Does the Church Need a Dress Code?

Low cut tops, halter tops, spandex, mini skirts, hip huggers, low riders. Sounds like the kind of attire you might see in a music video or nightclub. Wouldn't you agree?

There was a time when places like music videos and nightclubs were where you'd most likely find such attire. But not anymore. It's not uncommon to find the person sitting next to you on the pew at church wearing a blouse cut so low that it leaves half of her breasts exposed. Or perhaps the person sitting next to you on a Sunday morning has on a pair of spandex pants that leave nothing to the imagination. And don't mention the sister wearing the tight fitting mini skirt with the split in the side. No amount of tugging can cover her thighs. And what about the sister who came in late and sat in the pew directly in front of you. Her tight low rider hip hugging pants were so low, they exposed the thong she wore.

One of the greatest and fastest growing problems the church is facing today is the issue of women dressing inappropriately. And in order to solve the problem, it's going to take a collective effort.

There are those who would say, "It doesn't matter what I have on. It's what's in my heart that counts." The way we dress is a reflection of what's in our hearts, a reflection of our spiritual maturity, of where we are in our walk with the Lord.

Spiritual maturity is not something that happens overnight. It's a process that takes a lifetime. It may not always be realistic to expect a sister who is new in her relationship with the Lord to know all there is to know about living a holy life. It may take her some time to grow and develop the desire to trade in her spandex, mini skirt and low rider pants for more modest attire. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, she can get there. And if she's in a church with members who love her, they should have patience with her, teach her by example and share with her what the Scriptures teach about holy living.

Several things must take place before the problem of inappropriate dress can become less of a problem:

1. The preacher has to have the courage to teach it and preach it from the pulpit.
2. Seasoned Christian sisters must teach by example, dressing "in modest apparel."
3. Christian sisters must mature to a level of respect first to God and His Word, then to others.
4. Parents must start teaching children how to dress appropriately when they are still in the cradle.

Does the church need a dress code? The church already has a dress code. It just needs to be taught and lived. "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes" (I Timothy 2:9NIV).