Six Thoughts about Proper Pastoral Attire for Worship Services

I never expected to write an article on this topic, and I’m still not certain I should. But I’ve received sufficient questions from readers of the blog and listeners of the podcast to indicate I should tackle the issue.

Allow me three caveats before I go further. First, this post is about high-level issues of attire, not the specifics of fashion and dress. I am not qualified to write about the latter. I once tried to subscribe to GQ and was rejected as unqualified. Second, though I am writing about pastors, much of the content could be applied to other church staff. Third, I am only writing to males. I am not about to delve into issues about female attire.

With those caveats, I must disclose a clear bias of mine. I do not like neckties. They are too similar to a hanging noose for my comfort. With those issues cleared, let’s look at six thoughts about pastoral attire.

  1. Understand the demographic context. Most churches in South Florida and Southern California have different expectations about dress than some churches in Mississippi and Alabama. Find out how other pastors dress in the community. Find out how the men in your own congregation dress for worship services.
  2. Understand the church’s expectations. The expectations of churches in the same community typically vary. Because I speak all over the nation, my assistant always asks my host about the expectations of my attire. I would never want the way I dress to be a distraction or stumbling block.
  3. Understand changes in fashion. I have been fascinated to observe the changes toward a more informal dress in many churches. When I became a member of my church ten years ago, about 90 percent of the men attending wore ties. Now I suspect the number is below 10 percent. Such changes may be a signal to you as a pastor that you can dress a bit more informally.
  4. Lead change gradually. The pastor’s attire in a worship service can be a sacred cow for some church members. Don’t let the way you dress become a major divisive issue. For example, if you notice a more informal trend for dress in your church, you may want to move from wearing a tie all the time to leaving the tie off in the summer months. Gradual change can be better tolerated than radical and sudden change.
  5. Don’t put your preferences ahead of your love for others. The biblical principle of the stumbling block (See 1 Corinthians 8) means that we put our own rights on the backburner for consideration of others. It is not a sin to dress without a tie and coat, but it can be a problem for others. The matter becomes sin when our own preferences become our idol.
  6. Understand your members’ emotional attachment to certain forms of attire. I knew a pastor who was called to serve an established church in the South. Previous pastors had all worn suits and ties in the worship services. On his first Sunday, he wore jeans, an untucked shirt, and sandals. He had the shortest tenure of any pastor in the history of the church.

I welcome your input on this issue. Ladies, feel free to share about female attire for church staff as well. You are far more qualified than I to broach that topic.

Posted on July 13, 2015


With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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247 Comments

  • William Finnin, Th. D. says on

    Thanks, Thom. Context is, in my opinion, an important guide, within reason. I have a colleague who dresses in a swim suit and tank top. Of course, he leads a service for early-morning surfers before he hits the waves on his board. When I moved from a large southwestern city where I served as university minister, I gave away all my neckties to the Sheriff’s Boys’ Ranch, and vowed never to wear one again. Haven’t in seven years. Folks in rural north Florida became quite accustomed to greeting a pastor who wore a clerical collar both for worship and as daily attire. Change sometimes facilitates new relationships!

    Context is important, but need not be absolutely so. And if you happen to be an ordained woman pastor, the range of options increases, I’d assume … both in worship and for daily attire.

    Right on, Thom! Write on …

  • Jim Watson says on

    Are we dressing our best to show our respect for God or to impress the members of the congregation? Are we dressing to create a false view of ourselves to others (or ourselves)? Are we using our attire as a teaching tool, or is it a stumbling block? Is our attire a sign of respect for our Lord or a sign of pride? Does our attire present a welcoming environment, or is it excluding those with different attire? Are we spending money on attire JUST for church that would be better spent to further the kingdom in other ways?

    How does a shepherd dress? How does a fisherman dress? Are we really dressed appropriately for the job God calls us to do?

    I always seem to end up with more questions than answers….

    • Thom Rainer says on

      But they are good questions.

    • You have asked the right question. “Are we really dressed appropriately for the job God calls us to do?” If we answer this truthfully and faithfully, we will be going in the right direction.

      Great response!

    • Jim,

      Good point. I would add is you don’t mind one more question. How does a servant dress? For we are called to be servants not professionals.

  • Because we live in the world, it’s hard to separate ourselves enough from it to seek God’s will in all things – even something seemingly so silly as clothing. But it’s important. I actually agree with all your points and think it pertains to women leaders as well. Well, Christians in general actually! We must know our geography, the local culture and find the balance between modesty and connecting. If anything gets in the way of the Great Commission, it’s a failure.

  • i find these discussions fascinating. Jesus and John the Baptist we’re VERY informal in their dress. The attire for the day of atonement was a simple garment of a servant when the high priest entered he most holy of holies.

    I’d rather pastors not spend a ton on their wardrobe and spend more of Georgia money on family and ministry. A nice pair of jeans or other pants and a shirt is all that is needed on a regular basis. What comes out of our mouth has the real impact.

  • If, as the scripture says, “…we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6), then I am pretty sure God is unimpressed with my coat and tie, graphic t-shirt, jeans, or whatever I think is cool, hip, or impressive. As a pastor, I wear what is appropriate for the context of my ministry and what respects a given occasion. Everyone has an opinion and that is fine, but we should take care not to attribute some sense of spirituality to our choice of wardrobe. There are plenty of well-dressed lost people, and lots of casually dressed mature followers of Christ.

  • Buffy Brown says on

    This was a HUGE issue for my pastor husband who worked at a traditional church. It boiled down to control for the deacons. It was a visible sign to the congregation that the pastor was doing what they told him. For us personally it’s all about the lost though. Time and time again we invite unchurched people and the first thing they ask is what do they wear. They say we don’t have suits, or dress clothes. I always say don’t worry about it, I wear jeans. I make sure to wear what they would be comfortable in, not what the Christian crowd is comfortable in.

    • Thom Rainer says on

      Thanks, Buffy.

    • This is the same thing I have found.

      When my wife and I got married we invited a friend of mine who was going to decline because he didn’t feel like he has nice enough clothing. We ended up convincing him with the help of some others that his best jeans and fire dept polo shirt was acceptable to us.

      Since then we have repeatedly heard from people who couldn’t go to church because of their clothing. And before people start condemning them for thinking this way remember it is church goers who have given them this idea.

      It is easier to draw folks in telling them that often times I as the preacher wear jeans.

  • I definitely agree with Mike in that the occasion and being before the Lord should determine the standard. Why would most people dress their best for a formal or high level event and consider coming before God in worship to be causal. I believe dress reflects our mindset. For example, if I’m dressed for a picnic or for running errands I dress casual. However, I wouldn’t want to enter worship with attire that reflected a mindset that it’s casual time. I disagree with Richard in that I believe Exodus 28 & 29, Leviticus 8 & 16 sets the attire standard for the office of priesthood and the priesthood exemplified a high standard for the congregation. Although I don’t believe it means we must wear the exact same attire I do believe that it establishes the high standard of respect for the Lord and his Holy calling upon us when in His sanctuary. Personal bible studies and market-place gatherings would be different but for worship our mindset ought to be at the highest level possible…and it’s not coming with a casual mindset. So, I do strongly believe how we dress reflects ones mindset which reflects how we come before God.

  • Exodus 19:9-23 – Sounds like meeting with God was pretty special for the Israelites. Maybe we should start making it special as well. The attire was important in this passage and if it was then it is now. This casual trend in our churches is not helping our people in their relationship with the Lord.

    http://bcpm.org/2014/11/12/fundamental-baptists-and-contemporary-worship/

  • Excellent post and I have enjoyed reading the many comments. I don’t know why but I figured this would bring many interesting comments.

    I worked in retail management for a number of years while pastoring bi-vocational. I was fortunate to have upper management who were willing to work with my schedule. The trend in men’s clothing is away from suits. I have seen many suit departments decrease by more than half their size and sales figures over the past 10 years, which is recent and fast in a area of retail where there is little fashion change. Suits are harder to find these days because it is not a staple of dress. Also a suit does not mean it is the best. Suits only present a professional appearance; not necessarily our best clothing. Last I checked we are not professionals but servants.

    By the way I pastor a small fulltime church and I do wear a suit or sport coat and tie only on Sunday morning because it is what I am comfortable wearing not due to expectations. I am the only one dressed that way in the church, but they wouldn’t care if I didn’t wear it. I don’t hold my preferred dress up to another as the standard for them.

  • I too grew up with the “Sunday Best” and “give of your best to the master” slogans that even got preached from the pulpit, the thing I never was able to reconcile is that Pastors say those things and then remind the church members that the Master lives inside of you, the Spirit of the Living God, and wherever you go, whatever you do He is there dwelling inside of you. With this logic should we not be in “Sunday Best” every moment we are awake?? So God only deserved our best on Sunday’s?? God seemed to be just fine walking side by side with a naked pastor of the earth, Adam. I’m not sure these clothing debates hold water. Good article Thom.

    • Thom Rainer says on

      Thanks, Luke.

    • Great point, Luke. Many Christians want to confine God into a box (the church building), when he is in fact omnipresent. I think this also stems from the prevalent idea that worship simply means singing songs, when in fact it is something that is ongoing.

      Romans 12:1 (NASB) – Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

  • I, too, choose to dress in what is current for female fashion and use what would be appropriate in a professional setting (I serve folks who relate to that culture). And as a potentially unique issue for the ladies: shoes. I choose to wear heals when I preach. They are consciously or unconsciously a sign of authority in my wardrobe but the more practical reason is that they give me the height I want to be comfortable standing at the pulpit (and I’m not short!).

  • Jack Lawrence says on

    Would Clergy vestments and robes help settle the angst of this very unimportant non-theological issue?

    • All due respect, Jack, but I don’t believe that would solve anything. It would only separate newcomers and young people even more. At twenty-five, I’m considered a “Millennial”, and I know that the friends I have who are not believers would feel alienated by robes. God wants us as we are. I pray that no matter which church we attend, the congregation would share Christ’s love with anyone who enters, regardless of their dress. As for the pastor and staff, I pray they would trust God in regard to their dress and live in a way that honors Him no matter what.

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