I was recently invited to fill in and preach one Sunday at a church in Southern California. As church attire varies widely from one congregation to the next I asked what was appropriate. “Coat and tie”, was the surprising response. I had never preached in a suit before!
This got me thinking. What should the proper dress code for church be? Should we look our best? Or should we dress the way we “usually do”? Do we dress to show respect or do we dress for comfort? This seems a minor detail but for some churches it is important.
I think this is probably a uniquely American problem. For many (if not most!) believers around the world there is nothing to debate. You where what you have. When you have very few clothes, you have very few choices!
The church we currently attend is evolving in this regard. On any given Sunday you will see some men in jackets and ties, some in slacks, some in jeans and some in shorts. Women are similarly varied in their attire.
I am concluding that this is the way it should be. If we truly believe that God looks at the heart (as he told the prophet Samuel) what is on the outside should not matter so much. When clothing style doesn't matter, we should see a variety of clothing styles.
Just an opinion. But it's mine!
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