Here’s an article from Baptist Press News entitled Think Before You Dress.

In a nutshell, the article is about how we dress for church.

I can’t help but wonder, though, what the Ruler of the Universe thinks about the attire we sometimes choose to wear when we meet together for the express purpose of worshiping Him.

It wasn’t all that long ago when it was practically mandatory to dress up for church. Today, a casual, laid-back atmosphere seems to have take over the dress code of many churches.

Growing up, my parents (well, just my mom, really) made my brother and I dress up for Sunday school and church. I didn’t think otherwise about this for many years, since everyone else wore their “Sunday best” as well. It was more or less ingrained in my mind that we had look our best at church.

However, several years ago, I started attending a church where most of the congregation consisted of people my age. The church had a very casual and laid-back atmosphere and this was reflected in how people dressed. A few would wear ties and such, but most simply wore jeans and a nice shirt, including the preacher. I really liked this atmosphere, as I am much more comfortable dressing in jeans and a nice polo shirt, rather than feeling all stuffy in dress pants, shirt and a tie. Sometimes I’ll dress up, but most times I won’t. It doesn’t bother me if others dress down or dress up, either.

Now, when I occasionally attend my home church, I don’t dress up like I used to, but instead opt for the casual dress that I’ve grown accustomed to. My mom tries to make an issue out of this, saying that I should look my best when in the house of God. Of course, I don’t exactly see it her way. My thinking is that God doesn’t care what we look like, what we wear, as long as our hearts are in the right place and we are prepared to worship Him.

I can understand my mom’s opinion, though. People can take this too far. Should girls where tank tops or tube tops? What about flip-flops? T-shirts with suggestive sayings on them? I think some things are inappropriate for church, as they are in schools. Can the pastor enforce a dress code in a church? Probably easier than in the schools, but now that casual dress has entered the church, how does word about what to wear get out to someone who has never been to a church?

Regardless of that issue, what you wear to church truly comes down to a personal decision between you and God. If you feel God telling you to look your best, then I would listen to Him. If you have no convictions about wearing jeans, then I say wear what makes you most comfortable, so you can truly focus all your attention on Him.

More from the article:

Still, though, I can’t shake my conviction that it is entirely appropriate, and even commendable, when subjects of God’s Kingdom choose to “honor the Office” by wearing our “Sunday best” to church.

First of all, I understand it is a personal decision everyone must make for him- or herself; and while I may choose, at least sometimes, to honor the Lord by dressing up, He hasn’t given me the responsibility of looking down on anyone who doesn’t share my conviction.

Furthermore, I understand that I have brothers and sisters in Christ who have prayerfully considered this matter and feel differently. In fact, some churches actually encourage their people to dress down so that none of those they are trying to reach for Christ will feel uncomfortable or out-of-place

What’s your opinion of the type of dress appropriate for church? How do you dress?