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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