Breaking Off from the "Sport Shirt vs Dress Shirt and Tie" Thread--Pastor: One of the People or Set Apart?

[Pete Vecchi]

I was noticing in some of the responses in the other thread that pastors tended to mention dressing differently for services than the rest of the congregation. When someone mentioned a clerical collar and someone else mentioned a robe, that got me to thinking...

My philosophy is that no Christian is more important than another. We have, however, all been called to different lives and different ministries within those lives. I have often said that being called to be a pastor/preacher/ordained elder doesn't make a person a better Christian, it just means that God has called that person to a different assignment in ministry than He has called the lay person.

That being said, there's a balance that needs to be drawn between the pastor being the "friend" of everyone in the congregation, and the pastor holding the office that is Biblically, under Christ, the pastor is the head of the local church. I have seen and/or heard of cases when this headship has been abused by a domineering and/or controlling pastor), and I have also seen and/or heard of cases when the pastoral headship has often been ignored by the church board and/or the congregation.

So, bringing this back into the area of how people dress for church, could the way a pastor dresses have the tendency to convey the proper balance? For instance, if a pastor appears to be aloof, stuffy, and even domineering, might it not perhaps be better for a pastor to "dress more along the lines as the people of the congregation? On the other hand, if the pastor is seen too much as a "buddy" and not a spiritual leader (especially by strong willed and/or controlling and/or domineering church board members), might it not be perhaps better for a pastor to wear something that symbolizes the pastoral calling and office--such as a clerical collar and/or a robe?

Just wondering what other people may think about this.

[Ryan Scott]

In worship, I dress as I would anywhere. I am one of the people.

In more formal situations - marriages, some funerals, etc, I am more a representative of God than I am a representative of myself. I try to wear the clerical collar.

[Pete Vecchi]

In worship, I dress as I would anywhere. I am one of the people.

In more formal situations - marriages, some funerals, etc, I am more a representative of God than I am a representative of myself. I try to wear the clerical collar.

I guess that generally, I do pretty much the same as that--except that I have never owned (nor worn, as far as I can remember) a clerical collar; I wear a suit on the more formal situations. However, I have considered getting a clerical collar--especially at times when I felt there was little respect for the office.

[Jim Franklin]

I would not be opposed to a pastor wearing a clerical collar but in all my 75 years as a Nazarene I have never seen a Nazarene pastor in a clerical collar. Must be an Eastern thing.

[Steven Martinez]

I would not be opposed to a pastor wearing a clerical collar but in all my 75 years as a Nazarene I have never seen a Nazarene pastor in a clerical collar. Must be an Eastern thing.

Well I know a few Nazarene Pastors out here who wear the collar like I do.

[Jon Bemis]

Well I know a few Nazarene Pastors out here who wear the collar like I do.

I would wear one, but several in my congregation already think I'm "too Catholic" and that would probably drive them over the edge!

[Pete Vecchi]

I would wear one, but several in my congregation already think I'm "too Catholic" and that would probably drive them over the edge!

You may have meant that as humorous, but I found that to be one of the main things stopping me from purchasing ans wearing a clerical collar several years ago--not necessarily "too Catholic" but not "traditional Nazarene."

[Mike Schutz]

I wear a collar mostly for weddings and funerals. In those times and places my appearance should communicate that I represent the church, and the Lord, in a particular way. In those occasions I am not just Mike, nor even Mike - who happens to be a pastor.

Remember the scene from "The West Wing" when President Bartlet is hosting his priest in the Oval Office. When the priest asks how he should address him, Bartlet replies that in that place, he prefers Mr. President, as the decisions he makes in that room are greater than he is. It helps to be reminded that he is not just Jed Bartlet - he is the President of the United States.


I do believe there should be a level of intentionality in our appearance, because people make assessments based on appearance, and how we appear also affects how we feel about ourselves.

[Hans Deventer]

I would wear one, but several in my congregation already think I'm "too Catholic" and that would probably drive them over the edge!

Hmmm. In that case I would not yet ask them to address you as "Holy Father".

[Eric Frey]

I would not be opposed to a pastor wearing a clerical collar but in all my 75 years as a Nazarene I have never seen a Nazarene pastor in a clerical collar. Must be an Eastern thing.

Take a look at my avatar... And didn't NCN have a picture of a newly appointed DS in Africa who was actually wearing the appropriate purple clerical shirt (purple is traditionally the color shirt worn by the bishop)?

[John Kennedy]

I thought a lot of Brit Nazarene ministers wore a clerical collar - or, at least, used to. Whenever you'd see pictures of them in church periodicals, they were wearing one - including the DS.

[Nate Pruitt]

2 of the past 3 weeks last month I delivered the sermon at church. One Sunday I wore khaki shorts and a t-shirt, the other I wore a full suit. Both had a purpose. Generally I dress somewhere in the middle, though- preaching or not. We have a small church in a non-traditional setting, but I haven't been bullied nor do I bully so, for now at least my dress doesn't seem to impact such things.

However, if I wore a dress... I would imagine it would be game over.

[Rich Schmidt]

Take a look at my avatar... And didn't NCN have a picture of a newly appointed DS in Africa who was actually wearing the appropriate purple clerical shirt (purple is traditionally the color shirt worn by the bishop)?

Your avatar is so small, I wouldn't know that you're wearing a clerical collar if you didn't tell me. It could be a white T-shirt showing at the top of a larger-necked sweater, for all I can tell. Just FYI.

[David Graham]

I no longer wear the collar since it makes me look too "churchie".... but I do wear a small simple wooden cross on a leather "string" around my neck as a Christian witness.

For formal services (Weddings, Funerals, Holy Communion, Baptisms, Dedications etc...) I wear an alb and stole, because I am representing not only myself or my congregation (or even denomination) but the wider church of God accross all historical ages and cultures.

[Wilson Deaton]

Just wondering what other people may think about this.

I think you are right, Pete. What you say kind of goes along with Paul's, "all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some."

You may recall that in the original thread, I was anti-suit. I'm not simply neutral, I'm against them. However, in the church immediately before this one, I wore a suit and tie. I knew the culture of that "old country church" requred that. Not that they had a rule. I just knew that it was expected and not wearing one would have been too much of a distraction to them and reduced my ability to minister to them. Had I stayed there long enough, I would "untrained" them!

In my current assignment (a church plant) I created a "casual" atmosphere from day one.

At one of my churches, where we re-created ourselves--First Church became New Beginnings--and we focused strongly on compassionate ministries (created a 501c3, started a thrift store, etc.), I wore almost exclusively (including for preaching) , "work uniforms," like you might expect of a mechanic: navy blue work pants and matching short sleeve button down or the same thing in tan.

Wilson

[Roy Richardson]

I would not be opposed to a pastor wearing a clerical collar but in all my 75 years as a Nazarene I have never seen a Nazarene pastor in a clerical collar. Must be an Eastern thing.

I have one and wore it for a funeral where one child of the deceased was a member of my church and his siblings were Catholic. I wore a full collar, the priest wore a tab collar, and it made his siblings more comfortable.

It freaked some of my people out though

[Roy Richardson]

I would wear one, but several in my congregation already think I'm "too Catholic" and that would probably drive them over the edge!

I feel your pain ...

[Steven Burton]

I have often said that being called to be a pastor/preacher/ordained elder doesn't make a person a better Christian, it just means that God has called that person to a different assignment in ministry than He has called the lay person.

Yes but:

[Larry Parsons]

I would wear one, but several in my congregation already think I'm "too Catholic" and that would probably drive them over the edge!

Why not wear blue jean with the collar, If not mistake I saw Paul Moore first pastor of Lamb club with long hair with blue jean and C. Collar.
Thanks
LP

[Pete Vecchi]

Yes but:

The premise of the video is that making a man a knight makes him a better fighter. The truth is that making a person an ordained elder may make him/her a better preacher or shepherd, but not necessarily a better Christian. The more appropriate question for this thread (it seems to me) would be if these persons in the video were one of the people or set apart based on whether of not they wore regular clothes or suits of armor.

[Steven Burton]

The premise of the video is that making a man a knight makes him a better fighter. The truth is that making a person an ordained elder may make him/her a better preacher or shepherd, but not necessarily a better Christian. The more appropriate question for this thread (it seems to me) would be if these persons in the video were one of the people or set apart based on whether of not they wore regular clothes or suits of armor.

The video is actually that those are one of the people. But what you don't see is later in the movie all those who are wearing the normal attire end up in armor of some sort. So later on you get the feeling that once you become a knight you get set apart from the the people.

But to answer your last paragraph. To me it doesn't matter what the pastor/preacher is wearing. I look more at body language and how the message is conveyed as whether or not respect will be given. A lot this has to do with I have seen those who dress in what would be Sunday best and still have a very bad attitude or miss use people. So I look more at the personality conveyed than at the actual dress.