There was a time when dressing up for church was the proper thing to do. Your Sunday clothes were neatly arranged in your closet, and you knew the difference between “everyday” clothes and “church” apparel.
Now casual attire has found its way into the sanctuary. A dress that was worn to the club the night before may very well be showcased on the front row. It has become the norm to see Apple Bottom jeans or spaghetti strapped tank tops in the house of worship.
“Everyone wants to do what they want to do. The church is not a beach or picnic grounds. Church is a place of adoration and worship, but people have torn that down as if they don’t want it anymore,” said Rev. Maudine Wordlaw, associate pastor at Light of the World Christian Church.
This troubling reality is causing some churches to take action. One in particular is Nu Corinthian Baptist Church. This church enforces a dress code that members are expected to adhere to. There are special occasions, known as dress down Sundays, when members pay a fee of $1 to wear jeans. The funds received are donated to a good cause.
Although Nu Corinthian has guidelines, they do not shun anyone who may refuse to comply. They understand that it’s a growing process that starts within.
“We will simply try to guide them in the right direction,” said Judy Cornett, mass choir president of Nu Corinthian. “We’ll direct them to the Bible because that is what guides us. Does God see us differently because of our attire? No! Does he want to see us give our best? Yes!”
According to I Timothy 2:9, women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel. Still your definition of modesty may be misconstrued based on your upbringing.
“We want to blame everything on the church. This stuff should be taught in the home too. They should be trained and nurtured at home first,” Woodlaw says. “We have too many kids with kids who have not been taught, therefore they can’t teach.”
According to Cornett, teaching the reasoning behind the importance of wearing appropriate clothing to church is imperative. After all, people cannot fully operate in something they do not comprehend.
Sola Adelowo, certified image consultant at ImageCube, an organization which aims for people to harness the power of image, says this understanding will only take place once social boundaries are understood.
“I can tell you why an outfit is unattractive, but if I can’t tell you why it’s inappropriate I’ve failed,” she said. “Why are you going to church? Be self-aware of what is attracting, but not distracting.”
Three questions Adelowo suggests church attendees ask themselves are: How do I want to be perceived? Where am I going? Who will be around me?
You can certainly dress respectively and still be attractive, said Adelowo. It comes down to your understanding of what is inappropriate.
With the weather heating up, it’s certainly tempting to flaunt what you’ve got; nevertheless there is a right time and place for everything.
“We should obey the Word of God. Do not dress in a way to distract from the message at hand,” Wordlaw says. “When we come to the Lord’s house we should dress as if we have a date with Jesus Christ himself.”
