Minister's Image in Public

[reformedbeliever]

So I guess Harley t-shirt, jeans, motorcycle boots and an earring is out of the question? I suppose it depends upon who you are trying to develop a relationship with. If you need to develop a relationship with churchy people dress like them. Unfortunately, there are many churchy people I don't like being around. There are many others in society that need followers of Christ to develop relatiionships with them, then share the Gospel.

 

[av1611jim]

I am rolling on the floor. That was a good one, much better than my comment. My complements and touche. :laugh:

Thank you.
Your comment sounded like an offer of "truce"?
I accept.
God bless ya bro.

 

[Dale-c]

So I guess Harley t-shirt, jeans, motorcycle boots and an earring is out of the question?

What about a Harley tie, we had a visiting pastor wear one once, along with his suit

 

[Karen]

Here are some laymen's perspectives.

When some laymen see a minister inappropriately dressed up, the impression is this fellow has a need to be recognized as a minister. He does not want to deal with people on an equal basis, but needs his minister status so he can relate to others on a minister/layman basis.

I hope no one is offended by this, but many layman enjoy observing this and find this both interesting and amusing.

But maybe you are assuming too much. Maybe with the timing and distance of where the minister needs to go, Home Depot for paving stones for example, is only one stop of many. Maybe he just dropped in on his way to a funeral because it was convenient. And Home Depot people will load for him, so his clothes won't be messed up.

Where I live, you could go all over the place fairly quickly. In bigger, more congested places, going two blocks can take a very long time. People plan their routes and timing more carefully, perhaps.

In other words, you are only assuming reasons and motivations. Maybe they are completely different than what you are thinking.

Interesting comments several have made about some clothes looking hot and miserable. The old-timers I have known, to stay cool in the summer, wore long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and broad-brimmed hats.

 

[mcdirector]

I think nice clean clothes are nice, but if the pastor is painting, I don't have a problem with him in his painting stuff either when he's got to run to the store . . .

 

[convicted1]

RE: Ministers image in public

I once knew an Old-Line baptist preacher who would occasionally wear bib-overalls to church. I saw nothing wrong with it, because I believe his heart was right with the Lord. Another man told me a woman told him she wouldn't want to listen to a man who was wearing blue-jeans. It all depends on the individual and what they considered was "nice clothing" or not. As for the "earring" thing, I wouldn't have any confidence in listening to him. I would catch myself looking at it more than listening to what he was saying. But that is just me....

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Normal summer "off-duty" clothes for me - jeans and polo shirt. If I am wearing shorts around the house I may wear them for a quick run to the DIY if I need to. Of course I have been banned from wearing shorts at the DIY - it is NOT a pretty site.

Winter, jeans, a linf sleeve short with cuffs rolled, or if it is cold a jumper (sweater for Americans before you have too much fun with that.

Sunday morning - chinos and a nice shirt with no tie. Sunday evening - usually chinos and a polo shirt.

 

[drfuss]

But maybe you are assuming too much. Maybe with the timing and distance of where the minister needs to go, Home Depot for paving stones for example, is only one stop of many. Maybe he just dropped in on his way to a funeral because it was convenient. And Home Depot people will load for him, so his clothes won't be messed up.

Where I live, you could go all over the place fairly quickly. In bigger, more congested places, going two blocks can take a very long time. People plan their routes and timing more carefully, perhaps.

In other words, you are only assuming reasons and motivations. Maybe they are completely different than what you are thinking.

Interesting comments several have made about some clothes looking hot and miserable. The old-timers I have known, to stay cool in the summer, wore long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and broad-brimmed hats.

drfuss: No assumptions on my part. The old minister was my Father-in-Law who talked plainly to the family about the need to "meet his public".

 

[Hopeful]

But maybe you are assuming too much. Maybe with the timing and distance of where the minister needs to go, Home Depot for paving stones for example, is only one stop of many. Maybe he just dropped in on his way to a funeral because it was convenient. And Home Depot people will load for him, so his clothes won't be messed up.

That's a very good point for explaining the suit, and I was being flippant with my comment about the loading anyway--shouldn't have been, I guess (although I think you were responding particularly to the other post). However, I CAN say--completely seriously, but with a smile--employees at the Home Depot here obviously RUN from me, coz I can NEVER find someone to load anything for me when I need it most! Perhaps a suit is a GOOD idea there! :laugh:

Interesting comments several have made about some clothes looking hot and miserable. The old-timers I have known, to stay cool in the summer, wore long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and broad-brimmed hats.

I know, Karen, and I'm amazed by that--I can remember my grandparents doing the same thing. However, when I try that, I just swelter more. Of course, I think that's because all the old-timers have thinner blood or something, coz my great-aunt would wear a sweater outside in the summer and still be cold! Whew! My biggest thing about the suit in the heat, though, is not so much MY personal problem with all that fabric making me hotter--it's when THE WEARER HIMSELF is so obviously miserable. My hubby was one who had to "dress appropriately" at work--most places requiring at least the tie. He wore it well indoors in the air-conditioning, but once outside in the heat, he had to peel out of the "extra" layers because he was SO uncomfortable he couldn't function. Maybe it's a "country-boy" thing, I don't know! :laugh:

 

[npetreley]

A combover or toupe bothers me more than clothes, especially if the preacer is pretending to be a faith healer. As a chrome dome, myself, I prefer going au natural. Even when they have real hair, I noticed a lot of TV preachers tend to have really odd hairstyles. Why is that?

 

[webdog]

I can care less what a pastor wears...whenever. If he wants to wear a space suit to mow the lawn, or a cat-in-the-hat hat to wash dishes, so what. There is no "dress attire" for being an elder listed in Scripture. Everything we say is or isn't acceptable comes from man.

 

[Brother Bob]

Earrings for men were a "gay" thing in the beginning. I don't think you will see me sporting earrings anytime soon. We have had preachers who wore bib overalls and deacons. I see some Elders wearing jeans to church on Saturday but on Sunday they usually have a suit. On Saturday, it is usually just our members present. I personally would not feel comfortable in Jeans at church. I a couple of pair that I use around the house to do yard work and such.
I go to the gymn 3 times a week and wear a nice pair of slacks with gymn shoes. I wear a colored pull over T shirt. I usually stop at Wal-mart on the way home, so if you are there you may see me dressed that way, be sure to say "hi" to me.

 

[webdog]

I thought initially earrings were a sign of slavery in OT times?

 

[Brother Bob]

oops.........

 

[Servent]

If you don't get the pants length fitted to you they can all cause you to stumble.

What part of Texas do you live in.
Sorry wrong quote

 

[Servent]

Can we get a ranking of how beneficial the clothes are to your Christian witness? How about:

Expensive Perfectly Fitted Tuxedo: Excellent Christian witness
Rented Tuxedo: Very Good ++
Armani Suit: Very Good
Business Suit: Very Good --
Cheap Suit: Good
Cotton Checkered Suit: Average ++
Polyesther Checkered Suit: Average
Leisure Suit: Average --

[...]

T-Shirt and Cutoff Jeans: Satanic --

Now what part of Texas do you live in.

 

[npetreley]

Now what part of Texas do you live in.

I'm in San Antonio right now. I'm hoping to move to La Vernia (just outside San Antonio) by the end of August.

 

[DQuixote]

On Sunday morning we wear suits in the winter and anything in the summer. Springtime and Fall are a mixed bag. I don't know why.

I normally "dress up" when I preach. I don't know why.

If I'm in a Sunday School class in the summer I wear whatever. But when I'm asked to teach a SS class I "dress up", year-round. I don't know why.

raying: <-------praying for divine revelation on this matter.

(I'll let everyone know what HE says about it asap).

 

[ShotGunWillie]

Earrings for men were a "gay" thing in the beginning.

1. Indication of you being a slave
2. Indication of you being a pirate
3. Indication of you being a biker
4. Indication that you might be attracted to all three
5. Indication that you are either at #4 or no one has told you about #4.

That is the evolution of the earring I believe

 

[npetreley]

2. Indication of you being a pirate

Speaking of which, how much does it cost for a pirate to get his ears pierced? A buccaneer.