c. 2007 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) Does it matter how I dress when I go to church?

Some people whose faith and humility I respect say it matters very much. They conclude that I should bring my best to the Lord in every way, including clothing. To them, a suit and tie or a nice dress are outward signs of respect for the importance of the event.

And some people whose faith and humility I also respect say it matters not at all. They conclude that I should appear before the Lord in whatever I am comfortable in. To them, worrying about clothing just puts external emphasis on what is meant to be an internal event.

The problem is that many churches contain a mixture of the two groups. That can lead to generational friction. “Do they have to look so sloppy?” is hissed from one pew, while from another is whispered, “Do they have to be so stuffy?”

Some congregations have tried to solve this conflict with dual services, one formal and one casual. If that works for you, fine. Just declare success and move on to more important issues.

But an important aspect of Christianity is the ability to get along with people who are way outside our comfort zone _ theologically, financially, racially, politically, you name it. I think that’s the message of Colossians, when Paul reminds the church that “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

So here’s what I’ve decided is the best fashion advice for today’s churches, and I base it on another New Testament message from the very practical Epistle of James: “Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, `Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, `You stand there’ or `Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

It seems to me that the first step toward not showing fashionable favoritism is for the church to dress itself so that everybody who peeks inside the door for the first time feels welcome to come on in, like they belong, like the people aren’t even going to notice how they’re dressed.

To pull that off, we need some congregants dressed in nice suits or dresses.

We need some in casual business attire, whatever that is.

We need some in broken-in jeans and T-shirts.

We need some wearing outfits straight out of the church benevolence closet.

We need such a mix of fabrics, styles, colors and cuts that anybody who peeks in the door knows that this is the place for him or her, whatever he or she is wearing.

This is not a plan destined to make the insides of our churches more beautiful to anyone with an eye for fashion.

It may be a very beautiful sight, though, for a God who looks into a dozen or a hundred or a thousand hearts and sees them all beating with one loving purpose, whether covered by dirty denim or stunning silk.

(Doug Mendenhall writes for The Huntsville Times in Huntsville, Ala.)

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