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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
I have spent the past couple of years doing supply preaching while looking for a permanent place of ministry. I always ask about the dress code when preaching somewhere for the first time. If I can’t get a clear answer I’ll wear a suit then dress down a little if I see they are more casual (taking a coat and tie off is easy enough).
When I lived in the Philippines I never wore a suit while preaching–it was out of the question in the tropics.
It would be interesting to see how the pastors dress relates to the growth of the church. I wonder what statistics would stay? Around the area where I pastor the churches who are legalistic (KJV only and the pastor must wear a tie) are not reaching the lost and are closing the doors.
(By the way, I’m a different “Patti” than commented previously in this thread.)
I’m a Lead Pastor, member of denominational executives, etc. This article is just as applicable to females as males; no need for the caveat, in my opinion. Just substitute “dress” for “tie” in your examples, if you like. The principles remain the same.
If the audience in worship is God then the rest is not important. We sing for Him. We pray to Him. We dress for Him. In the OT a dress code was given for those who served in the tabernacle (temple) but not for the congregation. Their clothes were to show “glory and beauty” (Exodus 28) as they represented God to the people and the people to God. The veil has been torn and we are under a new covenant. We don’t have to dress as they did, but is there perhaps a principle there that we ought to think about and perhaps guide our thinking. I’m not sure that the lowest common denominator is good when dealing with God.
I find many of these responses very amusing. I really do wonder what our Lord and Savior thinks about all this. What I get from from all the blah, blah, blah is, if you don’t dress how i dress you must not be a very good christian, and certainly can’t be a good pastor. and to be honest i think its a pretty sad day for the American Church when it’s leaders actually believe that God gives one whit about it. If giving your best to God has anything to do with how expensive or what style your clothes are you then you read a very different Bible than I do.
I am a pastor in Central Florida and I preach every Sunday in a small but revitalized and growing SBC Church. I do not wear a “suit and tie” to preach in for two very simple reasons.
1. its just to “blame” hot. even with the AC freezing our older ladies to death, I get too hot to wear a suit, yes I’m a big guy, and when I wear a suit i sweat right through it in about 15 minutes. how is being that overheated, wet and uncomfortable giving my best to God? I can hardly think straight let alone preach and teach effectively with rivers of sweat running down both legs into my shoes and being soaked to the bone then I get chilled because the air blows right on the platform. Believed me God is not honored by that sight, and I really cant give Him my best effort. I’ve tried. When I perform a funeral or a wedding i do suit up, but i’m prepared to change shirts at least twice and have a second jacket on the stage.
2. On Sundays I wear Casual Khaki pants or nice jeans, and what I call “camp shirts” sometimes with a Island print, I want people who visit our church to feel like they can approach me and have an everyday conversation regardless of what they are wearing or have hanging in their closet. I want to be touchable and since we are a hugging church no one wants to hug the pastor if I’ve been preaching in a suit. So I try to hit the middle of the road. We have a diverse church with many walks of life represented I want to be approachable to the poorest as well as the ones who have means.
Many of the business people who attend our church dress the same way. one man told me that giving his best to God was to give Him his recreation time, its not special to wear a jacket, because he wears one all week. to him his best is his down time. I’m sure there will be wrath, I’m used to it, after all I’m a Baptist Pastor. Thanks Thom for opening this can of worms. Just Kidding. love you
My grandfather wore his best every Sunday. I can remember asking him why. He told me that God gave His best for him and he felt God deserved his best. He never cared about what others thought. So each Sunday morning he put his Sunday over-alls on (he had 2 pair, one to work in and one for church. When the work pair wore out he bought a new pair for church and took the old church pair for work). Many times I can remember people looking at us… but he never seemed to see them, he would sing load, listen strongly and pray loudly. He was there to Worship the King… and the King saw his love for Him… It is about pleasing God, not others… it is about worshipping God, not impressing others, it is not about what the culture is doing, it is about God… As I preach I don’t look to see what people wear, I wonder, do they really know my Lord, or are they their for the show?
Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, I spent twenty plus years as a sales manager in the petro-chemical field. As such I hewed to the dress code for professional sales, dark suit, white shirt, classical tie. I remember the day that I visited a customer in central Illinois in my salesman’s finest.
As I stepped into the customer’s office he greeted me with, “Are you my banker?” He then told a young salesman to go out to the car, hang up the coat, loosen the tie, and rollup my sleeves if I felt comfortable. The moral of the story, it’s about context. As I became a more seasoned sales professional I understood the requirements of my customers in regards to an acceptable mode of dress. It’s the same with pastors and their congregations.
On Sunday’s when we serve communion, first Sunday, I will almost always wear a suit and tie. Exception, when the weather is hot enough that it becomes uncomfortable to do so (small church without air-conditioning). During the summer months I wear a shirt with a collar, usually without a tie, and a pair of dress pants. During the winter I will usually wear a sweater over a shirt, again with dress pants. I am not seeking to elevate myself above my congregation, most dress in jeans, some with t-shirts. But I am seeking to honor God and the people of my congregation who hold me to a professional standard.
I like your comments… I was in sales and retail for years and we served the customer… my question is: who is our customer? Are we selling something? So many church are into selling the church, the experience, the feeling, the moment, that they have forgot the main purpose… Worshipping God… is that not the main reason we are there? I truly believe if we would get back to Worshipping God and not the experience, we would see a change in the world…
Let’s see…lost people headed to hell. Pastor preaches gospel. Some are saved. Hallelujah! Oh, wait…pastor wasn’t wearing the right clothes. Guess it doesn’t count. Sorry.
When the 90 year old man in the mid-70s polyester suit and wide paisley tie and wing tips with holes in them looks down on your bow tie.
May be we all should call for sack cloth and ashes.
Good article Thom.
Thanks, Tim. I think that’s all I’m qualified to wear!
This topic generates so much traffic! You tend to wear whatever people wore in your early days at church. You tend to rationalize why it’s important for people to dress like you. Not sure why this is so important.
There’s way to much judging going on in the body of Christ concerning the gray areas. Sure we don’t want to cause someone to stumble, but some are just plain legalistic. Internet dating, dancing at weddings, what time of day is the best for devotions, etc, seems its always something Lol. Gods concerned about our hearts and are we growing in love. It’s really easy to project our personal convictions onto others, but as we grow in the grace of God we understand to a greater degree that we don’t have to be so quick to be offended by the freedoms of our brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s pretty cool to be able to agree to disagree in the non-essentials. The essentials are another matter 🙂
This reminds me of a lady in a church my dad pastored. She was obsessed with my clothing choice (untucked shirt) and for added bonus she disliked where I parked. The life of a PK. Ironically, I wear a suit to lead worship during the morning service. Casual at night…shirt tucked and all. Great article