Pastor wears Hawaiian Shirt in pulpit

Dress to bless, yes.

Greg I agree. Dress does indicate degree of respect.

Yet, I think we must allow for congregation type. There are biker fellowhships, Bikers For Jesus type groups, and if I was invited to speak in front of them, no way would I wear a suit and tie.

I would wear a black leather motorcycle jacket or similar attire, and blue or black jeans, and military style boots. (Don't have the motorcycle jacket right now, would have to buy one, or a cheaper black jean jacket I guess).

To preach the Gospel to Buddhists in Tibet, I'd wear a saffron robe like the Dalai Lama.

To preach to IBM execs, white (no other color) dress shirt, tie, suit, wing-tip shoes.

Right? See what I mean?

 

You are definitely on my prayer list Dr Bob
(although I'll be wearing something similar).


HankD

 

If Jesus walked into most churches today, he would be thrown out, because some well meaning usher thought he was dressed like a tramp on the street.

When I was a seminary student, I was a member of a large Southern Baptist church in Fort Worth,Tx.

During one Summer, we held church services on the church parking lot. The Seminary student's led the services and we led 82 people to Christ, in one week and would take them in to Baptise them after the services were over.

Many of the street people showed back up the following Sunday and I was just entering the church, when I heard an usher ordering someone off the church property or he'd call the cops.

It was three of the young men we had led to Christ, trying to come to Sunday school, who we personally invited and taken them under our wing to help them with clothes ect.. So they wouldn't feel like an outcast!

I took me some ushers to school, in the name of the Lord of course?!

We came into this world naked and we shall leave it with nothing.

I'am not saying, you shouldn't dress nice for church, but to put such limits on one's attire, to the point that you close the door on those who haven't got the proper threads.

 

Good points Songalongman, but I think Jesus wouldn't be aloud in most churches because of the issue over wine and not clothing.

We do not pounce on visitors because of dress. Even when they are saved and seek baptism and church membership we do not pounce on them. Members try to make everyone welcome; and they wear what they would normally wear. In time the folks get the message without hurt feelings.

I know this because Kelly and I joined Grider from a United Methodist Church which had very different views than a Landmark Missionary Baptist Church holds and especially perhaps in dress.

The proper teaching and practice (example) is what is needed. I would have done the same thing you did to the usher at your church.

 

vaspers,
pray for an opening into Tibet/Bhutan; I would gladly wear a robe to identify with those people. (Underneath, my white shirt and tie )

Sometimes things must be taught in patience for many years and even then the local congregation may never receive them. But the authority is found in the church. The pastor never has authority to lord over them. He does have a responsibility to teach and to preach the truth according to the Word of God. But this never gives him an authority to enforce his own dress code upon the people. If he cannot live with their particular and current style, he ought to move on down the road.

This doesn't mean I would permit just anything or that I would neglect teaching in accordance to my belief. But all truth must be led into by the Holy Spirit. Some folks just don't receive these things. this does not mean they are not saved, just that they are either hard of hearing or set in their way.

Bro. Dallas

 

It was Vance Havner who said " the preachers today are wearing pretty fancy sack cloth "I think he was talking about over dressing

 

Good posts, one and all.

But what would you wear to preach in a nudist colony camp?

 

I would be interested in knowing what nudist camp WANTED a preacher!

 

Oh how you make vaspers laff until he cry helen.

 

I don't feel dress indicates any level of respect or disrespect for God. Plus, when you go so far as to say "dressing professionally" or to look like your authority, to me your not in worship for the correct reasons. Being in church even as a pastor your not there to say .."Look at me as your authority", "Hear what I say", it is supposed to be God wants you to get something out of what comes out of my mouth, being a mere messanger doesn't make anyone the authority.

If some feel the need and want to dress up, that shouldn't be a problem. I don't believe any church should enforce a dress code on either the congregation or pastor, that is a subject that should strictly remain between each individual and God. If you are there and get offended by what your pastor wearing other than a suit and tie I dare say your heart is not open and your motivation is not to be there to worship.

 

That'll look good with a matching shorts, Doc. And matching sandals, too, and goggles. Cool.

 

This has become a seven page topic, so I don't know how to find that post by Colorado cop.
But, I'm intrigued.
Colorado Cop, do you mean to say that if I find myself in Colorado, and by sheer coincidence, in your county, and I happened to be pulled over for whatever reason, I can expect to probably be pulled over by a Colorado State Trooper or a County Police Officer who might be wearing shorts, printed short-sleeved shirt or maybe tops, sneakers or maybe sandals, shirt worn open all the way, gun not in holster but tucked in towards the small of the back, and an easy-does-it swagger with a real cozy, friendly, grin ?

Or, maybe, in deference to the office of Police Officer, clean civilian blue jeans, loose and comfy, clean denim shirts open from the neck to halfway to the navel ?

If brought to the Police Station, I can expect to see Police Officers fully uniformed, and some who are "dressed down" and a Chief of Police or Sheriff who don't care what image you project as long as you're comfortable with what you're wearing, after all, it's not the uniform but the badge that matters ?

Hey, no offense, okay ? Just following your line of reasoning.

 

Mike McK we can always go back to the "movie".

Kim </font>[/QUOTE]Hawaiian shirts, you say...?

 

I repeat: Hawaiian shirt is symbolic of solidarity with Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life campaign...I think that's why the pastor wore it, tho I can't be absolutely sure, since I can't ask him.

You all already KNOW this symbolism, don't you?

 

Hey, we just found out who our new Pastor is going to be...

JIMMY BUFFET!!

Church will be moving to Key West and we'll be heading to margaritaville (vigin that is).

Sorry, I'm trying to be funny...are you laffin?

Kathy
&lt;&gt;&lt;

 

My home church once had a "Dress Down Day, kind of an Old Fashioned Praise.

We had four hours of preaching and my gospel group, along with others, praised God all night.

We should spend more time in worship of the Lord, and less on what someone wore during the service.

When I was in my teens, the group I was in sing at the Faith City Mission and our pastor preached.

We had a great time serving the Lord, we always wore jeans and a dress shirt. We reached out to the homeless, outcast people down on their luck.

Our goal was to reach lost souls for Christ. That should be every Christian's goal?!

I would wear a toad sack, if that's what it took, for me to reach lost people for Jesus.

I just don't think we should get so caught up in what the pastor or anybody else wears to church.

I'd rather live with pigs and have a pure heart, than look like a million dollars and lost in sin.

 

yes

 

Kathy, as the resident Parrothead here (and as a former resident of the Southernmost Key), I can see the possibilities.

 

Sorry for not responding to the above post, I've been away for a few days.

I wear a uniform frankly to impress people. A good looking, crisp uniform is demonstrative of an officer who knows what they are doing. A poor looking uniform, worn-out leather gear, and dull boots show the public I am sloppy and not a good officer. I also wear a uniform to impress UPON people my authority. The authority comes from the city and county I work for, and is demonstrated in that uniform and badge I wear.

Does a pastor's authority come from how he dresses? You must live in a pretty shallow and twisted world to think the vast majority of people, especially the lost or backslidden, think a preachers dress has anything to do with what he's saying. That's demonstrated in the popularity of many non-denom's such as Willow Creek in Chicago, Woodmen Valley and New Life in Colorado Springs, Saddleback, etc. There is an extremely casual attire presented by everyone at these these churches, and people are being saved and then baptised in droves there. Hmmmmm...do ya think the Lord is using these churches in more powerful ways that a lot of our So. Bapt. churches who are running 100 in S.S. and haven't seen anyone saved in services in months, or even years? Unequivicolly, yes.
I say again, if society's changes in dress do not conflict with SCRIPTURE, not your idea of what righteous is, but with SCRIPTURE, then change with society to reach society. The Bible is just as relevant today and tomorrow as it was yesterday, and the Biblical traditions and standards absolutely can not be compromised. However, man-made traditions, such as dress, worship service setting and style, preaching style, S.S. style, etc., those things are absolutely open and should be changed to reach a continually lost society who also changes. Period. Get over your high horse concerning suits and ties, and get on with the program of reaching those around us for Christ. That's the bottom line, and until that is realized, more and more people are going to stay away from church, and that's a fact.
Do I sound harsh? Judgemental, maybe? Well, Jesus never pulled any strings when he chided and guarded against legalism and pharisitical thought, and neither will I.

 

I agree, when we compare corporate america and societies way of thinking of how we should dress to how we should present ourselves to God, it just doesn't mix.