The Millennial Church Dress Code

My Aunt Phyllis worked in the millinery department at the J. L. Hudson Department Store in downtown Detroit.  These days you are not going to find a millinery department in your local Kohls or Macys store, but in the fifties and sixties it was popular spot for female shoppers.  Before you reach for your dictionary; millinery is a traditional term used for covering for the head.  My aunt sold women’s hats.  Her clients were not just any shopper.  She sold expensive hats that we kept in a glass case.  Many of her regular customers were among the social elite in the city.  Hats were a big part of a woman’s wardrobe in those days.  One of the places a woman was even expected to wear a hat was to church.  Yes, there is even a reference in Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians; “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head…” (1 Corinthians 11:5)  To be fair the previous verse admonishes men to keep their heads covered as well.  As I recall it, the women took this to heart far more than the men.  All women wore hats to church.

How times have changed.  I did not see a single woman in church yesterday with her head covered, but then I did see any men wearing hats either.  I do not know too many people who are upset by this, but in some cases there is one fashion trend that does cause some people angst.   It is the idea of people wearing jeans to church.  To many older church goers who show up for worship wearing their “Sunday Best,” jeans are not acceptable.  

While I welcome their opinion, there is something inherently wrong when we judge people by what they wear.  What visiting millennials are going to return if they get “that look” when they show up for wearing jeans and tee shirts? The reality is that times and traditions do change.  When it comes to young people who want to engage in a worship community, I feel we should just be happy they want to be involved.  I recall God’s word to Samuel when he was looking to anoint the next king; “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b) 

A recent article by Thom Rainer of Lifeway Publishing offers some insights into the issue of millennials and Sunday dress.  In many cases their reason for coming to church in jeans has nothing with being comfortable.  It has everything to do with making their peers feel accepted.  What are the chances if they invite a friend to church  they will come if there is a preface, “Yes, and make sure you where a dress or suit and tie.”   Tattoos, tattered jeans, and piercings are part of the millennials lifestyle. While not all Christian millennials might follow the trend, they want their friends who do to feel welcome when they visit.  If the church is to survive over the next two decades it must seek to include millennials.  That means learning to accept their dress code as well.

  

Millennials and the Election: Hopefully a Lesson Learned

Unlike most Americans, I was not shocked at the results of the recent presidential election.  I could see it coming.  Part of it was the reality that Donald Trump was able to rally the support of the segment of the population that was frustrated with the status quo.  They were tired of the gridlock in Washington and seeing jobs leaving the country.  For me a bigger indication was the fact that so many young adults boycotted the election.  Early on they supported Barry Sanders but felt disenfranchised once he was out of the picture.  So, they decided to not vote on November 8.  As a result, Hillary Clinton lost key battleground states that had previously voted democrat.  Millennials, the segment of the population that elected Barack Obama, cost them the election this time around.  The irony is that now many of those who chose not to vote are protesting the results. 

It would be easy to say, “You got what you deserved,” but I do not see anything be accomplished in that.  In many ways we need to take the same approach as in training them when they were teens.   We can point fingers or we can use this as a teachable moment.  In working with parents of teens I used the terms punishment and discipline.  I believe the same principle applies here.  Punishment is to point out the results and say you deserve it.  Discipline is helping them, and in a sense us, to learn from the experience.  Stay calm.  Discuss the consequences, and move on.

In the meantime, Donald Trump will soon be our President.  He won the election, even Hillary Clinton acknowledged that.  Now he deserves our support and our prayers.  Nothing is accomplished if we complain about the results.  In the end God is still on the throne and all of us, including our leaders, will ultimately have to answer to him.  Until Jesus comes again, we need to continue to be his disciples in a broken world.  

Divided We Fall

If there is one thing that I have ascertained from the 2016 Presidential election it is that we are a divided nation.  Having grown up in the sixties I have experienced toxic divisiveness before, but in the late sixties there seemed to be two issues that divided us.  One was the racial issue.  Black people felt that they were not being treated equally and in the end that led to tension and some nasty riots.  I lived through one of those in Detroit.  The other concern that caused rising hostility was the war in Viet Nam.  While the later was a Black/White issue, the peace movement was very much a generational issue.  The young wanted peace, while older adults generally supported the war effort.

In our current situation there seems to me so much that divides us, to the point I do not know where to start.  The gun rights activists vs. those who view the 2^nd Amendment as out of date.  There are those who want to build a wall to keep foreigners out and those who want to grant amnesty to the illegal aliens who are already here.  The “Black Lives Matter” movement tells me the racial tensions are still present. On the other side are people who support the police believing that most crimes against Blacks are committed by Blacks. According to data in a recent issue of Bloomberg Businessweek, it is not just young Blacks who should have an issue with their current situation.  Black workers still make less than Whites with the same degree (Bloomberg Businessweek, September 19, 2016, pg. 54).  Lastly, there is still a generational issue.  Millennials have such disdain for both candidates that many plan to boycott this election, while older American seem to be flocking to the polls.  But even then there is a void.  More people seem to be voting against a candidate, than in support of one. 

It would be easy for me to just turn our nation’s plight over to the Lord and pray for an end to the discord but that is not enough.  I must also first confess my own bias against certain groups or individuals.  I must also learn to listen more.  I need to seek out those who are different, or who might be hurting.  It is only when we seek to understand each other that we can have any hope of working together.  I am only one, but if change is to happen it has to start with me.  I sincerely hope that you will join me in this effort.  I do not think we have lost our way as a nation.  The truth is that we have different segments of society that each feel they know the way, but the paths are very different.

 

Please commit yourself to joining me in prayers for:

Our nation,

Our leaders,

Those who are oppressed,

And the church, that we might be Jesus in the world.