Ordinarily I would have answered with a yes or no. However because I took “I don’t believe anyone will find a scripture in the Bible that requires that” as a kind of off-handed challenge I decided to be a little more expansive in my response.
I began my thought process by recalling my own experience as a Baptist preacher. That experience covers a period of time starting in about 1963 to the present or about 60 years of observation and involvement. I have observed preachers from around the world and must confess that they have worn all sorts of attire.
I may be wrong, but here are some of my thoughts on why clothing matters when we’re preaching. I do believe that what the preacher wears in the pulpit and at public speaking engagements is more than just a matter of personal choice. After all, preaching is not about us.
As the vessel through which God delivers His message we cannot help but be noticed. However, we should never outshine the message or deliberately call attention to ourselves. After all that is the main thing in preaching. I will add, that however one dresses it needs to be clean, fit well, appropriate and not be a distraction from the sermon. Now with that said, hear is what I think . . . .
Since finding a chapter and verse that delineates how a preacher is to dress for the pulpit seemed to be a challenge of some sort I want to address it first. Let me be the first to say that there is nothing in Scripture that says in a straightforward manner anything like, “And the Bishop shall wear ___________.” However, that does not mean Scripture inform a preachers choice of attire.
You see, the preacher’s attire when preaching is not a matter of chapter and verse in Scripture. Scripture. There are in Scripture whose underlying principle would apply. For example Paul’s discussion of meat offered to idols in both Romans 14:21 and Corinthians 8:13. Certainly First Corinthians 10:23, where Paul says, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not" is informative.
So, in typical preacher form I have four points and but no poem.
First the attire of the preacher in the pulpit is largely and issue of contextualization. It needs to fit the time, place and occasion. What works in one church may not work in another. Keep in mind you can rarely over dress but it is really easy to under dress. In my personal experience, my last church seemed to prefer at a minimum a coat and tie, but I preferred a suit (I did both) for all Sunday services. I have found that acceptable attire for any church. In some instances like weddings I have worn my doctrinal robe. All of the churches where I served would not have minded if I wore pants and a Polo shirt on Sunday nights and other weekday services. I want my dress to fit the occasion. Loving people well means being willing to contextualize my attire so others might hear the Word. I do not want my dress to distract from the main thing . . . the preaching of the Gospel. As a preacher we need to know our audience; we need to know the occasion; and we need to dress appropriate for both.
My second thought is that what the preacher wears does send signals intended or not. On the negative side it may say things like, “I’m still living in the 70s” or “I’m messy.” In other cases, it says, “I like to rebel against tradition” or “perhaps I’m too lazy to iron my shirt.” On the positive side in might say, “I want to become all things to all men” so some might be saved. These perceptions may be just that—only perceptions—but we still need to recognize them when we preach. You preach on heaven and all the congregation remembers is that goofy tie you work or the chest hair sticking out above the top button of your shirt.
My third thought is that how the preacher dresses can be part of an intentional ministry outreach strategy. Perhaps the best illustration is the pastor who wears a coat and tie in a traditional service, but who then wears jeans with an untucked shirt for the contemporary or evening service. He’s doing that intentionally because of the church’s desire to reach multiple generations through different services.
My final thought is that how the preacher dresses can distract from the message. When your clothing looks strange (or even just decidedly different), it’s not always easy to hear your message because of the visual distraction. I suppose we can blame that issue on the hearers, but it’s our responsibility as the communicator to figure out how to communicate most effectively. I remember the days of the flamboyant evangelists with their flashy clothes. They certainly got your attention don’t know about whether their message always got through.
As preachers we have a responsibility not to allow our clothing choices to hinder someone’s hearing the message. To paraphrase Jesus, “Take heed that you do not dress to be seen of men: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” Again, it is an issue of contextualization.
I also think these apply to church members as well. My grandfather might have worn coveralls to church but they would be his newest and cleanest. May I suggest that how we dress might be a reflection of how we view God. The real question is not what should I wear but am I dressing to please myself, to impress others or to honor and please God. After all, God looks on the intent of the heart.
Proper Attire for the Pulpit. What is it? You tell me in the Comments below.
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