Faith & Fashion: Does The Church Have A Dress Code?

Meagan Good wife of Pastor Devon Franklin

1 Samuel 16: 7

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

Rapper/Poet Jackie Hill Perry was recently commented on
her fashion on Instagram stating she wished Jackie to dress
more "girly" as God's transformation should also translate
to our apparel.

Suits and ties, long dresses, vests, polished black shoes and more makes it seem like the church initially has a dress code. What's often referred to as your "Sunday's best" people take this day to dawn their favorite "church outfit." While this is no problem at all, some people believe that the dress code should be exclusive to suits, dresses, vests and the like. Many churches frown at the idea of jeans, sneakers and let's not get started on jewelry and makeup. Many cite Deuteronomy 22:5 as their bases for these views. In a nutshell that verse states women should not wear what is considered for men and vice versa. The problem when using this verse to enforce your churches dress code is that there's a historical issue. In biblical time, people initially wore the same thing. Some form of cloak or tunic was worn with the difference in women would be the length of the garment and how it was decorated (or ornamented).

 

The consensus is if a man dresses like this in Church
he must in some way highly spiritual. This is a false idea.

A lot of it stems from tradition and while it may seem unimportant and harmless, it can become a strong deterrent for those who want to attend church services. I've hear countless stories of people being told they had to remove jewelry before stepping into a church, having to change their outfit entirely, wipe of their makeup, etc. The other extreme is some churches will not allow you to enter unless you look presentable. I read a story that a young man was not welcomed to church because he was wearing a plain white shirt, jeans and sneakers. The usher told him "I know you have better clothes than that" and something to the degree of "God deserves better than that from you." That discouraged me so much because the bible is clear that God does not look at the appearance. Those people we see wearing the freshly pressed suits, shined shoes, long skirts with church hats aren't necessarily right in God's eyes. Sometimes the most beautifully dressed have the dirtiest secrets. Some use 1st Timothy 2:9 to mandate women to be "plain" by not doing their hair, not wearing jewelry etc. Paul was saying true beauty shouldn't be measured merely by outer appearance but rather the acts of the believer. This is further echoed in 1 Peter 3:3-4. We all sin, no one's exempt from that but some try fool others, themselves, and even God by how they dress. 

Small church White Tail Chapel encourages it's congregants to
come nude...so there's no issue with clothes here...

"So Will, that means we can go to church wearing whatever we want?"...No. While I do believe there's no "dress code" per se we should consider modesty. Men and Women shouldn't come in looking like their homeless (this is different if they actually are). At the very least look respectable. If you can you look stellar at a party or a night out you can certainly clean yourself up for church. We shouldn't dress with intent to seduce someone. Some women dress in form fitting outfits because they want to be stared at. Men often do the same with the hunger to have their "swag" or how the young people say "drip" recognized. Again, it's not wrong to be what society considers well dressed. You like suits? Throw em on! Long Dresses and your hair in a bun? Go 'head. However, your fashion choices aren't necessarily a reflection of God in your life because as said; you can dress great but your heart could be naked and bare. Jesus told the pharisees in Luke 11:39 comparing them to cups or chalices that outside they may look clean or presentable but inside they're wicked and ugly. Be respectable in the house of the Lord. Be considerate of what you wear. Don't cause other's to stumble (Romans 14:19-21).

What do you think?

Should Christians wear whatever they want? Even if it might cause the wrong attention?

How do you dress on a day/night out compared to church? Is their more care in the former?

While God does look at the heart, do you think He also observes your fashion choices?

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Should Christians Listen To Secular Music

Left to Right: Ariana Grande, Michael Jackson, Marshmello, Adele,  and Post Malone

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 

whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or 

praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

It's been a question I get a handful of times throughout the year every year. Are Christians allowed to listen to secular music?. The immediate answer is yes. The better question is SHOULD Christians listen to secular music. That's where we need to do a bit of unpacking. A lot of Christians who are zealous in the faith with give a resounding "No!" as the answer. However, if we take a breathe for a second, put down the bible and pick a up a dictionary we can start there. The first two definitions of secular according to Merriam Webster is "1a. of or relating to the worldly and 1b. Not overtly or specifically religious." So here's the thing a song that contains no religious over or undertones is considered secular. You know what that means? Any and I mean ANY songs that don't specifically mention God, Jesus, the scriptures or the Christian church in a heavy matter is secular. That doesn't only mean the popular songs you  hear on radio today but that also means any song from "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to insanely popular "Let It Go" from the Disney movie "Frozen."

Disney's smash hit film "Frozen's" lead character Elsa sings the
popular song "Let it Go" which currently has 1.7 billion views
on Youtube. 

I know what you're thinking "C'mon Will, seriously? Those songs are different than the secular garbage on the radio." Not true. Based on the definitions we've read not only does Frozen fall into that category but so does all Disney original songs, nursery rhymes, Sesame Street and even our national anthem "The Star Spangled Banner" is a secular song. So this is where we have the consider the content of the song itself. What is the song saying? If it's a love song, say, Michael Jackson's "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is the song in itself wrong? Can a loving Christian couple or even a married couple listen to this when feeling in romantic mood? Or Do you want to be lovey-dovey while listening to "Reckless Love"? We complain of the artist who sings the song. "Their lifestyle doesn't honor God so I don't want to listen to their music." Well, what if you're in a restaurant and an Atheist or LGBT person cooked your food? Would you still eat it? What if an outfit you absolutely adored was made by a Muslim or Buddhist? Would you still buy it despite their lifestyle? And who's to say that all of our beloved Christian/Gospel artists are living righteous. When Kirk Franklin confessed his porn addiction, many still listened to his music. When Gospel Singer Tye Tribbet or Gospel Rapper Da' T.R.U.T.H. had extramarital affairs , people were still listening. 

A superstar of the early 2000's Avril Lavigne
released a faith based single this year "Head Above Water"

Now, this is no excuse to listen foul mouthed, sexually explicit, violent music. It's clear as Christians this is something we should avoid as music is indeed a powerful thing. The largest book the bible is a book of songs. The bible, as a matter fact, has songs about praise and worship (obviously) but it also has songs of love and even intimacy in the Songs of Solomon. It has songs on death and mourning in Lamentations. So music doesn't have to exclusively be praise and worship based on the structure of the Bible alone. Personally, again, personally, I believe it's perfectly fine for a believer to listen to music that isn't promoting sinful behavior. Why I say this? Because as stated, music is powerful and in it's atmosphere it can cause influence. I personally can listen a song that's full of bad language and I know I won't be influenced because I know I'm strong in that regard, however there are people, especially young people who are not. When a song plays that begs the listener to "shake it" will almost always trigger a young person to either sing along or to shake their behind. It's the influence and atmosphere that the music brings. So I will say this, if you know that certain kinds of music will trigger a fleshly impulse in you, than please, stay away from it. There are plenty of faith based alternatives if your trying to avoid mainstream music as a whole. There's Christian rap, rock, edm, pop, country, metal, blue grass, reggae, Latin, etc. It's all there for you to choose from. If you are a believer who, like me, is fine listening to mainstream music, please be considerate of those who do not understand that point of view. It may confuse and cause them to stumble. If you have friends come over who listen to only Christian/Gospel music you can pause your PrettyMuch playlist for a few hours as to not make them uncomfortable or confuse them. 

In the end. Music in itself isn't wrong or evil. God made it! Yes, the enemy may be running things behind the scenes but there is a difference between running and owning. Not all non-Christian songs are wicked, evil, 4 minutes of satanism. My dad who is a son of a Pastor and an active member of his local congregation likes Adele, My mother is lover of old school songs from the 80's and early 90's, My sister loves Ariana Grande and I have personally warned her about not all but some of her songs and to listen carefully. Me? I love everything but I know what I don't like and what's in the end not beneficial for my spiritual life. When it comes to secular or mainstream music; listen with caution or don't listen at all. Choice is yours.

What do you think?

Is all secular music wrong regardless of content?

Secular or Mainstream? What do you call it? Does it make a difference?

Even if it doesn't affect you, would you still listen to secular music that's vulgar?

Is listening to just Christian music dull, boring and repetitive?

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10 Most Influential Artists in CHH (Personal Opinion)

Lecrae Concert in Tulsa, OK

Christian Hip Hop (CHH) and all of its other variants (Gospel Rap, Christian Rap, Faith Rap, etc) have made a very unique impression in the world of hip hop and even music in general. I never thought some of the CHH artists I've heard during the early 2000s would've blown up to be some of the most respected lyricists in the game. For those of you who aren't too familiar with the sub-genre, it started back in the '80s but you can find even deeper roots with a group called The Jubailaires and their song "Noah" where it definitely sounds like rap is being used before rap was even a thing. Mind you, that group was active from the 1940s to the '50s! Even though this is the case, the Jubailares will not be on this list as "rap" wasn't a thing until the late 70's when it began to become a genre in its own right. CHH has many artists and groups that could've made this list 50 influential artists or even 100 but I don't feel like writing that much. So I did my very best to make this list as eclectic as possible. Hopefully, you'll learn a little something and if you're the type who kinda shrugged off or snubbed CHH, you may give a little more credit to these men and women.

10. Heesun Lee (Staten Island, NY)

When it comes to female rappers, they're a dime a dozen. You have Lauren Hill, Missy Elliot to Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. That group gets even further marginalized when it comes to Asian rappers, let alone female Asian rappers. Even further when it comes to female Asian rappers who declare Jesus as King. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Heesun Lee is indeed a rarity in the culture of CHH. Her mic skills could honestly put to shame to some of today's MC's (both male and female). Her album Stereotypes was her breakthrough album as it threw her name in billboard Gospel charts. A busy mother and wife, Heesun steadily pushed out 2 more projects Beauty For Ashes in 2016 and most recently Flying Cars this year. Heesun is most definitely an inspiration to many young ladies but even more so to ladies in the Asian community who desire to express their faith.

09. The 4 Horseman 
Loso (Tampa, FL) Street Hymns (Dallas, TX) Th3 Saga (Queens, NY) A. Ward (Kansas City, MO)

The next entry is a group of 4 brothers absolutely killing the battle rap scene. When you think battle rap it's more than likely you think of clubs or bars where the lines being thrown heavily involve sexual innuendos, gun violence, and profanity that would make Gordon Ramsey blush. So it's surprising to know that some of the hottest rising MC's in the sport of battle rap are truly unashamed believers. Arguably the most prominent of the 4 is Loso who has taken on some of the biggest names in battle rap including B.Dot & DNA. However, his fellow horsemen are no small potatoes as Th3 Saga who created the stable has several classics under his belt including a battle in which a rapper named Tink the Demon actually threw up before the battle even started (was this a spiritual reaction to facing Saga or drinking too much we don't know.) Street Hymns is a proud nerd whose insane rhyme schemes have kept him in the conversation. In one case his opponent never arrived at the battle which is a big no-no in battle rap. A.Ward is a passionate MC who is also climbing the ranks. According to a list created by The Source A. Ward was one of the top battlers of 2018 (1 spot above Loso). Needless to say, the brothers are making themselves known in a community where it is least expected. They're different and they're shining they're light.

08. KJ-52 (Tampa, FL)

KJ-52 is a veteran in the realm of CHH. Releasing his first solo project in 2000, the man is almost 2 decades into his musical career. KJ (real name Jonah Sorrentino) is more than a rapper. He also has taken a Pastoral role as a teacher in his home church. He is also (and more recently) become an author and has released a book "What Happened Was" chronicling his journey. KJ also has some notoriety to his name as in 2002 he released a song entitled "Dear Slim" where he's reaching out to rap icon Eminem. The song caught the attention of so many it got featured on MTV's Total Request Live. Oddly many translated this as a diss track towards the future "rap god" and fans sent hateful letters and even death threats to KJ. KJ-52 would constantly be teased as the Christian version of Eminem which is an unfortunate stigma still pinned to many white rappers. KJ believes however Eminem did respond to the track 9 years later in his song "Be Careful What You Wish For." As polarizing as KJ may have been at the time, similar to Shady, KJ continues to push forward has since amassed 12 albums, collabed with some CHH's top such as Lecrae, Derek Minor, This'l, TobyMac, KB and countless others. At 43 years old it seems KJ still has a lot more bars in him and he seems to only get better with age. 

07. Danny "D-Boy" Rodriguez (Dallas, TX)

It's more than likely that if you're a current fan of CHH you may not have ever heard of D-Boy. During CHH's infancy, there weren't a lot of people out there doing it. Danny Rodriguez was signed to Frontline Records, a label centered on faith-based modern rock, pop and hip hop. D-Boy often used to the term "street poet" as opposed to rapper. He's also regarded as one of the first in the sub-genre to utilize sampling in his records. The reason Danny makes this list, however, is a more saddening one. Danny is regarded as Christian Hip Hops first martyr. Rodriguez was shot in his apartment in 1990. No official cause for the shooting has ever been released. According to his mother, the reasons varied from mistaken identity to attempted robbery but no one really knows. It's without hesitation we'd say Danny left believing in the God he earnestly rapped about. As far as commercial success Danny's album "Lyrical Strength of One Street Poet" landed number 35 on Billboards CCM charts but received little radio play as at the time, Christian radio wasn't ready for the "raw" rap sound of Danny. His story is a reminder that we should always try to live for Christ and if it happens, to be ready to ultimately die for him. "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39.

                                                                             06. Beautiful Eulogy (Portland, OR)         

(from left to right) Courtland Urbano, Odd Thomas, & Braille)

When you think of rap you probably wouldn't think of 3 white dudes from Portland, Oregon. Beautiful Eulogy, however, brings an incredibly clean cut kind of rap to the table. Longtime rap veteran Braille and Odd Thomas joined forces with producer Courtland Urbano (former known a DJ Xperiment) to create a truly unique sounding group. They have been called Experimental Hip Hop, Hipster Hip Hop and even Coffee House Hip Hop. One thing is certain, they bring their love for the Messiah and proper theology to the forefront of their music. Their not aiming for billboard accolades, awards or earning spots in our top 10 lists but rather to see souls not only won for the Messiah but souls to fall in love with him. The trio is a part of the Humble Beast roster a non-profit record label who gives their music away freely (although to purchase is an option and donating is as well). They have expanded their label to more than music. Humble Beast also deals with art, books and has even begun (albeit a short-lived) coffee distribution. Needless to say, Beautiful Eulogy is, in my opinion regardless of its 501 status is a CHH powerhouse. Both Braille and Odd Thomas have been regarded as some of the best rappers in the history of the sub-genre based on skill alone. 

05. Jackie Hill Perry (St. Louis, MO)

Spoken word artist, MC, Speaker, Author, and Instagram Comedienne (I'm not kidding) Jackie Hill Perry is an amazing walking example of God's grace. Her poetry will draw you in like a deer who didn't know it was thirsty to a lake. You'll want to hear more. Subject matter ranging from Marijuana to Homosexuality, Jackie brings a confidence to the mic and that the holy spirit only amplifies when conviction comes to the listener. Jackie Hill is well known for being an ex-lesbian who became a God fearing woman who abandoned her desires to seek God. This echoes the heart of Jeremiah 17:9 (read it). In 2014 Jackie released her first rap album entitled "The Art of Joy" to the #6 spot on the Itunes Rap/Hip Hop chart. This will be a good time to let you know Jackie is signed to Humble Beast records. Yeah, if you read the entry above than you know that's the non-profit record label that gives music out for free. That should tell you loads about her influence and the support of her fans. Jackie is also a part of the largest spoken word tour in the world "Poets in Autumn" where she along with several other spoken word artists travel around the country performing their poetry. As mentioned, Jackie left her lesbianism and the details of her story can be found in her book "Gay Girl Good God" which can be purchased here. Jackie released her sophomore project last year "Crescendo" which also sat pretty in the charts. Jackie is married to fellow spoken word artist Preston Perry and has two daughters Eden and Autumn. 

04. The Cross Movement (Philadelphia, PA)

The Cross Movement (From left to right): Ambassador, Earthquake,
Phanatik, Cruz Cordero, John Wells  (Tonic),  T.R.U.-L.I.F.E.)

Arguably one of the pillars of CHH is philadelphia's own Cross Movement. This group and label started in 1996 and their first album in 97'. For a lot of today's MC's the Cross Movement was either heavily influential or gave a them a lauching pad. Veterans such as Lecrae, Da' T.R.U.T.H. and FLAME all had their start with Cross Movement. Andy Mineo has stated during his early on career that Ambassador was his favorite rapper. It's almost accurate to say without these gentleman offering their ministry, studio time, help and platform that we may have never seen a blow up in CHH the way we have now. In 2009 founding member Juan "Enoch" James passed away due to a heart attack at the young age of 35. Enoch has been honored by many in the CHH community including battle rapper Street Hymns. The influence of the movement cannot be denied. They went on several solo ventures notably Ambassador who's earned several nominations throughout. In 2016 the group was awarded the Legacy Lifetime Award for their contributions to the community, sub-genre and their service to the Messiah. The Cross Movement made it clear however, it's never about the awards or accolades but rather fulfilling their purpose in Christ and reflecting that love to others. And that is truly a legacy worth keeping alive.

03. T-Bone (San Francisco, CA)

Since 1993 T-Bone has been dropping lyrics for the glory of God but has been active since 89'. T-Bone's story is saturated in gang violence with the on going war between Crypts and Bloods. After seeing his friend get shot and killed "over a color" he began to redirect his life towards Christ. T-Bone trail blazed through CHH and even made crossover appeal. T-Bone collaborated with mainstream artists such as Mack-10, KRS One and Chino XL. T-Bone hosted several music video based shows on GMC, TBN & JC-TV. He also would see himself sharing the big screen with Cuba Gooding Jr. and "the queen" Beyonce in the film "The Fighting Temptations." T-Bone also appeared in the 2013 film "I'm in Love with a Church Girl" along with rap veteran Ja Rule. T-Bone has now since become a singer in the pop genre, specifically Latin Gospel Pop.  However, T-Bone released his final hip hop album "Broken English" after 10 years. T-Bone when interviewing other rappers who cited to listen to his work would "challenge" them to recite the lyrics to Lyrical Assassin, a classic track of his. Although at times some of his songs came across as braggadocious there's no denying T-Bone is grateful for where the Lord has taken and continues to take him. T-Bone has shown that a person who adhere's to the faith can certainly become successful without compromise and that there's more to life than what the world is offering. 

02. Pastor Stephen Wiley (Muskogee, OK)

Stephen Wiley is most likely the reason any of these people are here. Stephen Wiley was a Jazz drummer and local DJ. He is also regarded as the 1st artist to ever record a full Christian rap album. In 1985 he released his cassette "Bible Break." The song of the same title would reach number 14 in 86' on Christian radio. Stephen released 5 more projects before laying down the mic. Stephen founded and Pastors Praise Center Family Church in his home town. He is also the Assistant Vice President, Director of Christian Ministries and Assistant Professor of Religion, at Bacone College where he teaches full-time. T-Bone has acknowledged the work of Wiley in his song "Our History." Social Club Misfits (when they were simply known as Social Club) also gave a nod to Stephen Wiley in the their song "Art Vandelay" from their free project "Summer of George." Stephen Wiley is also in the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. We believe Stephen is certainly in line for a Legacy award or some sort of recognition from today's CHH community. Thank you Pastor Wiley!

01. Lecrae (Houston, TX)

Arguably one of the most polarizing figures in the sub-genre. However you look at Lecrae one thing's for certain, the man is truly influential in the genre. Where to start? As mentioned Lecrae started with the Cross Movement and his first few big hits were songs like "Prayin' For You" and of course "Jesus Muzik" with Trip Lee. Lecrae wouldn't explode until a little further down the road when his 3rd studio album "Rebel" came out in 2008. It was Lecrae's first album to hit the billboard 200 charts (at #60). Thanks to his song "Don't Waste Your Life" Lecrae could no longer go unnoticed. He was making noise. His next album "Rehab" catapulted him to #17 on the Billboard and the song that truly earned Lecrae a spot on larger stages was his song "Background." On a personal note, Lecrae has made reading the scriptures relevant for me. He made it "cool" to get into the word. As I did so, I realized it wasn't "cool" but rather necessary for my growth and I will always be grateful for that.  Fast forward to his Church Clothes mixtape release and now mainstream hip hop is on notice. His 2012 album "Gravity" seen stellar production, art direction and collaboration with mainstream artist Big K.R.I.T. It seems Lecrae began to echo the success of T-Bone but to a much larger scale (No disrespect to T-Bone). Today Lecrae  has a total of 12 projects. His music has been featured in reality shows, films and even Disney. But Lecrae is more than music. He's taken countless trips to the 3rd world countries and brought hope to those in need along with getting his hands dirty. He's persistently pushing against injustices (especially those of race), he's written pieces regarding the culture, he's challenged men (especially men of color) to be present and better fathers to their children. Lecrae may be polarizing to some but at the end the Lord sees his heart. If you don't like him, fine but pray for him. Lecrae is the co-owner of reach records who hosts a roster of talented artists (Trip Lee, Tedashii, Andy Mineo, Gawvi, KB, 1k Phew, and WHATUPRG), he's a New York Times best selling author, he's a leader and has helped redefine the sub-genre.  Lecrae has reached over to a place that few aspiring CHH artists may never see. That shouldn't make us jealous or spiteful but rather celebratory as someone is shining a lot in the dark space we cannot get too.