dressing up for church

I notice this is at a mission building not at church. Big differnece. What do you wear when you go there? Suit and tie? Do you dress in the same clothes you wear to church on Sundays? If not theres no comparision then.
Whenn my kids were growing up we had nothing, we were the poorest of the poor in this country, extreme below poverty. Then we started going to church, and no said anything to us about us not having anyhting nice and dressy to wear. But my kids sure heard it. The fancier the people in the church building dress the less likey poor people are to want to go there, they know they will be judged, and it seems they are correct. You think it has to do with their heart, but it's really your heart.

 

No one said a person should go to church stinky and dirty, theres a difference between dirty and not dressing up in fancy clothes. What most of you are saying is if I don't have nice clothes and and can't afford nice clothes you'd rather I didn't come to your church. Becasue you've already judged me not spiritually fit for church becasue of my clothing. Even if I am clean and neat doesn't matter as long as I have to wear say my regular clothes I might clean house in. Clothing has nothing to do with the heart, but this type of judgement against another believer does. You do not know the heart of the person who comes in your church door and is wearing rags. So don't pretend you do. Only the pharisees would insist you have to wear certain things to worship God. When God Himself gives no such command.

 

Boy, we sure read things differently. I thought I was saying something quite different from all that. But I would add that there are a LOT of people in my town a LOT richer than I am. I am not sure that it is their duty to dress down. To SOME extent, sometimes the poorer person is being too sensitive and thinking he is being judged when he isn't at all. To what extent are you saying that I have a DUTY to wear the worst clothes I have? There would always be SOMEONE who could think that it was better than what they had. (I don't know, you ought to see my house-cleaning clothes. )
SOMETIMES it is the attitude by which one presents himself. My mother-in-law who is richer than I wears the same dress to church she has for the last twenty years. I'm not joking. But she carries herself in a manner that is confident. I could put on a new $500 dress with matching accessories and still look dumpy. So I gave up worrying about it. Didn't have the money anyway.

What do they say? "When I was in my teens and twenties, I was worried about what people think of me. When I was in my thirties I learned not to care what people think of me. When I was in my forties, I finally realized that people were not thinking of me at all."

As far as kids, whenever I substitute teach in school or church, I make the overt statement that no personal comments about each other are allowed, period, (unless it is a compliment). I'm sorry your kids had to put up with that. Wouldn't have in any class or activity I was associated with.

Karen

 

Poor people just might be sensative becasue those with more then them flaunt it to them, and then do not want to have anything to do with them based on the fact they are poor. Right or wrong this is the way it is. No, people with more do not have to dress down, but they need to ask what God wants them to do, leave some out becasue of what they can dress better then them, or not do anyhting to make christianity look unoptainable to them becasue they can not dress like rich(as they precieve those with more who want evreyone to know they have more) christians.
If you all only knew how they see it when you dress to the max for church, what a bad witness you actually are to them. But of course they are only the poor, they can't dress right for your church, and you know right off that they can't contribute much, not enough to matter anyway. I do know becasue not only was I there before I was saved but since then I've done a lot of work with the poor, I've been told by one woman she could not go to church becasue God didn't want her, she wasn't rich like the christians. What she doesn't know is they aren't rich, but they insist on looking like it. You know, to be judged well by other men.
What would people say if you went to church in your hoese cleaning clothes, or your lawn mowing clothes(clean now, not dirty as some have said)?

 

I notice this is at a mission building not at church. Big differnece. What do you wear when you go there? Suit and tie? Do you dress in the same clothes you wear to church on Sundays? If not theres no comparision then.
Whenn my kids were growing up we had nothing, we were the poorest of the poor in this country, extreme below poverty. Then we started going to church, and no said anything to us about us not having anyhting nice and dressy to wear. But my kids sure heard it. The fancier the people in the church building dress the less likey poor people are to want to go there, they know they will be judged, and it seems they are correct. You think it has to do with their heart, but it's really your heart. </font>[/QUOTE]Uh, we have a pulpit, a platform,a piano, pews, and even an amen corner, song books, congregational singing, even testimonies,PREACHING!,and a time for altar call. Yes, I already said I will be wearing a suit and a tie. I am confident the Lord will meet with us there and I don't take that for granted. Does that meet your qualifications for a CHURCH?

I'm so glad you've shown the entire world that you can tell what I think. How do you do that? ESP?

Haven't I shown you my heart? Since my wife does me the same way, either you are secretly posing as "donnA" or it's a woman thing? Seems you both have something all bent up inside and it needs straightening out. I have never said everyone has to wear the same clothes, but I did say that people dress as they see the occasion, that's what is bothering you isn't it?

I have never expected people to wear more than what they have, but I do respect the Lord enough that when I come to His House, not yours, I will wear the best I can. I wouldn't be coming to your house unless you called me for a plumbing associated call, then I would be wearing my workclothes, nothing less, at any time I am there.

I came to Jesus a beggar, hungering and thirsting, needing clothes to wear, you see I came to him naked and ashamed, He took me in, washed away my every sin, fed me, clothed me. Now I wear what he's helped me with, shouldn't I wear the clothes He's provided for me?

Now if you asked me my opinion, well, that's different, a person is entitled to an opinion right?

Next time you think that you know what others think, please ask them first, without the pessimism?

 

Dear donnA,
I doubt that we are disagreeing as much as seeing different aspects based on our own experiences. I don't doubt your experiences and trust that you will not discredit mine.
As I stated earlier, I was raised in a relatively poor family in a poor area. And I have had hard times as an adult. And my income is a lot smaller and my house a lot smaller than those of a lot of people in my town and church.

SOMETIMES "the poor" are presuming judgemental attitudes that do not exist. SOMETIMES "the poor" are using richer people as an excuse. I have seen this in my own family, cousins, and so forth. It was something to say, and they would have come up with a different excuse not to go to church if that one didn't fly. (Where I lived, a really rich person had one indoor bathroom. I was 16 before my grandparents had that. I was ten when they got one cold water tap.) What I am saying is that rich is relative, and I have seen it used as an excuse.

If ALL I had to wear was the patched, holey t-shirt and shorts I wear to clean house, no, I wouldn't wear that to church. I would ask the church for help if I could get nothing else.
For one thing, it's about 20 degrees out there right now.
(Some of my favorite outfits that I have worn for years and will probably wear for years more cost less than $5 total.)
I would not help turn away from church anyone who did wear poor clothing. If I noticed what they were wearing, and I can be pretty unconscious, I WOULD help buy them what they needed. I have done it before. But NOT in a way that would try to insult them.

Karen

 

This thread has taken some interesting twists and turns.

I don't think there is any scripture that tells us specifically what to wear to church. Women are told to dress modestly. Customs keep changing.

Members of our church wear whatever they want to church. Some are dressed in suits and their best clothes. Some are dressed in casual wear, jeans and t-shirts. Some are store bought clothes; some are homemade. Some are new, some are old, some are second hand. No one cares. They really like to see each other, fellowship, and worship our Lord God.

Now, I prefer to look my very best and wear nice clothes for respect to my Lord, my husband, my church, and myself. My husband wears suits and ties to the morning service, but usual wears jeans to the evening service.

I think there is an attitude of difference in the generations, not because of money. My generation was taught to dress up to go to church....my mother wore hats, gloves and her Sunday best dress. Actually, she didn't have many clothes. Sunday best and then every day. No one had much money back then, but every one "dressed up" for church.

The first time I ever wore jeans and t-shirt to church was a time when I had been to exercise class...we were having a revival...and I didn't have time to change...thought I could just sit at the back and no one would notice. Well....I was called to play the organ because the visiting musician was ill. Did anyone notice that I wasn't appropriately dressed? No, but I was embarrassed, but I was the only one who cared.

Thus, it is an individual choice.

I regret that anyone would feel uncomfortable going to church because of their clothes, but I agree that some people do use this as an excuse to not go to church.

Another point: We can be responsible for how another person feels. We can only be responsible for ourselves and try to avoid the appearance of thinking we are better than others.

Our church has a food pantry for people who may need food. Other churches in the area have clothes closets for people who need food.

This thread has caused a lot of food for thought.
Recently, one of my grandsons (age 12) said that he liked his church because they didn't care what he wore to church. (He loves his Sooner T-shirts).

 

Did Jesus provide your church clothes, but had nothing to do with your 'work clothes?'

 

Well, it seems most people would rather keep some people out of their churches, they don't dress nice enough.
Karen, I have seen christians in the past before I was a chrisitan, try to dress poor people so they could go to church, telling them they weren't good enough because of their clothing. When my husband was a teenager, he sat on some church steps on Sunday, they asked him if he needed a tie so he could go in.


Since beleivers and unbelievers both have clothing, then I think wearing those plumber's work cloths to that mission is not a problem.

 

Did Jesus provide your church clothes, but had nothing to do with your 'work clothes?' </font>[/QUOTE]Duh, I would mess up my clothes I wear to church doing plumbing, duh. Jesus has provided me with my work clothes to do plumbing work, duh.

 

I don't wear my work clothes to church for the simple reason I am not going to work, I'm going to a special event. I show my respect by "MY" preference to wear a suit and tie to church, whther at the Rescue Mission or the local assembly where my membership resides. Also I don't wear my church clothes as a means of placing myself above others, or to make other feel below me. If they do feel that way it denotes a sense of pride that needs the Lord's help to correct that feeling and possibly preventing them from coming to God. It is really immature to blame those who dress nicely out of respect, with keeping people out of church, that is what the pharisees are guilty. I mentioned that in another post, the fellow who seems the most likened to a pharisee in our church doesn't even wear a suit and tie on Wed. night, but railed on me for doing so. Hmmm?

 

I've been to churches where the majority of the people wore jeans and a tee shirt, or a button down shirt and kahkis. The last one I went to had people so excited about praising God and being in church that some were actually jumping up and down while singing praise songs, and some were on their knees (a Vineyard Church). Also been to churches where the majority seemed to be in suits and ties or at least on the very high side of "casiual." And everything in between Met people who really loved God in all those places.

I wear what I have and try to make sure my heart is "dressed" in humility, repentence, hunger, and attentiveness. That's enough to keep me busy. As to dress? SOme like to dress up (my sister always looks beautiful on Sunday morning), sometimes I dress nicer, sometimes I dress "everyday." It doesn't seem to be a problem. In fact, it's nice not to have to think about what I'm going to put on. I love that God looks at my heart and not my clothes. I also love that there are people who are so aware of God's holiness and position that they desire to show reverence by putting on nice clothes too.

I keep thinking about the verse that says that some people see certain days as holy and others see everyday as holy. . .

Brett

 

When I was a little girl, on prayer-meeting night, pappaw would come straight in from the fields wearing his overalls, but he'd remove his hat at the door. The women kept theirs on, or a scarf. On Sundays they wore gloves, too.

Some folks claim God don't care what we wear, but I think they'd never join a nudist-colony. (So it does matter, eh?) I've not been to many weddings/funerals, but they are always "dressed-up" there.

My dresses were made from flour-sacks & they were clean. I still dress at home the way I dress for church; never know when someone might pop in! I try to "stay ready" for whatever comes my way.

I saw a church sign that read: "Come as you are, but leave as He is."

 

amen, Brother Quickening Spirit -- Preach it!

 

When I was little, I had my "Sunday shoes" and always wore a frilly dress.

But now that I'm the teacher, I wear what's comfortable and useful for both the weather and the fact that I'm working with kids all morning. My brief appearance in the worship service to direct the choir is covered by a robe, so I don't have to worry about what the big folks think about my dress pants and flat shoes on a cold day!

These days, when you're rejoicing the fact that folks are there at all, the clothes don't much matter. I think we would draw the line at something indecent, but aside from that, what ever gets you in the pew and helps you worship is fine!

 

Oh, Granny, I wore flour-sack dresses, too. The prints were so pretty. My Mother made all my clothes and never used a pattern. I had beautiful clothes. And when I was very young I always had a ribbon to match for my hair.

Thank you for reminding me of that.

 

I got hand me downs from the private school where my Great Aunt Vera was principal. My Grandmother Weldy also used to buy material and have dresses made for me a few times a year. Even tho we were VERY poor, I always had patent leather shoes for church and a nice dress to wear. We had no summer shoes. We'd go barefoot or have flip flops but money wasn't wasted on tennis shoes.

Saturday nights were reserved for rolling my hair in rags so I'd have a little curl to my hair, cleaning up our shoes and using vaseline to make them shine, studying our Sunday School lesson and giving us our pennies for offering.

Diane

 

"CASUAL" CLOTHING IS WORLDLY AND HAS THE BAD SMELL OF MATERIALISM .CHRISTAIN CLOTHING SHOULD BE ABOVE ALL THINGS modest (1 tim 2:9 ladies you may not like it but the word apparel (katastola) basicly means a dress) for the men and the women the bible says moderation is the whole christain outlook that others can see phil 4:5 .. we are not to be fashion conscience rom. 12:1-2 and 1 cor. 7:31 ..1 peter 4:14 ..(2) clothing should be work ready (should we not instill a work ethic in our childern even using clothing gen. 3:19) and practical rom. 12:11 and heb.6:12 ops there go's the casual attire .. but wait neck ties are not practical either as a matter of fact it could very well be said that they are " SOFT CLOTHING" math 11:8 .. luke 7:25 .james 2:3"GAY CLOTHING" 1 COR.6:9 EFFEMINATE look it up men ,its MALAKOS (greek) soft to the touch "mollify"and as a matter of fact used car salesmen wear them ha ha ha ,,if you pick up any addition of G.Q.( don't buy one go to the dentist office)magazine and that will show you what is basicly worldly I.E.neck ties and soft clothing.. you say BRO.black what do you think is acceptable ... i thought you would never ask.. ha ha ha more than likly something between the two worldly postitions .... my thought ,,a pair of work/"casual" slacks and a button up shirt with belt or suspenders for ladies some type of lose fitting dress of modest design and lenth ... very simple ..very easy ,, wouldn't cost much (unless it's your pride ),, its work ready and still exceptable by most of the world... there we have it ,,EASY ..

 

Bro. Black,

While I appreciate your fervor for holiness, I have a problem with how you apply many of those verses. We definitely need the context of those verses to get a clearer picture (no matter what the subject). I won't go into all of them,

. . .Okay, well, I'm having a problem seeing a pair of kahki Dockers as worldly. On the other hand, I've seen some of those "trendy" clothes with big logos and the like on them that have been marked up in price simply because of the name on them. I think that's more of an "over 40" thing, though. . .

. . ."Work ready" if you're going to work, and that depends upon the requirements of your job.

Rom 12:11 is talking about not being slow or sluggish in dilligence (or striving after anything). It is part of a list of exhortations as to how to live as a Christian. The context of the chapter seems to me to force a different focus than clothing in verse 11. It seems to be focusing more on character, mindset, and conduct.

***
(Dr. Bob please edit this out if it violates copyright law, but I don't think it does):

Here's the Matthew Henry Concise synopsis of Romans ch.12
Romans 12
Believers are to dedicate themselves to God. (1,2)
To be humble, and faithfully to use their spiritual gifts, in their respective stations. (3-8)
Exhortations to various duties. (9-16)
And to peaceable conduct towards all men, with forbearance and benevolence. (17-21)
***

Okay, heb 6:12 is speaking about living diligently and in a patient manner, striving and enduring to attain God's promises (Like the promises He made to Abraham in the following verse), and enduring in holiness. The work referred to in verse 11 is the work of the Christian as pertains to the faith.

I won't to too much into the necktie thing because I'm not really a necktie guy. You know what, though? Yeah neckties are soft, but so are undershirts, so are socks. Does that make them effeminate? You can probably make a burlap undershirt and socks, but WHY??? You are definitely more of a man than I if you can wear it/them and not blink after a minute or limp after an hour .

The focus of Matthew 11:1-15 Was John the Baptist. The focus of verse 8 was not just "soft clothes." There are 2 definitions given for MALAKOS. One is indeed "soft to the touch," but the second is pertaining to the kind of clothes worn by a male prostitute, or a boy kept at court for homosexual practices, and the second half of verse 8 supports this definition. Luke 7:25 is Luke's parallel account of the same episode.

As to neckties being worldly, why is it that neckties were much more common and almost expected in church in the past? Those of you who were in church in the 50's and 60's could probably better support or refute this point. And why is it that the military and police uniform include ties? I'd heard it explained that the neck tie is a hold over from past times where either ribbons or standards were worn by knights and soldiers. . .

. . .yeah. . .Amish. . .

I don't mean to appear flippant, but you've really just stated their clothing philosophy. . . powder blue button down shirt, black pants, black suspenders. I really think we have a bit more freedom than what your post laid out above.

Brett

[ February 04, 2004, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: Brett Valentine ]

 

Do you dress up for court...for the Prom...for a wedding ? Do you dress the way your employer requires ? I know the bible NEVER speaks of a requirment of how you should dress at church( except modest) but it does teach the doctrine of " your best offered to the Lord ". At Victory Hill Baptist, where I attend,
we have 6 bus routes out every Sunday morning and
when someone says they don`t have anything to where...we reply " just ware the best you`ve got".
Chewing gum,talking,and teens sitting together
like they`re married are things that some schools
and courts don`t allow...shouldn`t God`s house have atleast the same respect?