Don’t Wear Bedroom Slippers to Church

Recently, as I was leaving church, I noticed the guy in front of me wearing bedroom slippers. Not nice suburban designer footwear, but old, ratty ones. I only noticed them because they were backless, and the dude had trouble walking on the pavement.

This disturbed me. Not just because I'm a MOACA (Man Of A Certain Age), but because I grew up in a church where the Baptist Deacons enforced a strict unwritten dress code. How you dressed on Sunday reflected your respect for God. Therefore, according to their theology, the best Christians were always the best-dressed Christians.

Looking back, I suspect they wanted young guys to dress well to groom the next generation of Baptist Deacons. Their long-range strategic plan was to produce future tie-wearers who would someday impose the same dress code on another generation of boys, who would eventually do the same thing to yet another generation, and so on until Jesus returned.

I don’t know when my friend Freddy and I decided to ditch our ties. At some point, because of our hooliganistic behavior, we knew we would never achieve Baptist Deaconhood and said, “Screw it.” However, I always dressed nicely for church out of the “respect factor.” But times have changed, and people now dress much more casually for worship. 

How Should You Dress for Church?

There are two schools of thought on this:

The first says that God doesn’t care what you wear to church. Come as you are, even in those ratty slippers. The most important thing is that you are there worshipping. This is the general attitude at the seeker church I attend now. People dress casually. Heck, the pastor sometimes wears a hoodie, and some guys wear baseball caps. The old Baptist Deacons would shake their heads in disgust at that, wouldn’t they? Unsurprisingly, I am usually one of the best-dressed people on Sunday, so those deacons would approve, though it would be better, of course, if I wore a tie.

The other opinion comes from the ancient Jews. They contended that everything connected to worship should show deep respect and reverence for God, and the clothes you wear represent that. Wait, those Baptist Deacons weren’t that crazy after all, were they?

We have lost that reverence for God. That is why there's so much criticism of “modern” worship and why some of the more formal, liturgical denominations are growing again.

WWBDD (What Would Baptist Deacons Do)

Should I have, in my designer Vince Camuto footwear, called out that likely heathen in the parking lot for wearing his ratty slippers to church? That comes with some spiritual risks. If I find out that he doesn’t have any shoes, I’m commanded to give him some of mine. On the spot, that would mean parting with those snazzy Vince Camutos rather than the ratty Reeboks I have at home. Worse yet, if his feet are dirty from walking around in those open bedroom slippers, Jesus says I am to wash them. I really didn't want to do that, so I just watched him clumsily shuffle to the far corner of the parking lot and leave.

Judge Not

I know some people will be upset with me for even bringing it up. They will scream, "JUDGE NOT!" But just be aware that when you direct that specifically at me, you are, in fact, judging me, aren't you? Whoopsie.

I won't pass judgment on spiritual grounds. I will respect those Baptist Deacons, but I will graciously defer to God on the matter. And I hope this guy someday sees the light and clothes his feet in proper footwear, as well as righteousness.

But on a purely cultural, and in no way spiritual, sense: Dude, you are a slob. A total slob and a horrible slob. You’re wearing bedroom slippers outside your house? You can’t even take the time to put on a pair of ratty gym shoes? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU CROMAGNON MAN!

And on a social level, do you not understand that one of the first things a woman notices about you is your footwear? I don’t think any woman will be impressed by ratty slippers, and if there is one, you'd better have all your shots up to date and be willing to get new ones.

As For Me and My Feet – We Will Serve the Lord

Even though the culture has changed and those Baptist Deacons are long gone, I'll keep dressing up for church. I figure when I stand before God, I'll have much to account for, and I don’t need any fashion violations on the list.

And I want to hear these words: “Well done, my son. You showed me respect in worship. You did not succumb to the wearing of jeans, nor did you disgrace me by wearing ratty slippers on your feet. And you totally rocked those Vince Camutos!"