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Appearance of worship team members
This may have been brought up in another thread, if so then I apologize. My home church is not conservative, but not the most forgivig congregation either. We have had some complaints because some of the musicians on our team have ear rings, tattoos, mohawks, etc...
So it was suggested that only when they are on stage at our church that they tone it down a bit and dress or style themselves a little more conservatively.
These people are strong Christians who serve God with their gifts, inside and outside of the church. Should they really have to change their appearance just to please the congregation???
All comments would be appreciated. I'm really hoping to hear from both sides to better understand why people feel the way they do.
So it was suggested that only when they are on stage at our church that they tone it down a bit and dress or style themselves a little more conservatively.
These people are strong Christians who serve God with their gifts, inside and outside of the church. Should they really have to change their appearance just to please the congregation???
All comments would be appreciated. I'm really hoping to hear from both sides to better understand why people feel the way they do.
Tags: appearance, congregation, team
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Judah Community on -
I was going to remain silent on this since my last post, but I really felt like something needed to be added. My apologies b/c I am not intending to draw this discussion out. I think that I would probably approach the issue with questions like this:
Does God Himself accept their worship - with everything, them being free to be who they are every day as a person, musician, artist, etc...?
Should I have a different standard, and why?
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Permalink Reply by Coxster on -
We had one female that was obviously attractive, mostly women treated her like dirt. She was honestly just 'one of the guys' and that's how the band treated her. If she spoke to a certain male in the band he could count on getting his head chewed off later. It didn't matter what she wore. She was a cutie, but that was not allowed I guess.
Other women in the church can wear what they want and flaunt what they've got (inherited or purchased); teen girls wear shorts with legs 2" long and high heels and it's ok. This really perturbs me too. She sounded like a soulful Taylor Swift. I wish it hand't gone this way, she was 'encouraged to attend elsewhere'
Still miffed about this one.
This Sunday I'll wear some old jeans, tired cowboy boots, and a T-shirt that says "PICK" JESUS We're trying out a new pastor. He may up the dress code someday, so relaxing while I can. I think it's important to look ordinary on stage, in case someone comes in that can't afford Khakis and matching shoes - don't want them to feel out of place
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Permalink Reply by Benjamin Luce on -
This story would make ME want to "attend elsewhere!!!" That is just awful! I couldn't stay there... you are a better man than I.
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Permalink Reply by Jenn on -
Ugh. I still don't get this, honestly. And what about this whole "don't bring attention to yourself, the focus should be on God" philosophy?
By who's definition?
Should I not wear my fabulous pink shirt on Sunday's because someone might be looking at it and not God during worship? So does that mean I just dress down, no make-up, etc, so I don't try to "bring attention to myself"? I think that could actually cause JUST as much attention. Maybe I should just dress in the colors of the church and hopefully blend into the background like a chameleon. THEN no extra attention would be on me. Or maybe, just maybe, we let people be who God created them to be...in a building where we tell them to come and grow a relationship with Him.
I still believe the same thing I said in my first comment here: If you can't worship God because you're distracted by a mohawk or tattoo on stage, then YOU have bigger problems than they do.
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Permalink Reply by Luke Martin on
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I believe that they should put away the mohawks, cover the tatoos, and give the ear rings a rest for a Sunday. They would probably argue that it's relgious thinking, but "if it causes one of your brother's to stumble then it is a sin".
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Permalink Reply by daniel cash on -
That's a dangerous slope my friend. You have to remember that Paul was talking about major conflicts of principle, not "personal preference." I don't have a problem with consuming alcohol, but the church I attend has a major hang up about it, so I don't drink at all.
As a worship leader you can't look to the congregation for validation, because you won't get it. Someone will always be displeased. More or less young people on the team, someone's "stumbling." Everyone's in matching suits, someone's "stumbling." Everyone's in jeans and flip-flops, someone's "stumbling."More contemporary music, someone's "stumbling." More hymns, someone's "stumbling." Blended service, you'll probably "stumble" or go crazy trying to please everyone.
It also depends when the mohawks, tattoos and earrings appear and why. If a worship leader starts at a church with a normal hair cut and then he/she decides that they want 12 inch liberty spikes, then you could probably call them out on account of their motives. But if worship leaders or team members come into group like that, asking them to change down the road does not show good integrity on the part of the leader.
That being said, I wouldn't take a position at a church where I would be required to wear a suit and tie, nor would I take the job and then start to violate the dress code after the fact. This post is long enough. "fin"
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Permalink Reply by daniel cash on
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I think that we should look to the Bible to see what God intends for us to wear. If we look back to when God made everything as it should be, then the way people dressed then is the way God intended for us to dress....oh wait. Never mind, terrible idea.
I guess folks should just be glad that we show up in anything at all!
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Permalink Reply by Steve Perez on -
It's really all about allowing the congregation to experience worship. There should not be any distractions or obstacles from keeping the congregation from this experience. In many churches across the world this new contemporary style of worship is new and sometimes you need to take "baby steps" to make sure that the worship team and the congregation are worshiping together. When the congregation sees that, as a worship team, you really care about bringing them before the throne of God in worship, they will be willing to forgive or see there complaints are petty.
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Permalink Reply by Rob Swanson on -
I do not care if people have earrings and tatoos, but the first thing I think of when I hear of disputes like this is a passage from Romans 14:13 (NIV)
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
as someone said earlier, "it was about conflicts of principle and not personal," but I would kindly disagree. The passage goes on to say,
14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food[b] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.
God looks at the heart, but if you let people complain about your appearance and you do nothing but keep wearing it despite the arguments, then it does become a fault on your side as well.
I would hope that in the spirit of compromise that the people with extra piercings, tattoos would hide them or refrain from wearing or sporting mohawks during a church service. Its not fair, but honestly, Its alot easier to just remove the stumbling block during the service to provide a truly worshipful gathering that is God honoring.
We had the same problem at my church and this is how we solved it. I hope this might help with yours!!
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Permalink Reply by Balami Hyelaghili on -
i will like to say a big thank to you Pettigrew for raising such an issue to such a generation that the wolrdly ways of life has numerously affected the church.
i will like you to know that the it clear that what ever you do (eat, wear, do, etc.) that willl make your brother or sister to fall into sin is against God wills. if putting on earrings, doing tattoo, and lot more will make your brethren sin why do you do it. do you that God will hold you responsible.
in nigeria we don't have that kind of problem because the traditional and culture of our land consider it a taboo, so we don't have the problem. but my advice to you is if you don't want God to hold responsible for making some sin it better you dress moderately and in the way that you will be an example to people as a leader or member of a worship team.
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Permalink Reply by SelahSoul on -
Yes, J, thanks for raising this issue--definitely worthy of pause, pondering and prayer... Sorry, Daniel Cash, this is just too good to let go, man... ;~D While I agree that our purpose is pointing the congregation to the Most High, what's so bad about a mohawk that it could cause a brother or sister to stumble? I know it is an elementary question, 'cause I know people--been around them all my life. ;~D When I see worshippers that are less "traditional," less "church-y," it makes my heart glad. It reminds me how Elohim clothes the flowers of the field with such amazing colors, styles, shapes--yet all are beautiful, and they point to His awesomeness. He loves variety. I think while anyone is before the congregation there can be subtle teaching going on. Lessons that show in true worship, 'Spirit and Truth' kind of worship (John 4:23), the outside really does not matter. Even though the worship team is a unit with one purpose, as the church itself is; it is made up of individuals. Somebody in the congregation is identifying with the brother or sister with the mohawk (or in my case the 'Angela Davis' 'fro--I'm a product of the '60's/'70's)... on the worship team... declaring his/her love for the One True and Living God. Somebody is seeing the LORD in a new perspective because they see people of differing preferences drawn and allowed access into the Holy of Holies. Not because we have on the correct robes but because we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus with belief in His finished work on the cross. That said, most of the time my worship team, which is a subset of the choir, is usually in black and white being mindful of budgets--conservative in terms of fit, style, etc. I think my church congregation has grown out of looking down on visitors who show up "dressed down."
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