A year ago, my husband entered the pulpit wearing khaki pants, a dress shirt, and a coat. No tie. After the service our family was invited to a covered dish meal. During that meal, a lady sat down next to my husband and asked him why he was not wearing a tie and would he consider shaving his beard. It was in this moment I began to consider the question, “How important is it to wear a tie and have a clean-shaven face if you are a pastor?”
To answer that question, I think we should also consider what the role of a pastor is and the general appearance of the 21st century church.
What Is the Role of a Pastor?
The pastor of a church plays many roles. Most notable is on Sunday morning as he greets people and stands behind the pulpit to share what God has laid upon his heart. What most people don’t see are the other roles of the pastor. Pastors are also the overseer, the elder, and the shepherd.
As the overseer, pastors are to watch over the people. Paul explains to the church in Ephesus this very instruction in Acts 20:28-35. The pastor becomes the one who keeps not only the day-to-day operations of the church flowing, but also has a keen eye for anything or anyone that could bring hostility, dissent, or unease to their congregation.
Pastors are the elders because they are supposed to be seen as the spiritual authority of the church. They are diligently studying and sharing the Scriptures with the congregation week after week. The pastor preaches the Word in an effort to lead and equip church members to minister to one another and ultimately minister to those who don’t know Christ.
The shepherd leads and protects his flock, but also never leaves his flock unattended. A pastor spends time with his congregation outside of Sunday morning. He shares meals in their homes. He goes to lunch with people in his flock. The pastor lives life with those they lead. A shepherd uses their resources carefully for the good of the sheep. Pastors are good stewards of the resources a church has too.
Jonathan Leeman, editorial director of 9Marks, sums up the role of a pastor in this statement. “He’s a man authorized by God, affirmed by the congregation, to lead the congregation in the way of Christ through preaching, prayer, and general oversight.” Being a pastor is not a 9-to-5 job. It is a calling that encompasses many roles.
How Should the Pastor Dress?
How a pastor should dress is an age-old question with countless answers. People often stand on the unwritten rule that pastors should dress in suits and ties. This “rule” leads some people to believe the pastor should stand out from the congregants. They stand behind the attitude that says any person entering a church should immediately know who the pastor is by what they wear. The pastor should have on a white shirt, tie, and jacket. Others have stated that the pastor should wear a suit and tie because they are preaching God’s Word and worshipping the King of the Universe.
What a pastor wears should reflect their hearts and their church. Pastors who wear the suit and tie should consider what they are signaling to the people. The suit and tie says you are prepared, disciplined, and have the respect of the congregation. In some churches, this is what should and needs to be signaled.
Churches with a more casual atmosphere may not respond well to the pastor in a suit and tie. They most likely will choose a pastor who wears khakis and a button-down shirt. A casual attire can signal approachability. It can send the message that you are relatable because you don’t look so different from them.
We also need to address the idea that pastors should not fit in but stand out. Just because a pastor dresses down doesn’t mean they are fitting in. Some casual attire is as much or more expensive than your “high class” clothing.
Pastors come in all kinds. Some like the suit and tie with the matching watch, belt, and shoes combo. Others like a more laid-back look that consists of dress pants or khakis, and polo shirts. What makes your pastor comfortable should be considered. Who needs a pastor spending more time fixing his tie than making disciples?
What the pastor wears should inspire confidence, and that inspiration can come from business suits, shined shoes, khakis, polo or button-down shirts, and even tennis shoes.
What Is the General Appearance of the 21st Century Church?
The 21st century church is full of variety. Because churches should reflect the community they serve, their general appearance will and should change over time, within the context of biblical instruction.
Churches in more affluent parts of the world may have a congregation dressed to the nines. More rural areas of the world will find churches where bib overalls are acceptable. Some churches will dress in a fashion that reflects their culture. This could include women wearing hats and heels or congregants wearing simple dresses or their nice pair of jeans.
It is obvious that God likes variety because he made us in a variety of hair colors, skin colors, heights, talents, and personalities. The church should look like that too. Not all people will like or agree on the same things, and that is why churches are different. There is – or there should be – a place of worship for all people because of this variety.
Do Christians Have Guidelines for How They Dress?
Yes! We all may dress differently, but we all should follow the instructions laid out in God’s Word.
Christians should not dress immodestly. “For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16). Modesty matters. Entering the doors of the church should emphasize the greatness of the God we serve, not our sexuality.
We also need to be aware of our pride and rebellion, being conscious of where our attitudes are being shaped. We are bearing Christ’s image to the world and should be conscious of when pride causes us to “show off,” or rebellion drives our decisions to dress or not dress in a certain way.
What the people choose to wear should help them and others focus more on Christ and less on themselves. Our churches are a place of worship and there are no specifics in the New Testament regarding what we wear to worship. If that is the case, then churches or church people who stand on the attitude that we should all dress for church in a certain way are becoming legalistic, and legalism is a sin.
Final Reflections
Pastors serve an important role in the church. In the Bible, there are specific instructions on how a pastor lives and leads their family and their church. What is not specific is how they should dress.
We cannot conclude that God doesn’t care about how we dress. Our God loves variety and how pastors and congregations choose to dress will reflect that. Christians should be modest and free from prideful and rebellious thoughts.
Church, let’s be careful that we do not hinder God’s work because we are more focused on what a person is wearing than how God can use that person to build His kingdom.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Josearba
Ashley Hooker is a freelance writer passionate about missions. She has collaborated with mission teams in North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, West Virginia, and Vermont. Presently, she lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children, where she fulfills roles as a pastor's wife, a dance mom, and a farm girl.