I picked one.

Fear of rejection and lost of hope of people coming to Christ. :whistle:

Moving this to Theology....... :wave:

Thanks and can you fix my mispelling on my title :doh:

I didn't even notice......but it's fixed now! :P

And back to the OP, I agree with the fear of rejection thing. I'm not ashamed at all to talk about Jesus and all, but I don't ever come out and ask if somebody's been saved.......I just feel weird for some reason doing that. Wonder why?

Dang it! While I was typing my response, the thread disappeared!

Here it is:

That's a good general argument. It's something we all, myself included, need to work on. I mean, if I were on a sinking ship, I wouldn't care what my best friend thought about me, I'd try to rescue him. Unfortunately, he doesn't know the ship he's on is sinking. And if I try to rescue him, I'll look "weird" to him. That means I'll let him go down with the ship. What kind of friend am I?

But what I was thinking was more along the lines of churches that won't let people in based on the way they look. Some churches I've visited were downright hostile to me because I wore jeans on Sunday evening. Others are so against homosexuality that when a man who appeared to be effeminate (though I have since come to know him and he's straight) came to the church they sunned him.

I want to know why.

Tradition.

I :thanks: broke the 'only skirts/dressed/nice outfits" for church at my small church. I got tired of HAVING to wear certain items. I was given such a hard time to by the 'older' ladies. My MIL was in mourning b/c I wore nice dressy PANTS vs. a skirt. After about 6 months ppl got used to it. Now most come in what they want not what they are 'required' to wear. We had a guest who noticed though and said "why do all the women here wear skirts?" And my pastors wife pointed me out to her and said 'oh...she's wearing pants see?" and by me doing that it made her more comfortable. It took a step by a member (in my case) to make the change. My poor MIL still has a heart attack sometimes (when I come in jeans) and it's been 8+ years... :D But that's her tradition.

The women in our church used to also cover their heads and if you were visiting there would be head coverings for you to use waiting. :naughty: Quite a few members stopped that one too.

I guess it goes back to the that...tradition.

And for some...homosexuality is the unforgivable sin. Lying, cheating are ok but not being a homosexual!

I think the tradition also came from a sense of respect, thus your "Sunday best". You wore the best you had when going to worship the Almighty. And therefore a lot of people feel that you aren't being respectful if you come in ripped jeans and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt.

I also think that gets passed along. Someone might visit in "clubbing clothes", but if they continue to attend you'll likely see them change their worship wardrobe as well.

:agree:

I was raised that when I go to church, I am to wear my best Sunday clothes out of respect for the Lord the same as I am to be on my best behaviour/respectful in church. All other days of the week, during school/work hours we wear our other clothes. Sundays we wear our Sunday best. I still like to keep this because I personally think it's as it should be. I don't feel comfortable wearing pants to church. Many ladies do...it's not my thing. Hubby also has Sunday clothes where he gets all dressed up. Not a suit or anything...just nice button up shirts and dress pants. Same with the kids. They have their nicer wardrobe, too. B)

And in my personal opinion...ripped jeans belong in the rag box. I don't understand HOW people can wear such ragged looking clothes. :doh:

Because there is no real unity in the Protestant world.....30,000 opposing denominations attest to that. Real unity means one belief, one voice, one body...No divisions..No disagreements...No oppositions..

This is even worse. I'm talking within the same "non-denominational" denomination.

Well there is a difference between inviting them to teh party and clubbing them over the head and dragging their ass to the festivities...

They have to invite themselves to the party, no matter how many times we stick stuff in their mailbox, they have to make the decision to come....

Kinda like the lotto... you have to play to win....

I'm not talking about their response to the invitation. I'm talking about our step in introducing them to the Lord.

I know I'm guilty of this, and it's because of personal prejudice.

Walk through town. "I'll invite him. He looks clean-cut. The kind of guy who'd be interested in what God has to offer. Oh - that guy with the mohawk and piercings - no way. 'Course, he looks like the Gutter Rat..."

I guess I'm the type of person who would rather dress 'fine' (jeans/nice shirt or nice pants/nice sweater etc) and know that I'm not being judged by God on what I'm wearing but on my heart.
I'd rather dress 'normal' and participate in fellowship with God during the service than dress in my best and spend the time texting with friends. :whistle:
You can dress your best or you can wear what you have/dress down - I DON'T think it matters.
I've known a few women who didn't attend a church service b/c their 'best' wasn't ready from the dry cleaners or their 'best' was still drying so they skipped church altogether. I'd rather be in service myself :D
We also have people that come from a homeless shelter so we're used to seeing the rags and being a little more 'relaxed' I'm sure helps them feel more comfortable. :angel:

The church I'm attending now is SO laid back........you see everything from jeans to skirts (well, not on the guys, but you get the picture). Nothing over the top, tho. Everything's still in good taste, people just wear what they're comfortable in. Our pastor wears a suit, I'd feel weird if HE preached to us in jeans, I think. :blink:

People should be able to wear what they want to church, IMHO, as long as it is in good taste. Something that you wouldn't be embarrassed to meet Jesus in, kinda, know what I mean? :nod:

I feel people out.... (not up you pervs... I save that for my wife....)

If I feel that it'll be a conversation and not an argument I'll talk to them... if I feel it'll just end up a big ol war, I pass and wait until I can fit in bits and pioeces where I can to try and change it so that it's not going to be an all out war... then I'll bring it up....

They have their right to their view and I'm not gonna beat someone down with the word...

But I'll do my best to make sure that the word is their when they're ready to listen....

I don't care what they look like....

How they dress, whatever... I look for their attitude... I'm not gonna waste my breath on someone that isn't gonna listen when there is someone over here that will.... I'll come back to Mr./Miss Problematic when they're ready to listen, not just hear....

I might not be a good christian for that, but it keeps the headache and heartache low, and gives me more time to talk to those who are interested and not drive those that aren't farther from the word....

:thumbsup:

:nod:

I think that's the whole thing, right there, for me. People that aren't interested already (tend) to think us "CHRISTIANS" are hellfire & brimstone, wacko, or just :quote: out there :quote: and I feel like if I go spouting Bible verses or even just witnessing, if they're not ready to hear it, it'll just push them farther away, more in annoyance than anything else.

Very true with much of 'life'... :D

Same here. Our pastor one day in the summer "dared" to take off his suit jacket. :happy: He always wears a suit for Sunday mornings. One day during church picnic I saw him wearing shorts and tee shirt....it just looks so .....weird. Yanno?

I still see alot of nicely dressed ladies, pants, skirts, whatnot....so long as it's decent and in good taste...I, myself MUST dress nicely out of respect for the church. It's just how I was raised and for that part, I agree with it. :angel:

Speaking of Jesus...we don't know when He comes back or what we're gonna wear (or not wear) WHEN He comes back. Know what I mean?

Don't even TALK about that....... :blink:

I can only imagine that I'll probably be sitting on the pot or me & Ty will be :eyebrows: :faint:

Same answer...God created the Church to preserve unity..If each conregation is independant of each other, there is no unity. Without an unchanging deposit of faith that all are working to adhere to or preserve, they are left to read and reinterpret scripture and matters of faith for themselves...God knew what he was doing when He created His Church. It is the antidote for disunity. What is the ground and pillar for the truth, after all?

As for the clothes thing, if you had a meeting with the president of the united states, a job interview, an awards banquet to attend, how would you dress? Should you dress with the at least same respect when you come before the presence of God in worship? Why would we show Him less respect?

If jeans and a casual shirt is your best, then wear it. If you can do better, then do it.

True, God doesn't really care what we wear, but what is in our hearts, but that is precisely revealed in how we choose to dress and behave when we approach Him in worship.

I don't equate those w/ my relationship with Jesus. When I go over a friends house or my parents house, I dress nicely. I'm going to Church where I'm comfortable and I can sit in his presence and commune with him.
I wouldn't comfortable in a job interview or w/ the president. I just don't see like that. :dunno:

:popcorn:

What are you sitting around eating popcorn for? You're supposed to be providing more arguments! :gotcha:

:agree:

OK - Why are some Christians afraid to make money? Why is it that some can't get their heads around the fact that making money for the right reasons is a far cry from loving money?

Or is it the fact taht printing your own currency is in fact illegal... oh wait not that kind of making money......



Anyway... it prolly goes to the whole Camel through an eye of a needle rich man heaven spiel we always hear......


Money breeds power breeds corruption... etc....

So, we'd rather barely scrape by demonstrating our humility in our poverty and not being able to help others 'cuz we spend all our time working for our meager wages?

:lol:


But I agree with all of Raspy's post. :nod:

Money should be an important aspect in life. But going out and looking for ways to make more, more, more CAN lead to serious problems. Even if for a good cause.

Christians have a problem with EARNING money? :blink:

Oh, yeah. I've met some really holy people that honestly believe they cannot get into Heaven unless they're absolute paupers. How do you spread the wealth if you don't have any? :doh:

I haven't been exposed to that yet :dunno:

Me neither. In fact, I found Clay's question a tad bit odd to start with....BUUUT if he says so! :gotcha: :P

Hey - if I say it, it must be true. Like my sig says: "The world ends with Clay". That must mean I'm always right...

:rolf:


Your siggeth lieth....:cheeky:

Don't believe I've ever met those particular Christians.... :whistle:

oooohh..That sounds like spiritual pride to me! reminds me of the story of a monk who insisted on wearing old worn out clothing to demonstrate his humility. A wiser monk took him aside and told him that his pride was shining through the holes in his garment...

:lol:

I bet that wasn't all that was shining! "Oh! Look at that bright moon!" :haha: