which could be some dangerous territory)
The ones in the NT who would be fighting and fuming about dress codes were the Pharisees. Jesus and his followers were always doing radical things like hanging out with “sinners and prostitutes” and associating with women (even Samaritans, of ill repute) and tax collectors, and “not washing their hands” like the Pharisees did religiously.
Point?
Jesus turned all of these traditions on their heads, even those which had their origins in their attempts to be holy and set apart.
Just for the record, I wear a robe for our “traditional” service and cargo pants and a polo shirt for the casual service.
To: The Thief,
Yes!
I think you all got some valid points but “God looks at the heart”…We as people try to use our thinking to think about what God would do…it is not possible…”God ways are not our ways”…Whatever you wear…make sure your heart is right with God…besides…He see through our foolishness…clothes and all…you can’t dress us sin!…it is what it is! So that being said “Come as you are”…even if you have on a robe (clergymen/women)…you are still filthy in the sight of God…let’s just thank God for Jesus…a lamb without spot or blemish…the rest of us are filthy, but covered by the Blood of Jesus!
…you can’t dress up sin!… (this is what it should read)
correction