I tried to address this issue in another thread but the petty bickering that has IMHO ruined what could be a great forum. Anyway, I digress. I pastor a very friendly and warm church but it is a greying congregation. I'm 47 and young compared to many. Recently we have had some young and most likely lost men and women visit the church. Some of the young men either had a fedora on their head or a ball cap. For them it was the first time to enter a church in years. And they were very quickly asked to remove their hats which was offensive to them. These young men and women were seeking and we ran them off over a hat. Any answers to help my congregation see that giving people time to see and hear before hitting them with a cultural rule is not nearly as important as them receiving the gospel? I just can't see Jesus coming up to a first time visitor more concerned about what was on their head than rejoicing in the fact that a lost child may have come back home.
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Visitors Wearing Hats in Church
- Thread starter sag38
- Start date
I agree with you. It should be a non-issue. The response of the people was more offensive than the wearing of a hat. Their response is, to be sure, an issue.
May ask how you handled it?
In my last church I heard people rudely demand first time visitors get out of "their seat". That family won't be back.
They also had a ministry of giving fresh banana bread to first time guests, and do a great job of keeping a good stock on hand. They ran another family off when a daughter asked for a second loaf. It was a needy family that was treated horribly and will never be back in that church.
May ask how you handled it?
In my last church I heard people rudely demand first time visitors get out of "their seat". That family won't be back.
They also had a ministry of giving fresh banana bread to first time guests, and do a great job of keeping a good stock on hand. They ran another family off when a daughter asked for a second loaf. It was a needy family that was treated horribly and will never be back in that church.
LOL, have you ever preached at a local rescue mission (homeless shelter)?
One thing is clear this is not likely a result of your leadership but more likely because a cultural norm these older folks grew up with. It is also not likely that it will be overcome but it is possible.
I had this happen to me one time... and I was there in view of a call.
Unfortunately, we all have these stories and they are sad and need to be changed. Revmitchell is right, it's a different culture. The problem is there are too many people that would rather stick to their guns and require people to change to come into the church rather than accept people as they are. This has been a problem for centuries, Paul had to fight that in the first century and we fight it today.
It is cultural and a 1 time event should be able to be handled quickly. If it continues then leaders can, and should, take some serious steps. Those of us who lead need to remember the important warnings we can gain from the OT. A reading through of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles shows us what happens. As the leader went, so went the nation. The same is true for churches.
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SaggyWoman
Active Member
I hate it when that happens. People get to distracted by the outside that they fail the inside.
SaggyWoman
Active Member
I would not have an issue with a turban, either.
Forget the turban. Think headcovering. My point is that we not make a big deal of nothing, when our goal is to win souls.
When I pastored a summer resort church, I had a woman come to me and ask if she could come to church without a hat. My answer was, I don't care if you come in a swimsuit; just come. Not sure what I might have though if she came in a swimsuit.
In England, men would either remove their hat, or at least tip it in the presence of a lady. I am not talking about long stays in house, but an in-and-out sort of thing.
In the days of fedoras, it was hard to store them for the length of a service (often two hours).
In the church I attend presently they have clothes hooks in a cloak room and shelves for hats. It works.
Cheers, and a tip of the hat to you,
Jim
When I pastored a summer resort church, I had a woman come to me and ask if she could come to church without a hat. My answer was, I don't care if you come in a swimsuit; just come. Not sure what I might have though if she came in a swimsuit.
In England, men would either remove their hat, or at least tip it in the presence of a lady. I am not talking about long stays in house, but an in-and-out sort of thing.
In the days of fedoras, it was hard to store them for the length of a service (often two hours).
In the church I attend presently they have clothes hooks in a cloak room and shelves for hats. It works.
Cheers, and a tip of the hat to you,
Jim
We have a couple young men who are Christians who come and wear their hats. I only ask them to remove them when they lead in prayer. I'm not a big hat-wearer myself. My grandfathers always wore a hat everywhere they went (maybe even to bed, for all I know) but when they entered a building it was always customary to remove the hat. When that custom changed, I do not know.
But I suppose it was probably about the same time that parents stopped teaching their children to say "Sir" and Ma'am".
But I suppose it was probably about the same time that parents stopped teaching their children to say "Sir" and Ma'am".
Then let them be offended.
Why would you run them off over a hat? Aren't you the same person who's been mocking me in another thread for suggesting that we should dress appropriately in church?
Wait. You're all over the place. Are they saved or not? If they're not, then they're not "lost children".
saturneptune
New Member
Depends on the policy of the local church, but no doubt we will have some resident Pharisees chime in that hats are a sign of the unsaved.
Alive in Christ
New Member
There should have been NOTHING said to those guys with the hats other then...
"Greetings friends, you are welcome here"
"Greetings friends, you are welcome here"
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Really? Who did I "attack"?
Or are you just playing more of the childish games you're playing over in the "Sunday Attire" thread?
saturneptune
New Member
Getting back to the correct answer that it depends on the local church, I think any visitor to a church should have enough respect to follow that church's policy.