Dress culture and church

When I was growing up, we had to look our "Sunday best". Not for other people but for the Lord. And how has that changed since than. Instead of suite and tie it's now shirt, jeans,...t-shirts. Nothing looks different than any other day.

Just makes me think, is this culture.. people getting lazy in how they dress ... Disrespect for the Lord? What do you call it? I see how alot of churches say just come as you are and I get that. I'd rather see you in church with ragged clothes than not come at all but why not dress nice atleast once a week?

Little church in my town the people I see still wear their Sunday best.

This is something I've never quite understood. As a kid, growing up in church, we'd always wear nice dress clothes. Dad usually in a suit & tie, me in khakis and a nice polo or a button-up shirt. Sometimes a tie. It always drove me nuts growing up...made no sense to me why we were made to dress up. Now grown, my family and I don't dress up nearly as nice, but we do put on nicer clothes than our every-day clothes. Why should it matter? Clothes are on the outside - for PEOPLE to see. God knows what's in the heart and mind, and I personally believe He doesn't really care WHAT you wear, as long as it covers what it needs to.

It's not what you wear that matters, IMO. It's that you're there that matters.

They wear their camo In church In SC.

Depends entirely on the specific church.
Growing up catholic we dressed up for mass in the city. Mass on the rez or in the country was at least a button up shirt and no ripped or stained jeans.
Part of the come how you are started with Chuck Smith.

When I was younger we dressed for church. I even wore suit and tie when we started going to the church we attend now even though the dress was pretty casual, even the pastor. One year I renewed my drivers license after attending a funeral dressed in suit and tie. A number of people approached me and asked me if I was a lawyer. That following Sunday I looked like a homeless person walking in. True story.

From a Pastor's perspective, I would rather see the people there. Dress is purely a tradition / cultural thing. Think about the people of the Bible. how they lived and dressed. The early church was started by meeting at peoples houses and yards. The day they worshipped by Jewish custom was a work day. They in turn would have probably had on the same clothes they wore to work, not to mention the same ones they might would have had on for several days.. The church as the western world knows it have formulated our own Jesus that conforms to what we want instead of the Jesus of the Bible. I am of the opinion wear what you want, I don't care what clothes you have on, wardrobe will change with the culture, the need for Jesus will never change!

Growing up we dressed up and polished our shoes with kiwi shoe polish every Sunday morning
Don't have a suit and tie any longer but do have nice dress up clothes for church, funerals etc..
Slacks and a nice button up shirt
Jesus Christ is always depicted in every day wear of the time

I dress up for church.

church attendance has been sinking for decades, add a dress code now? Even fewer people would be coming

Yes!

I always wear clothes when I go to church.

X2

LOL .. flicker

I dress up for Church. It's a respect thing similar to dressing up for someone's funeral. I don't judge someone who doesn't though, as stated I'd rather see them there not dressed up than them not there. But I do wonder if the more passive approach is also causing a more passive approach to Church attendance and religion in general.

I don’t think so. I grew up Methodist and church was very ritual and reverent. I figured we did it in fear. I missed the whole personal relationship with Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit and it’s guidance.

On the west coast most people stopped dressing up for church sometime in the 1970's. People became aware that God is interested in what is on the inside of a person; not what is on the outside. It's been a long settled thing in this part of the Country that people don't give casual dress in church a second thought.

Fast forward to 2018. I started attending a "Russian" church, almost all of the people were either born there or where recently born here, and Russian is there first language. Interestingly, even the kids born here all grow up speaking Russian as their first language, and don't begin to learn English until they start school, they catch up really fast. I think it is a real asset for them.

The first Sunday I attended the church I put on my "wedding and funeral clothes". I had seen a lot of Slavic people (Russian/Ukrainian) on Sunday afternoons at the local grocery stores; they were always dressed in their Sunday best, women with head covering etc.. Much to my pleasant surprise I was the best dressed person in church, I felt much more at ease the following Sundays after I ditched my Sunday best.

The Russian church I attend is rather unique among Slavic churches, I think we are sort of viewed as "black sheep" in the local Slavic church community.
That's fine with me; the other churches are just a little jealous of the liberty that we have. These churches are primarily of Baptist or Pentecostal background (the charismatics are another story).

There are a lot of Slavic churches around me, almost all of them very conservative in their dress, many of them tend to be very "legalistic" on other things as well. The young people don't rebel against it as much as American youth did in the 1970's, however, they are starting to rethink some of these "traditions of man" in relation to their faith.

One rather curious thing that exists in Slavic culture in America is the "church car". It might be a BMW, Mercedes, etc., It is used to drive to church and other occasions when you want to show off. It's considered pretty humiliating for a Russian guy to show up to church driving his work van, in fact I know of instances where they will park it down the block and try to sneak into church un-noticed if for some reason they aren't able to drive their church car. Thankfully this does not happen in my church.

I always make sure to wear pants with no holes in them, and a shirt with no stains. Sometimes, if I'm feelin fancy, I'll wear a button up shirt.

Next time you go buy a house and the realtor shows up and in a Goodwill Special outfit...let me how you feel about that

I'd view that differently. I expect a successful realtor to be able to afford to dress nicely, I'd assume that a realtor that shows up in a goodwill special isn't very good at his job. God doesn't care how much money I make.

Casual dress doesn't bother me so much as people carrying coffee into a service but no bible. Make a minor sacrifice and leave the latte in car.

50% of the people didn't used to be obese, and made an attempt to not be. Used to be people didn't wear their pants down at their knees to show off their underwear. People didn't used to pay double for jeans faded and ripped to shreds right outta the store. Society is simply going downhill at a fast rate.
Personally, I like to wear camo cuz it makes me feel pretty.

That would be okay with me; probably wouldn't even notice.
However, the realtors that really make me gag are the women with the bleach-blond big hair, lots of bling, and the leopard print blouse or skirt.

Waggler.........them are the Hooters of realty.

We dressed up for church when I was a kid. I now wear jeans, nice shoes, and a dress shirt. Half in my church are slacks and shirt. Half are jeans and a buttoned shirt. But, I've on occasion work a T-shirt if I was taking my teen Sunday School class somewhere after church.

I prefer casual. The un-churched already think we think we're better than everyone else. A jacket and tie just perpetuates that image and keeps people away. I wouldn't join a yacht club that required jacket and tie just because I'd figure that I wouldn't fit in. I'm not jacket and tie people. I don't want to keep anyone out of church for the same reason. If they come in sweat pants and a wife beater, I think we should be glad they've done the scary step of coming through the door.

From dealing with black churches I've learned that the "Sunday best " was just way to flex on eveyone in the church. Fancier you looked the higher up the food chain you were. Was noting more then a status symbol. After experiencing worshipping the Lord in the army and some real down to earth churches ( only times I can say I really felt something) I refuse to get all gussied up more then a nice button up and a clean pair of jeans. Was told a few times it looked bad on my family because it made it seem they couldn't afford to dress me better. Refuse to play into that kinda mess

^^^^^^^
Amen!

That is fantastic. I love camo.

the west coast most people stopped dressing up for church sometime in the 1970's. People became aware that God is interested in what is on the inside of a person; not what is on the outside. It's been a long settled thing in this part of the Country that people don't give casual dress in church a second thought.

I believe what is on the outside is a reflection of what is on the inside. It has to do with respect. It is part of our culture. If jeans and a t-shirt gave thae impression of respect I would wear them, but they don't. If you are casual in your dress maybe you are casual in your belief system. If I was out of town and didn't have the my best clothes with I might attend church. But if I have my Sunday best then I prefer to wear it because it shows my respect for the Lord as that is what our culture has done for generations.

Let's see, 50 to 75 dollar pair of slacks, 35 to 50 dollar button up shirt, and a 25 dollar tie.

Most people can afford to "dress" up for church if they put their mind to it.

Call me old-fashioned but I believe it's a sign of respect.

But then again I dress that way for funerals, weddings, graduations, my kid's awards banquets and the list goes on. It might be the same couple of pairs of pants and shirts but I believe it's better than jeans or God forbid(pun intended) shorts or sweatpants . Again I guess I'm old fashioned.

I reckon if you have the means go ahead and dress up for the Bridegroom. If not, I reckon He will be glad your there.

Most of my church background is pretty conservative. I'm still trying to wrap my head around electric guitars and drums backing up the choir.

I've never been to a church that used anything other than an organ. Except maybe for Christmas specials where someone might have an acoustic guitar. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't care for electric guitars and drums!!

I'm of the belief you should dress up, at least somewhat. I'm not saying suit and tie and dresses are mandatory, but at least a nice pair of slacks and blouse/dress shirt.

We used to dress up growing up in church. I've been to all kinds. Now I go to church in clean jeans usually.
I don't think God cares.

Hmmm. Gonna have to give y’all a taste of some of that guitar and drums this Sunday. Stay tuned.

Used to go to church right from the trap line. Most times stinky and sometimes skunks, gave setting in a pue a whole new meaning. I was generally working out of a dry camp somewhere.

Well said.

Regarding t=shirts: We had a fellow coming a few years ago named Daryl who felt really dressed up in a tucked-in t-shirt. Good for him. Anyway, at one point the guy who was in charge of one particular service asked Daryl to come to the front and receive an offering. We were receiving a missions offering so the superintendent took a couple minutes to explain who the offering was going to, how they use it, etc. The whole time Daryl is beaming as he faces the audience awaiting the speaker to send him out. He is wearing a t-shirt that says "Does this t-shirt make my bass look bigger?" with a picture of a fish on it. In tucking in his shirt, he had a wrinkle that covered up the "B" in bass. It was startling to me & others until I figured out what the shirt really said. He sure was proud standing there though.

^^^^^^
Good for Daryl.
Jesus likes fishermen.

A lady I was going out with for a time in invited me to her church in the city and I was shocked. They had a huge stage with about 30 ppl on it and a light show that you expect to find at a Def Leppard concert 30 years ago. Most of the young ppl wore blue jeans and a lot of them had holes in them.
.
I won't go again but in their defense I think they averaged a dozen new baptisms every weekend.

I think that adds up to more than my whole wardrobe costs.

I remember going to church in the early 80's as a little kid, all the farmers that I saw everyday were in their suit and tie, and it was hard for me to recognize them because they were not wearing overalls which is what I was used to seeing them in. Most of them were poor working folk, but both the men and women put on their best attire to attend. These were the individuals of the greatest generation. Mind you, that this church had no AC or bathroom; there was an outhouse outback though. After Sunday dinner, we would walk home and the men usually went back to farming/ranching or tended to some food they had started that morning and would share with the community.

That kind of community is gone now. I don't think it really matters how dressed up one is to receive the Word of God, BUT I do think, that when we as believers show up to worship the God of the universe and the Creator of the world, then we ought to show some respect. Taking the time to dress nicely once a week to glorify God, and not looking like a ragamuffin when one is praying to the Lord God Almighty, shouldn't be that big of a deal in my opinion; although I really don't think God cares. Clean yourself up and show respect for who put you here. We don't go to a job interviews looking like crap even though we may be the best person for the job. Just my opinion of course. Chancey

^^^^ This ^^^^^ And of course dress in modest apparel.

I attended a Catholic funeral in Michigan and a few people had ball caps on their heads. People weren’t dressed for a service either. Not how we pay respect in the South.

I've seen Def Leppard three times. My favorite band but I tend to listen to Galatians or Ephesians nowadays.

I'm with you.

From the Book of Job, perhaps the 1st book written in terms of canonical timeline....

Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall return there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 22:6

Pretty much paints an accurate picture of what you wear as you worship God as not mattering one iota.

Blessings,
Mark

Why do we care what other people wear. If it’s a sign of respect in your eyes, great, dress up. Camo, t-shirt, flip,flops, shorts, who cares. Hearts in the right places and butts in the seats is all we should care about and help facilitate. There’s been times in my life, all I had on was all I had. I didn’t have two pennies to rub together for fancy clothes or even a laundry mat to wash my clothes. I have been looked down on, talked about and "given council" about this. People seem to forget that we have no idea what is happening in someone else’s life. Matthew 7:5 maybe?



Owl

Who are we worshiping and or bowing to when we walk into the sanctuary? If we dress up for those who will judge if we are worthy or dressed right etc. then we have received our reward. I tend to dress moderately for church, as I do for several occasions I attend. Yes it is nice to see good order etc. but maybe 50% of those who claim no church affiliation in the USA today and the almost 80% who do not attend on a regular basis might attend if they felt the visit was not similar to going to the coliseum on a Sunday If they would come and continue to come it would not take too long for them to find ways to fit in with the norms that are there.

Bryce

A lot of dress up is for the benefit of other parishioners, not God. Also, in the good old days, a lot of people had a "Sunday suit" to help hide the fact they were poor. They didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the other members of the church. I've seen a heap of women/girls wearing clothes that you would usually see on a street corner, walking down the aisle at church. But hey, they were in style.

For me, I do dress better than my normal day to day. I have a dark pair or jeans, several different button up shirts, and a special pair of boots. But also for me, and I believe a lot of todays true Christ followers … it is about authenticity.
Also, I am who I am. I don’t put on an act. I try to live a transparent life. I try to please Christ in all that I do. I frequently fail. I fall short. I give Him the glory for the growth I have made. It’s all about Him. When I am raised up to meet Him in the sky.. I seriously doubt if I will be wearing anything anyways.

James. Ch 2 vs 1-4 explains this subject well.

Meh, the Tollibaan likes to tell you what you can wear.

Sunday go to meeting cloths.And what happened to Easter bonnets??

The rule here in SW Oklahoma is pretty straightforward ...don't wear the same boots and jeans you just wore feeding cattle . Whether it's Catholic Mass , nondenominational, or whatever, it'll hold true.

Occasionally, my wife will wear a veil for Mass. Think it's the prettiest thing I've ever seen . Makes her look like a Spanish princess, even though she's neither .

I'm not a church goer... but people have given up looking nice in publilc for years now. Every time I came to the states and saw how people dressed to go to the airport, I was blown away. I wear a sport coat or at least a nice sweater, but in Seattle they walk around in gym clothes and I've even seen people in pajamas.

It's not just church.

Pete

I agree one hundred percent Pete. When my oldest daughter graduated I was dumbfounded. I hadn't been to a graduation in a while and dressed as I do for such momentous occasions in a person's life. Dress pants, a button-up long sleeve shirt, and dress shoes. I'd have worn a tie even but I'm a big dude and I don't like the way ties look on me.

There were other parents with sweats on, shorts on. I don't fit in anymore.

I don't think anyone was making a judgement call on someone's station in life, it was more a question of doing your best for God. Flipflops in church seems flippant to me.

Sign of decaying society

Church attendance went out of style in our culture long before the manner of clothes did.

I think church is pretty much a waste of time. However, if you are going to chuch, you should dress the same as the other practitioners. Church is not supposed to be about you. By dressing better or worse than anyone else in the congregation, you are making yourself an object of attention and detracting from where the focus of attention should be.

Saturday, we went to the wedding of one of my best friend's daughters. They are Traditionalist Catholic. The fiancé, now husband, is Russian Orthodox. I called my friend on Friday to ask how Diane should dress for the wedding. We would have been welcome no matter how we dressed, but it's respectful to dress as the other people attending dress.

Keith

It reminds me of how carefully the priests entered the tabernacle or handled the ark. No cavalier attitudes there. We're dealing with the same God.

I agree that “proper dress” is a matter of respect. I think it makes a statement that you have your head, body, and soul in the game. When my son was a kid, he always wore a coat and tie, but some kids didn’t. My kid sat still and followed the sermon, but many kids didn’t. When we ate our noon meal as a family, we discussed the morning sermon. Don’t know what the other kids did at lunch.

Now my son is a successful businessman and his wife is a local doctor. Their son wears a coat and tie to church, and other kids don’t.

In the South, family and tradition are important in some homes. Just don’t know any other way.

Well said, Charles.

Acts 1-3 is the ushering in of the New Covenant to Gentiles (most of us). Thank God, the account we have of the 1st century church was not about how life "should be lived", but rather how believers after the Ascension "did live." Worshipping as a gathered group of believers, often in homes.

With the exception of chapter 17 of Acts, every chapter in Acts includes supernatural revelation of the Holy Spirit, all pointing to the fact that the ordained church is not a work of man, but of Jesus.
Jesus promised the disciples an advocate and He sent the Spirit as Promised.

To say Church is of little consequence is to cast off what Jesus ordained in the "Church Age" between His 1st and 2nd Coming.
Yep, church is full of sinners and people who are not who we would hang with given a choice, but we don't bring people in the doors of the Church.... God does.
We're called to love them as ourselves and it's great practice run for the real thing = Heaven and New Earth
Oh and please extend grace and love to the pastors and clergy who dwell among the broken 24/7/365.... and as a result many quit after 5 years on average.

Our Western churches are notoriously legalistic in application, application, and more application of Scripture and very shallow in the ecclesia (church) of the Body of Christ.
The Gospel was never meant to stop with "me."
In fact, quite the opposite.

Blessings,
Mark

Mark that is some interesting text. I have frequently wondered or thought about our Western or American Christianity ( I know little about other nations) and are we immature in our Christianity. We seem to place a tremendous amount of our belief system and energy on our personal relationship with Christ and putting our own salvation above all else. To me being a disciple or Apostle requires more and that is caring as much if not more about others than just myself and my own salvation status. To me it is very similar to the crisis at the sandbox as we argue over our toys and who should have them and who should not and for many of us we maintain that thought process late into life if not all of our life. Church does offer opportunities for sharing and growing and also due to how donations are received is somewhat fraternal in how we support the whole so that all can be included. We do however spend a lot of time passing judgement on how we feel others are not participating as they should.

Bryce

If you are worried what others are wearing to church, you actually have more problems than you know.

Which is the better ? A politician who promises a new suit on every man or a God who can put a new man in every suit ?

Can you have an opinion on what you think is appropriate without judging someone else?

Bryce,
All worthy and very well said.
Many a theologian (all of us are theologians) have considered a blight of the Americanism in church which is either A. the church is a supermarket of spiritual groceries where we shop when we need them, or B. The church is wherever a few believers are gathered in Jesus' name. Neither of these is wonderful.

As far as immaturity you mention, we should realize many believers haven't been told or taught that believers are obligated to church unless we have an Apostle title after our name >>>> because while the church isn't a building, isn't an arm of the state, isn't an ethnic or nationality, is not a single denomination, or even merely a human organization..... the church (however we dress - modest is best)..... is;

essential for global proclamation (and no person can do this), corporate worship (all throughout the NT), sacramental presence, and sanctification (progress of one's spiritual life is always biblical in the context of the corporate "body" growing and edifying (build up) one another.

Scripture helps us understand that Christ's ordained Church is Jew and Gentile united by the Spirit into one body, a mystery unreveled in the past, always an eternal plan of God, and Christ as the cornerstone ordained by the NT Apostles and Prophets. Ephesians 2:14-16 helps us get that picture;

For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

There will never be a perfect ecclesia (church) until Christ returns but until then we do the best with what we have. We should be cautious when we take God's purpose and paint it top to bottom with what we want.

That all said, there are various views and I believe (a majority view) that the Church described in the NT is not a continuation of the OT Israel.
Acts 2:1-4 is where the Holy Spirit came and was the birth of the Church.

Blessings!
Mark

Too many people in this society have no pride (not the bad pride, the good pride).

They have no pride in their work, their family, their home, their conduct or their appearance. It's not about wealth or class.

When I go to mass (which is admittedly not often these days), I don't suit up. But my family is definitely presentable and well dressed--but I don't have to tell them--they know.

And, I think light shows and rock music at church are ridiculous but whatever.

I absolutely and humbly appreciate what the founding Fathers set in place in our nation called America....
that has never been seen in history and is not common anywhere in our world even now.

The constitutional freedom of religion from governmental mandate.

Yet with side rails that protect the individual (for instance, no human sacrifice allowed even if a religion says to do it).

We are a nation blessed beyond measure.

Blessings,
Mark

Well said Blaine. I preach at my boys constantly that one of the things that makes them a man is doing the absolute best they can at anything they do. Take some pride in and out of what you do. I’d also like to encourage you to making mass a priority in your week. Again well said

So deep down inside you can really tell who is liberal on Sundays.

Heck, you guys are catholic, it only matters what you do on Sundays anyway. lol

...... there are remnants of church authority hatred still today, 500 years after Luther "reformed" the faith.
But like many things, we humans run so far from one side of the ship to the other, that we tip the ship the other way.
Protestants have run "out" of the church Luther fought to reform.

Somewhere in the middle is prolly closer to dead center.

Way cal at fiense ridin’ ‘round chair.

Hobbie not Catholic I’m Baptist, but have went to mass every weekend with my family since 1996. I swore to her father and the priest that I would raise them in the church. I’m a man of my word! I call myself and family “Captist”. Mass Sunday morning and then Baptist Bible study on Sunday night.

https://youtu.be/RJirSK3PXx8

Just wait until people burst into flames because they wore jeans to church.

Somethings just need to be made fun of to show how truly busybody they are.

I don't worry about what others wear to church, but I do think the younger generation has deteriorated into a bunch of slobs. Wearing jeans, shorts, and baseball caps in church is inappropriate. I remember when women wore head covering and gloves to church. Men wore suits or a jacket and tie, Today you can hardly find a pregnant woman wearing a maternity dress.Styles? Paying good money for ripped jeans because they are in style. Our minister's wife is plastered with tattos.

It's not the jeans that will be their undoing. I've seen many a time where pastors doubt if half their congregations are truly converted. That may be being generous. But as my pastor says every Sunday...if you're not sure if you truly know the Lord, today is the best day to find out. There may not be a tomorrow.

Somethings I don't want to see and somethings I shouldn't see. I see big problems if ur a man and start sinning in your mind during a service. I bet more people bring their Bibles to church there for more than just covering their soul. I guess they didn't read the part in the Bible about dressing modestly....

I wear SONday best to church as does most of the congregation. But when someone comes in wearing less formal attire, I go out of my way to go over and welcome them and try to make them feel comfortable. We need to treat each other as Jesus would, no matter what anyone looks like.

I dress that way out of respect for Who I worship and because I feel (and perhaps behave) differently dressed in my SONday best.

An older cowboy took a job on a remote ranch
With no one close by it got lonely for him
He decided come the next Sunday he would go to church in the nearest small town
Come Saturday, he washed his jeans and denim shirt and took thread and a needle and patched the holes and nicks in them
He went in to church the next day and everyone there sat away from him
After the service the preacher was at the door and told the cowboy that he was glad to see him in church but he needed to respect God and wear better clothes when he went into the house of the Lord.
Come next Saturday and the old cowboy repeated the washing and patching and went to church the next day
People in the church still sat away from him
After the service the preacher once again met him at the door and told him he needed to wear a suit and tie or good slacks with a good shirt, coat and tie when he came to church to show respect for God
The week went by and the old cowboy repeated his routine and went in to church
Everyone sat away from him and again the preacher was there to meet him after the service. Once again the preacher confronted the old cowboy about the way he was dressed.

The old cowboy said " you know preacher I had a good talk with God this morning before I came in."
The preacher asked what he talked to God about ?
The old cowboy said " I told God about what you said as to how I should dress in order to respect and honor Him and he told me he didn't think he had been inside your church so I invited him to come with me this morning. "

^^^^^

I love that story!

I do like the cowboy story.

^^^^LOVE LOVE THIS^^^^, I preached a message a few sundays ago about following the Jesus of the Bible and not the Jesus of American/Western Church

Mark, you have moved up on my favorites list. Right next to Tony Evans. I wish you were closer to NC, I would love to know your thoughts on this latest church deconstruction movement. It has taken me a few years to realize the American Church has been getting stuff wrong. I had this great awakening at Campbell Divinity School. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, BTW your lures are pretty good too!

Follow on to know the Lord. That's something every Christian should strive for 24/7/365.

Growing up in a small rural ELCA church, nice jeans and a button up shirt were acceptable-some of the older folks wore suits. When id go my cousins MO synod church, everyone dressed up-mostly suits and dresses. I was comfortable in both. Ive been to one of the “new” churches where there is a band with guitars and the pastor wears a Hawaiian shirt and a few looked like they hadnt even showered recently. I was uncomfortable and will not return to that type of church.

TrapperTod,
Tony Evans is here at DTS quite often as he's one of the alums... and he is also one of my favorite preachers. Chuck Swindoll will be here speaking at the DTS "Preview Day" chapel later this morning and Chuck, like Tony, and all of us are taught foundationally; 2 Tim 4:1-3;

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.

The American church is part of a greater fallout from Europe that has largely emaciated the Gospel of Christ on that continent. Our academia has ALWAYS followed Europeans, most notably the well educated Germans. So here we are. God is in charge and there is a renewed revitalization of churches, one by one, occurring here in America but it's not merging gods as one. As many churches calling themselves Christian merge with the secular gods, a remnant of Godly Gospel Churches do remain.

We are confident God will work His Will always in that remnant.

And thanks for using our lures. Tuition here ain't cheap!

Blessings and continue to Preach Truth and Love Well,
Mark

A band with guitars?

Tambourines and cymbals are percussion.

Pianos and guitars are stringed instruments.

Get over yourselves.

No offense since I assume you play in the church band.... but I would be fine with churches having bands for special occasions like Christmas, Easter, summer festivals, youth camps, etc. But if an electrified band was part of the weekly service, I'd find a new church. For me, church should be solemn. Reverent. Anything outside an organ/piano would be too much for me.

Cmon Ang. I’m not religious and this song makes me wish I could sing

I bet you like this one too

I don't care for Long Black Train. I DO love anything Alison Krauss... but NOT at a weekly church service. Church is, or should be, sacred.... Alison, while amazing, is not.

What if God enjoys a gifted musician since God gives the gifts in the first place? Ethnodoxology is an emerging area of theology that FINALLY recognizes that while Christianity is a faith that has a very large experiential component (you feel it/you experience it deeply at times), everyone's doxology (worship) is cultural. Maybe you love the song Amazing Grace or maybe you enjoy a rappers worship in song and why can't one be just as worshipful as the other? Sure they can. In any church, there are differing generations, different ethnicities, and often different nationalities. A believer is challenged to mature if they think the way "they" like to sing or hear preaching is "the only truth, way, and life." It's not. Jesus is.
So, as long as the worship is Christian at its core doctrine..... BRING IT!

Christian churches all over the world worship every day in different ways and different styles to the God of the Bible.
The way most people who come to me and "tell me" how worship should be, I most often kindly remind them that most songs in our churches are not even 500 years old, and most are not 100 years old. The same grumbling happened the first time Amazing Grace was played.... people said, "I won't listen to that junk!"

See how times change and people haven't
If they come into God's church, love them. Not a little but a lot. Love 'em like you love yourself.
Love their worship style like you love yours.

As it is written.

And what an orchestra heaven should be!

Blessings,
Mark

You're missing the whole idea of worship if you think it should be solemn. When your favorite football team scores a touchdown what do you do? You should act the same way in church. Church should be a celebration not a punishment.

Good point.
The Church exists in large measure to strengthen us from "exaggerated individualism" and any pastor or priest is called to help the ecclesia (church) described in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4 understand that >>>>> a church body has many members, different callings, and all directed by the unifying Spirit to work together for God's Glory.

So we see that how someone dresses should be modest but has no bearing on the purpose of why Jesus ordained His Church.

I sure do miss seeing the choir and the mission field that was created. Worship teams generally sound better....

I think I understand what Yotetrapper30 means. Almost like, a concert feel when you see all these instruments and musicians on stage? I totally get what you’re saying cause how many lights and extra instruments brought people to Christ? But I think it all has to do with the heart of the worship team. I am on a worship team and if the singer gets just a little cocky you can see how it feels more like a show than a worship service. So I can see how you would like only a piano in worship but God gave us those gifts for us to use it for his Glory. I’m not trying to pick sides or step on any toes here, that’s just my opinion

We have an orchestra for worship. Not a full orchestra, but the basics are covered. It brings a phenomenal element to the worshop service. As a choir member, it is wonderful.

comparison on Worship is kinda like how the motor vehicle has come around.. A guy could only walk then the horse....than the gradual upgrades in the motor vehicle to what we have now. What if a guy got stuck on one year of a car and than anything more is too much. They both serve the same purpose but one has more features than the other. You no longer have to stand in front of the car and start it by hand you now hop in and start with a push of a button but it both gets you from point a to b.

We no longer worship in a field or in a drafty wooden bench church, but in cushioned pews or chairs with guitars, key boards, and drums. Its not the features of a car but the engine's reliability, same with a believer. It is their heart and their life to Christ not the instruments.

Ive read most of the posts on this thread but not all so maybe i missed it...but could someone smarter than me point to any verse or scripture...that has a dress code of any kind? Does anybody think that in the early church people dressed differently while they gathered together? I think how you live your life and your personal relationship with God is what is important. If salvation has a dress code...im screwed