One of the sticky questions often tangled up with the “worship wars” is “How should a believer dress for a church service?” People seem to have strong opinions about the subject, yet often give flimsy arguments for their beliefs.
A Matter of Opinion?
Firm believers in dressing up for church say, “If you were to receive an invitation to visit the President, you would wear your very best. Should you not, then, dress up to come before the Lord in church?” Others point to corporate dress codes and say, “You should dress in a similar fashion as a representative of Christ.” They can’t point to scriptural examples because most people in Bible times had only one set of clothes (Luke 3:11).
Come-as-you-are churches, on the other hand, place the emphasis of a church service on making people feel accepted and comfortable in church. They encourage their members to dress down and splash slogans like, “It’s ok to dress down for church, Jesus did” on billboards in their neighborhoods. What they really mean is, “You’ll like us; we’re cool!”
The Heart of the Matter
Some might say, “It doesn’t really matter what you wear to church – God is interested in the heart, not in the outward appearance.” At first thought, that statement seems plausible, but it leaves out two important considerations.
- What is in our hearts is reflected in everything we do and say (Luke 6:45). Our dress is certainly a form of communication, and God is very concerned about how and what we are communicating.
- Each of these approaches stems from assumptions about the nature and purpose of church and worship. God is passionate about correct worship (Leviticus 10:1-2), so we must pay attention to what He says about these areas.
So really, the how-to-dress-for-church dilemma is less of a culturally complicated issue and more of a theological issue. Before we tackle the question of what to wear for church, we must have a biblical understanding of church and worship.
The Purpose of Church
According to Acts 2:42 the apostolic church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” From this passage we glean three basic purposes of church gatherings.
1. Teaching
Exposition and application of God’s word is an important purpose of a church gathering (1 Timothy 4:13). Preaching serves as a vehicle for spiritual growth (2 Peter 3:18), a protection from error (Ephesians 4:14) and a catalyst for personal study of God’s Word.
2. Fellowship
The church today has sadly lost an understanding of this term. The original term did not refer to “socializing before church” or “potluck dinner after church,” but carried the idea of “participation”. It is closely linked with the New Testament term “discipleship.” The concept is that of close relationships involving building up one another spiritually. One of the key purposes of church, according to Hebrews 10:25, is “encouraging one another.” Every believer should be forging transparent, spiritually encouraging relationships with other church members.
3. Worship
Worship is not a program or a performance. It is not a solemn mood with accompanying organ music, incense, and rituals. Worship is the response of the heart to truth about God, lifting Him up in our estimation (John 4:23). Worship takes place as in response to the Word, in song (Ephesians 5:19), and in prayer. Christ designed the Lord’s Supper to focus our minds and hearts on worship through remembrance of the person and work of Christ. Worship is not exclusive to a church service, however, for the Christian is the temple of the Lord (1 Cor. 3:16). Private worship is exemplified and encouraged throughout the New Testament.
Based on these truths about church and worship, we may conclude that church is not primarily about outward appearances. Carefully constructing a worship service or decorating the church building is helpful in directing worshippers’ hearts toward the Lord and communicating the purpose of the church. The emphasis, however, must never be on form or style, but on the Person of Christ and the Word of God.
Clothing Communicates
Worshippers, in turn, must have the same focus as they come to church. They should come with their hearts prepared to learn and respond to God’s Word. Sin should be confessed and mental distractions eliminated. Dress is less important, but it too has something to do with the worshipper. Not only does it communicate one’s assumptions about the purpose of church, but it can affect one’s attitude to church. The way you dress is often a display of your mindset toward what are doing.
It is important to have right thinking behind clothing choices for a worship service. Obviously, since the church is not the temple, it is not correct to dress up to “come before the Lord.” One should be ready for worship at any time. Nor is it appropriate to come to church like you are getting ready for a party. Here are some suggestions on what your dress should communicate in church.
- Seriousness. A worship service is not the place to relax and have a good time. It is a time to focus your heart and mind on the Word and worship. Your clothing shouldn’t say, “I’m at church but I really want to be kicking back beside the pool.”
- Modesty. Modesty refers to much more than the cut of women’s clothing. Some churches seem to be running a fashion show. Some preachers feel the need to be on the cutting edge of style. Appropriate dress for church minimizes attention to self and distraction from the purpose of coming together.
- Appropriateness. Obviously dress for worship will vary between cultures. Each culture has its own norms of what is appropriate for various occasions. Churches, too, have their own unique cultures. Culture is like a social language; those who share it understand the nuances that fashion and manners communicate. Pay attention to the culture you are a part of, and use it appropriately to communicate to the glory of God.
Obviously, we cannot make up rules to answer the question “How should I dress for church?” The answer to that question will differ based on culture and perhaps income level. What matters most is the heart attitude and theology behind clothing choices.
Great word, sir. Well said.
Thanks for the encouragement, Robb!
well-put, thoughtful & encouraging!
I’m glad it was a blessing, Kevin.
I worked in the fashion industry for 14 years and always taught that images is important beacuse it tells the world a little about you….so don’t lie. Meaning, if you’re not a suit person, don’t wear suits. Image is also important because it shows your respect for what you’re doing and who you’re with. This is why I dress up on Sunday to go to church, but I don’t were after5. 🙂
Agreed. It took me a while to realize that respecting a church’s culture is important.
Wonderful article Ian. There was a time when I dressed “down” for church. I was younger than I am now, and it was more for selfish reasons probably than anything else. I used the “God is interested in the heart, not in the outward appearance” excuse. I’m more mature in my walk now than I was then, and have changed my views and my dress. I still rarely ever wear a suit, but instead wear khakis and dress shirt or polo. My desire is not to cause anyone offence or to stumble over my appearance, and also to put myself in the proper frame of mind for corporate worship (how you dress does have an impact on you carry yourself).
I also appreciate your comments on what worship is about, and its purpose. That seems to be lost today.
Thank you for the kind comments, Jay! I too have matured in my thinking in this area. I’m grateful that God continues to gently teach us as we allow Him to.
That was thought provoking. I Pastor a small Church in rural Ky. I wear a tie on Sunday mornings and sometimes on Sunday nights. The other times polo shirts and khakis. When I preach in Bible Conferences and Revivals I will wear a tie so I will not offend anybody. As far as suits go I only wear them to preach funerals and weddings.
What if we were to consider that whatever self-righteous offering of “heart-focused” kakis or suit and tie outfit we wear is covered in blood? What if Christ’ death makes us presentable? -Jeans are best because I can patch a cable on stage, look typical playing music, or change a tire after church in them. 😉
This was a really good commentary. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading!
You are so right that’s what I have been saying. Thank you for confirmation.
Best paragraph was the first under worship. The problem has become in the Church that worship has been defined as the musical performance before the message. We are perpetuating a false view of worship when we continue to focus on the music and the band when the people in the room could not find Nahum on a bet much less express what he said. Our leaders need to elevate the Word of God and the Person of God to those whom they have been called to equip.
Great article! Very interesting. I think you made more sense than anyone else I’ve ever heard discuss how to dress for church.
I know a man who thinks people should always dress our absolute best when going to church, which to him means men should wear a suit & tie and ladies should wear their nicest dress. However, my grandpa didn’t even own a suit or a tie — he said that he had enough of that in the military, so he wouldn’t even wear one to a wedding or funeral — and nobody ever thought anything about him wearing jeans or slacks & a nice shirt to church. It really does depend on the person & the church, I think.
Excellent article! Ian Columba, I want to read more of your stuff. This article challenged me to reconsider what I wear to church. I need to improve how I dress, not because I want to impress people, but because how I dress communicates to other people my attitude toward worship. I particularly appreciate your three “take-aways” on being serious, modesty, and appropriate in our dress. Keep up the good work!
I think lack of modesty or maybe even having a clue at what is modest is a problem today. Either women don’t know (or don’t care) that the preacher and choir can see down their shirts and that the people across from them can see up their skirts? Or even worse the micro mini skirt that is see though to the people sitting behind you! I mean why do people feel they need to expose every inch of their flesh and then complain they are cold because of the a/c?
Just the article I am looking for. I am saddened when people talk about an awesome God, and yet have not connected that with dress and timeliness to corporate worship. Awesome response means amongst other things – reverence, respect, honour, acknowledgement, humility, joy. These responses should reflect in our dress. I fail to see how rocking up to church in thongs, late reflects this.
I would like to print this article in our church newsletter if that is ok?
You are welcome to share the article with attribution. Thanks!
Hello Ian, I stumbled upon this article accidentally today after reading your article on the ‘sons of God’ article that you wrote. I think you’ve made an important point here. When I was a kid growing up in the late 60s and 70s (small farming community in Canada), we dressed up in a 3 piece suits to go to our tiny Baptist church, and we wore jeans to the hockey rink. Fast forward some 50 or so years, and hockey players go to the rink in suits and people wear jeans to church when they go at all. We dress for what we respect… always have, always will. The rest is smoke and mirrors. Glad I found your website… I’ll be back to visit.