Posted by: The Informal Matriarch | April 8, 2008

Dressing Up For Church

Why does everyone put on their best game face in church? Shouldn’t it be a safe place to show all of your garbage? I think it is. We’re always told to dress up nice on Sunday but do you think we dress ourselves up in other areas? Why can’t we just lay it all out there and actually become a community that’s healing, relevant, helpful, non judgmental?

I wish we could put on stickers at the front doors of the church that say “hello my name is…”

depressed…in debt…alcoholic…porn addict…marriage falling apart…in pain…etc.

But, we make out outsides look great while out insides are hurting and little do we know, the girl with the nice shoes beside us is dealing with the same thing. Too bad we’ll never know because we’re taught to look perfect and sinless. So we can’t share or else we’ll be found out.


Responses

  1. so true… that reminds me of a song:

    Is there anyone that fails
    Is there anyone that falls
    Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

    Cause when I take a look around
    Everybody seems so strong
    I know they’ll soon discover
    That I don’t belong

    So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
    If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
    So with a painted grin, I play the part again
    So everyone will see me the way that I see them

    Are we happy plastic people
    Under shiny plastic steeples
    With walls around our weakness
    And smiles to hide our pain
    But if the invitation’s open
    To every heart that has been broken
    Maybe then we close the curtain
    On our stained glass masquerade

    Is there anyone who’s been there
    Are there any hands to raise
    Am I the only one who’s traded
    In the altar for a stage

    The performance is convincing
    And we know every line by heart
    Only when no one is watching
    Can we really fall apart

    But would it set me free
    If I dared to let you see
    The truth behind the person
    That you imagine me to be

    Would your arms be open
    Or would you walk away
    Would the love of Jesus
    Be enough to make you stay

  2. Our senior pastoral candidate did his congregational interview in his jeans! Good sign for NCC.

  3. I’d actually look for a church just like this one, if such a beast existed. I’ve thought of finding one, but I’ll be honest- I find them frightening and I don’t want to be judged because I’m not dressed for the fashion show.

    I keep meaning to write a blog about that, how Sunday has become like thieves in the temple. People in general seem to go more for the tea and cookies and to see what everyone else is doing and to catch up on the gossip than for the glory of God, or to support others, or to even get support.

    I don’t think Christians are supposed to be perfect. Where ever they got this idea is beyond me. I’ve always thought the Christian ideal to be more… I dunno, C.S. Lewis like. That’s a fellow who had the whole concept down pat!

  4. people wash the outside of the cup but not the inside. (that one scripture). Thank you again for saying this!

  5. Well, the church is where you would hope God would be–I mean, it is his house–so I think dressing your best is appropriate. Tux and formal gowns, probably a little extravagant.

    Not only that, but environment is a big deal. People respond to their environment, be it positive or negative. An uplifting, clean, non-distracting atmosphere is a good thing at church. It’s a place we hopefully can all be equals, and dress can reflect that. It’s a place we don’t have to judge others, because there is no reason to do so. Dress, or tags identifying our weaknesses might be ground for judgement.

  6. Oh, and respect. Dressing nice is respecting yourself. I believe it’s honor to God to present ourselves well.

  7. I agree with Ryan, it’s a matter of respect. But I do see the point that we shouldn’t have to be someone we are not. I recently started going to a church where it was very casual. The message was about sexual sin which was very good, and how men are tempted visually. After the service a lady in front of us stood up, pulling down her shirt to cover her thong that was peeking out from her too tight jeans. You don’t think one would be exposed to something like that in church. Our casual dress has become too seductive. It’s a dilemma I wrestle with, like I said I can see both points of view. I don’t know what the answer is, but I personally would lean towards being respectful in God’s house, and dressing like it’s somewhere special.

  8. Interesting. I hate topics about sexuality that just talk about men and their lust. Makes women who are easily aroused feel like freaks.

    As for dress, Ryan and Annie didn’t really get my point…at all.

  9. This is why I love my church, it’s come as you are. No one judges you, we’re all there for the same reason. To worship, to better our walk with God, to strengthen our relationships with each other, and to bring others to become fully devoted followers of Christ. http://www.lifechurch.tv

  10. I once heard somebody say, ” I want to give my best for God, so I dress in my Sunday’s best”, or at least something to that effect. I was raised in an atmosphere where the men wore suits and ties and polished shoes. The women wore their best dresses and I’m not even going to touch the hair, but I think you get the point. My only problem with this is (and I came to this conclusion much later in my life) that absolutely nothing I’ve got, not even the best clothes in my closet, will ever be good enough for God. We would be fools to think that somehow God will favor us in some way for the clothes we wear. As far as respect and revearence are concerned, well, that’s subjective and dictated by cultural pressures. I’ve yet to find a scriptural reference that directly supports a dress code for church attendance and any argument in support of dress codes is mere dogma at best.


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