Brevity is best. –Susanne Wilder
I intentionally keep blog posts under 350 words. Life is too short to sit and read a daily dissertation. Furthermore, Dr. Wilder always encouraged her students to keep things simple. “Brevity is best,” she’d say when assignments were due.
Though brevity may be best, it’s not perfect. Yesterday’s blog post is case in point.
To clarify my point, I’ll post bullet-points:
- Anyone should be welcomed into church. Anyone.
- I don’t believe in dress codes for church.
- I want to dialog about our intent and concern of offering our best to the Lord.
- I don’t walk the halls of church like Mr. Clean passing out demerits to people who have untied shoes laces.
At my church, I’ve personally seen meth-heads, hypes, and drunkards walk through the doors. I’ve personally invited and welcomed homeless people from the community into our church. I’ve been the first one to speak about the inner man versus the outer man. I’ve preached against ostentatious clothing. I’ve worked in student ministry and sported jeans and t-shirts on Sunday mornings to youth group.
So please believe me when I say I’m not advocating gold bracelets, braided hair, and costly apparel like Paul warns against. Nor am I doling out favoritism to the well-dressed like James laments.
The discussion was for the Sunday morning worshiper who apathetically and lackadaisically rolls into church. Perhaps I needed Matt to hand me a muzzle, but like I said, I don’t have a filter. Taking large concepts and trying to break them down in 300 words is dangerous. Mi desculpe!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m on my way to church wearing sackcloth and ashes. Just kidding. But I will be sportin’ jeans and a t-shirt. You know, just to show I can come just as I am 😉
LOVE your thoughts B!!! I was so excited to see how yesterday's discussion went! haha 🙂 You are right with brevity… so I totally understood the point you were trying to make yesterday. And with that said, I have spent many years living overseas (europe and now in Africa with my hubby) but anyways I have noticed this very thing you mention with Americans… we are sloppy. sometimes. even at church. but also in the malls. 🙂 Hehe! Only in America do girls where pajama bottoms to the mall!! 🙂 But i do love the freedom 🙂
Woohoo! So do I 🙂
Thanks for getting me!
I understood where you were coming from yesterday. It made sense to me.
Although I'd love to see you in sackcloth and ashes. That would be a picture to see!
You wear your Nascar, I wear my World Cup shirt 😉
I am the guilty one:( – I was confused and thought that yesterday's post was more about the appearance to the corporate worship, not the whole-heart approach to the corporate worship. Forgive me please.
But even now I might deserve a slap for directing the thought away from Sunday.
I think we are approaching corporate worship with the same zeal as we are approaching individual worship.
Apathy on Sunday, most likely, is a symptom of a larger problem – no fear of God throughout our lives/ lack of vibrant relationship with Him.
I'm SO glad we were able to dialog about this! As I read through comments last night, I totally felt badly for making it seems like I was setting the "Righteous Bar" at an unattainable height.
Whew! I'm glad we cleared the air 😉
I am also glad the air is clear:)!!
So – It looks like I was the only one who did not get the point…
By the way – there is no way you should feel bad!! You are stirring so much thought and are touching so many hearts with your posts – they are totally real and relevant!
Reading your blog – It is like having a sister who cares and wants to talk and to listen.
Thank you for doing what you are doing.Bring it on – and, please, – no muzzles.
Another by the way – it is also very educational (for me at least) to read your blogs – often do I go to Mr. Webster.
I just want to say…you are AWEsome! I totally look forward to coming on here and reading your writing. I totally got it yesterday and really appreciate the clarification this a.m.
Be blessed sister…:-)
PS
I also experience Bianca withdrawal during the weekends…I'm just saying… 😉
I got you too Bianca! Your amazing! I love reading your blog and FB posts 🙂
I really appreciated your post yesterday. I've had women at church give me a hard time about dressing up to go to church. They call me "Fancy Nancy" or "Uptown Girl" but I feel more prepared to worship if I've taken time to prepare myself physically to go to church. I saw a girl on Sunday 2 minutes before the service was about to begin laying face down on the pew sleeping in her jeans and a t-shirt with flip-flops on. That's not a great way to prepare for worship. I'm all about giving God our first fruits, even when it comes to what we wear to church or how much sleep we get before going to church. If you aren't willing to give Him a few extra minutes in the morning, what makes you think you could give Him everything? I don't want to be the rich young ruler. I don't want to hold anything back. My clothes, my time, my everything belongs to my Savior!
I understand your point but, I do hated when I see girls wearing short shorts at church, that attired is for the beach not church, this is the house of the King would you go to the Queen of England dressing like that, I don't think so, so have some respect for the house of God. i am not talking about dress code, just appropiate dress for the king.. he deserves that doesn't he?
i totally got what u were saying yesterday…don't even think about getting a filter…:)
I second that Christy! I understood where B was coming from, and regardless of who's feathers got ruffled yesterday, I loved that it got people out of the blog-stalker-closet and pushed them to comment, voice their opinions, and dialog with other readers.
VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION "Filter B" 😀
Hey my comment from yesterday didn't come out! Are you censoring me ;)! Anyway I totally agree! Aliyah is not allowed to wear tennis shoes to church, I know it sounds silly but she knows that it's not just a trip to the ol market. You give your best, whatever your best is!!
I also said not to feel bad, I have to nudge J under the table too!! xoxo
Hey B! I totally got your point yesterday. I was going to comment but there were too many comments yesterday and it got a little too crazy for me (lol). But I must admit (eek! here I go) that I tend to be one of those people you talked about 🙁 Most of the time, I literally just get out of bed, put anything on, and head on out to church (I know, I know, I’m horrible!) Its rare that I take the time to “get ready” like I do when I’m heading out with friends or something. Your blog post totally convicted me…I need to take the time and get ready for my Lord. If I can get ready for everyone else, why not Him too?!
I got what you were saying! It was pretty clear to me, but in my case, I just wanted to share my two cents…I'm sure many others felt the same way. That's what we're doin' here…discoursin'!
Filter-Schmilter! :0) Filters are overrated. I've been known to talk too long with people still missing the grand point of it all. HA!
Sometimes you just gotta talk it out. And sometimes you won't know what you're ultimately trying to say until someone challenges what you've already said. It all comes out in the end and typically involves great conversations along the way. Your willingness to "bring it" is remarkable and something I aspire to replicate! That is just ONE of the many reasons I love you. Keep it real, BB, and keep the thought-provoking posts comin'!!
BTW, I totally heard your heart on the first post. It's something I wrestle with on a daily basis…
I appreciate you raising the topic. If we can't broach topics which may cause us to think and consider and maybe disagree then we are a support group and not a living, breathing, life-giving organism, which is what the church should be. I don't see anything you said that was that contraversial…maybe not popular, maybe convicting, maybe whatever, but no spirit of sowing discord. Of course…I am from New England where we love a good intellectual debate, and you'd practically have to run over my mother for me to take offense and where sarcasm is the most fluently spoken of the love languages 😉
I just KNEW Dr. Chaplin had forgotten to write about the the 6th love language…
i read a lot of blogs. but yours is the only blog where i regularly read all the comments, because your blog makes people think and CARE enough to respond with real thoughts. and those comments also make ME think, and sometimes help to clarify MY thoughts. i don't always agree with everything people write, but even that helps me refine my views about issues. you got amazing feedback yesterday! polarizing your readers isn't always bad. it helps us define who we are and why!
and don't you dare put a muzzle on!! don't even think about it!!! because if you do, there will be no reason to read your blog–it will just be like a thousand others out there…
but that' s just my opinion 🙂
I hope I didn't sound super rude- I guess I was just offended by a comment that someone made- a stereotype, and so i became defensive. I think we should all just take care of ourselves and be respectful of others- I guess that we all just have different opinions of what that may look like. 🙂
Hi Mandie:
I read both of your comments yesterday and wanted to say something but I figured I had reached my limit for comments on one blog entry… so when I saw you comment again I thought I'd go for it.
I wanted to say I'm sorry that someone's comment about churches in NM rubbed you the wrong way. I thought the comment was hilarious, but only because I'm a big fan of sarcasm and satire, which usually involved making someone/thing the bare the brunt of a joke. A lot of people these days find that sarcasm is the only way to be funny, and I struggle with this because I do know that although the majority may get a laugh out of a comment, there are people who can feel hurt or offended. Especially if they are stereotyped.
I use sarcasm on a daily basis, and though I wasn't the one to make the comment, I do need to remember not to engage in foolish talk or coarse joking (Eph 5:4).
Thanks Cindy. I really appreciate it. I know that I, too, am guilty of this. Good lesson for me to learn being on the receiving end. 🙂
🙂 e-Hug!
Hi-hi – I would love to see someone in sackcloth and ashes walk through our church doors… ;=)
🙂 Love you!
Random question…where do you find pictures for your blog. Love this one!
By the way…I totally got you yesterday and still agree that people should take more care in their appearance no matter where they are going 😉
B, I got ya and I know what you mean!!!! I agree with ya!
I didn't read the comments from yesterday but I was reading and nodding. I agreed with you.
I totally understood (and agreed with) your post yesterday.
We've attended a few different types of churches over the years …
… we attended a big, fancy church where I would never have been allowed to sing on the worship team because I didn't own any "prom dresses". Oh. My. Yes. Every week, the worship team looked like they were dressed for the prom.
.. we attended a church (less than a year) where it was the "unwritten rule" that women were supposed to wear dresses every day. Yea. I got in "trouble" from an elder for wearing jeans to church one day. He had to speak to my husband about the "situation". Yep. Mama D. can be the rebellious one sometimes. 🙂
… we attended a church where the worship team was sooo … "comfortable" that there was no dress code. When ladies are up front wearing totally immodest attire, I get pretty upset that my hubby and young adult sons have to sit there and look at the worship team. Yuck! (The pastor's daughters were the most immodest young ladies in the church.)
… we attended a fairly new church, in a small town where everyone "dressed up for church" … and Easter was THE day for wearing the fanciest of outfits. Well, our pastor came to Easter service and bragged about his "new jeans from Wal-Mart". It was awesome. He wanted to boldy counteract the "we must wear our finest to church on Easter" mentality of our very religious town.
… now, my husband pastors a little church that is definitely "come as you are". However, we have talked to the worship team about modesty. While the congregation is definitely "comfortable", they are always clean and ready for worship.
Great discussion, B.
Mama D.
Just want to see that you have such a beautiful heart! Love your posts. Have a beautiful day. Janine
I completely agree with you and see where you're coming from, Bianca 🙂
I think, having been in a lot of churches, that the "new church" meaning these younger churches, (wow thats a lot of commas) want to be far away from the "religious mindset." And that can be a great thing. We shouldn't be tied down by condemnation or the law, but often times new churches want to be so far away from anything considered old fashioned that it seems there is a large loss of reverence. Praise and worship is…well, it just doesn't hold the reverence and awe that it once did (not everywhere, of course) And everything has suddenly switched from joined hymns to coffee, donuts, and blue jeans. There should be a balance of not being in the condemnation that a religious mindset can bring, but also having the reverence and respect for God's house. 🙂
I understood your point & agree. It's all apart of preparing our hearts to receive what HE has for us! While Calvary Chapels are known for their casual dress (starting with Pastor Chuck & the whole bare feet -vs- carpet "back in the day") there's a big difference between "casual" and inappropiate! While were on the subject – i'm old school – can the guys PLEASE take their hats of inside?! :o) See you tonight – probably wearing jeans – it's a furlough day!
Actually, I'm wearing a dress today. Ha!!! But it's because I need to do laundry 😉
Late to the party. 😉
I read this one and the last post so I feel like I'm hearing you.
Can I just say that this totally rings true to ME. I'm a CASUAL girl. I live in jeans. I own dresses & skirts but seriously… what a pain. Especially since our church service is 60 minutes (like not a minute more) and I go home right after and put on my bike clothes and go riding.
I've been tempted to NOT shower before church and wear my bike shorts to service just to cut out steps. 😉 I haven't…. but I have considered it. 😛
Anyway, I think our culture has lost the art of "dressing." I made my son wear a tie and button up white shirt to school for something last week. He was in the minority. It's something I need to work on not to be esteemed by others but to prepare myself for the opportunity of approaching God with my best. (Not my best clothes… but my best effort). 🙂
Christians HAVE a filter, it's named Holy Spirit, which gives us discernment and self-control.
Actually, I’m wearing a dress today. Ha!!! But it’s because I need to do laundry 😉
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