We will be graduating our first Epic School of Life and Ministry students this weekend at Victory Church.  It’s a big deal.  Our Epic interns have worked long and hard.  I’m so proud of them.  I asked our Epic Director Mike Eminger what I should wear for this solemn event.  I was assuming I would need to wear a suit.  Mike told me however that the graduates aren’t wearing formal wear but rather going with something a little bit more “dressy casual”.  “Oh”, I said.  “Hmm.  Well, maybe I’ll wear a suit anyway.”  After all, I’ll be handing out diplomas, I thought.  Somebody ought to dress up.  Or should we?  I don’t know anymore.  Dressing for church has become…well, difficult.

Back in the old days (Doesn’t that make me sound old!) we’d wear suits and ties to church every Weekend and on Wednesday nights too.  Yeah, I know.  We were wound a little tight…but it’s what we did then. It worked in the 80’s.  Now, everyone is into casual!  Today’s clothes remind me of the 70’s with big bell jeans and tie died shirts.  Yeah, that’s what we wore to church and bible studies in the Jesus Movement days.  Then the Charismatics and Word of Faith people came along and  made us all start dressing up and looking like somebody!  Hey, I liked the jeans.  I love preaching in jeans now.  But, I like to wear a sharp looking tie every once in a while too.

I know people have to be confused these days.  I can hear someone screaming, “What in Heaven’s name am I supposed to wear to Victory Church?”  Answer…”How should I know?”  I don’t know what to wear half the time and I’m the pastor.

I wear a suit about twice a month on Sundays presently.  I have a huge collection of ties that absolutely ache to fly around my neck every weekend but I rarely ever touch one of them, even when they look at me with those sad puppy dog eyes.  Some Weekends I wear slacks and a shirt.  Other times I wear jeans.  It’s really great.  This way, on some weekends I relate to the jeans guys.   At other times I relate to the slacks guys.  Then, ever once in a while, not too often but every few weeks or so, I connect with the attorneys and wear a really cool tie.  Hey, attorney’s need love too!

I must say, as I look at the way pastors dress these days, that some of them are trying just a little bit too hard to be cool.  I can’t tell if some of them are God’s Ministers or Hell’s Angels! Maybe some of our spiritual leaders should think about slowing down on the piercings and tattoos…hey, if for no other reason, for the sake of the children!

Freedom of choice!  It’s great, but confusing.  Instead of picking out this weeks’ suit…I agonize over this weeks’ style.  Of course, it has to coincide with my wife’s chosen style for that week as well.  We simply must look as if we go together!  Right?

As for the rest of you…you’re blessed!  Dressing for church is super easy for you.  Just wear what you want to!  It’s cool.

Pastor David

P.S.  On second thought, wear what you want as long as it’s modest…OK?  I will never forget last years Fall Festival event on our church parking lot.  People came from everywhere for the rides and free candy, including a woman dressed for Halloween as a prostitute nun!  Wow!  You don’t see that every day now do ya?  I’ve told my wife Connie “no” to that style choice!  I don’t care how much the prostitute nuns of this world need to be related to!  LOL!