JEANS

OK - I admit it. Maybe I should just gloss over it and not even mention it, because sometimes actually ADMITTING something was noticed just draws more attention to it. But I've gotten some comments about it from yesterday - both 'good' and (I won't say 'bad') - 'curious' is more like it. So I guess I won't gloss over it. Besides, I have never been particularly great at 'glossing over,' so ...

Yeah - I admit it. I wore BLUE JEANS to church yesterday. It wasn't even a picnic day - or a motorcycle rally day - or even SUMMER, for that matter. It was just November 9th, 2008 - a day that will live in infamy as the day I wore blue jeans to service - and then actually had the nerve to get up and preach in them. If it makes you feel any better, I wore a nice corduroy-type, brown sport coat on top. And nice brown dress shoes. And a really nice tailored shirt. And the jeans were pressed and didn't have holes in them. And they weren't faded. They were a nice DARK BLUE color. But yes - I admit it - the fabric WAS denim!

I had one good friend approach and say she could just never do it. I tried to release her from any guilt or pain over the issue, but she said she just couldn't bring herself to ever be able to wear them to church. She didn't mind one bit that I did, but she didn't think she would ever get to the point where she could wear them. THEN I SAY, don't do it, my friend. Don't.

I will also admit I thought about it twice myself - or 10 times - before pulling them on Sunday. Kind of funny that you should have to put that much thought into it. It's just a piece of modest clothing, so what's the deal?

Well - the "DEAL" is that I was brought up being taught that blue jeans were not appropriate wear for church on Sunday mornings. Even BLACK JEANS might sneak thru, but BLUE ones? Uh-uh. Respectful people didn't wear them. OTHER people might, but WE don't. (I know my Mom will be reading this, so - sorry Mom - I broke the 11th commandment yesterday.)

When confronted with change of this nature, some churches cling forever to traditional methods that have been part of their DNA and history since their beginnings. When conflicts arise - and they WILL, because change is inevitable - leaders must be prepared to deal with it in a Biblical and strategic context.

Many Godly people tend to view changes in society from a negative perspective. Gone are the "good ol' days" when life was more stable and people prioritized and celebrated traditions.

Case in point: When the new pastor wants to incorporate a new strategy - such as a more casual dress code - (or maybe it's not even a new strategy - he just wants to be more relaxed, like 80% of the people he's talking to every weekend) - traditionalists hang on to their suit-and-tie traditions and deem the new concept heretical, or at the very least, semi-unscriptural. After all, THEY grew up getting dressed in their Sunday best.

But we must help them see the difference between style and substance. There is not a Biblical mandate ANYWHERE for a particular Sunday dress beyond modesty, any more than there is for any other day of the week. After all, God sees us NAKED, right? He looks at our hearts, not our Dockers. The commands to 'revere holiness' were never fleshed out in the Scripture thru a person's clothing, but thru his heart and spirit. If anything, Moses was told to "TAKE OFF HIS SHOES," because the place he was standing on was holy ground - not put on a pair of black dress Aldo's.

People tend to link traditions to personal preferences and style, rather than to substance. In the short run, the preference of one person or one group becomes the style of the whole group. If this continues over an extended period of time, it becomes TRADITION and eventually rises to become INSTITUTIONALIZED. Given enough time, it moves to ENSHRINEMENT.

If we cannot clearly communicate that substance is far more important than style, churches will continue fighting battles over style - including musical styles. If we cannot change style while maintaining the substance of the Biblical mandates, we will never be able to contextualize and communicate the Gospel in a culturally relevant way. (*NOTE: If you don't think cultural relevance is important in 2008, then we have another blog to write and read.)

So -- if leaders are to succeed in developing churches that are missional - JESUS WITH SKIN ON - they must help people see beyond their own angst over WHAT WAS by providing a clear vision of WHAT CAN BE.

And don't worry. I'm not going to be wearing jeans every Sunday now. I'll wear them AGAIN, yes - but next weekend I'll likely swing the pendulum over and bring out my dark Brooks Brothers suit, just so I can really confuse the saints. The sinners out there don't even care.

And be blessed.