I hate neck ties. I rejoice very often that I do NOT have to wear a tie to work. I recall as a kid that everyone wore neck ties a lot more often. Even on airplanes people dressed up pretty snazzily. And... people dressed up to attend worship services.
I am about to rile up some folks here, but I kinda think we had something right in those old days. Dressing up a bit accomplished a few things:
Reminded us that worship was something special.
Reminded others that we were doing something serious.
Acknowledged that we were on "Holy Ground" coming corporately into the special presence of The G^d of the Universe.
Now, before you go crazy on me, I do know that we have G^d, the Holy Spirit, indwelling us, regardless of what we are wearing. I do know that we ought to worship G^d 24-7 regardless of what we wear. I know that "tradition" often gets us into trouble. And I do know that the level of dress is somewhat arbitrary - people living in the jungles of Borneo may have different dress standards than the fine Christians in Manhattan.
But I do think we can become a bit to casual about corporate worship. We can be lax in our hearts as well as our flip-flops. I guess the real issue is, What is Corporate Worship all about? Who are the performers and who is the audience. I guess if I am the audience and you want me to be there, you better tailor everything to me - see above- no ties!
But if G^d is the audience for Christian corporate worship, then maybe we ought to re-think things.
Not telling you how to dress, just thinking.
I am about to rile up some folks here, but I kinda think we had something right in those old days. Dressing up a bit accomplished a few things:
Reminded us that worship was something special.
Reminded others that we were doing something serious.
Acknowledged that we were on "Holy Ground" coming corporately into the special presence of The G^d of the Universe.
Now, before you go crazy on me, I do know that we have G^d, the Holy Spirit, indwelling us, regardless of what we are wearing. I do know that we ought to worship G^d 24-7 regardless of what we wear. I know that "tradition" often gets us into trouble. And I do know that the level of dress is somewhat arbitrary - people living in the jungles of Borneo may have different dress standards than the fine Christians in Manhattan.
But I do think we can become a bit to casual about corporate worship. We can be lax in our hearts as well as our flip-flops. I guess the real issue is, What is Corporate Worship all about? Who are the performers and who is the audience. I guess if I am the audience and you want me to be there, you better tailor everything to me - see above- no ties!
But if G^d is the audience for Christian corporate worship, then maybe we ought to re-think things.
Not telling you how to dress, just thinking.
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