What To Wear When You Preach

Pardon the pun, but when it comes to appropriate pulpit attire, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Opinions vary as widely as the number of preachers wearing anything from shorts and sneakers in the pulpit to tailored suits with pocket squares. But before you search through the bedroom closet this weekend, give some thought to three general considerations:

1) Consider Your Attitude

Your opinions about pulpit attire are not a hill to die on. As with worship styles and music selections, we must remember the difference between preference and convictions. We are convictional, for example, about preaching the gospel, and we will never compromise by offering anything less from the pulpit. But what we choose to wear falls more under the category of preference, our preference, and yes, even the preference and culture of the audience (see #2). For this reason—and others—we are wise to check our attitude before insisting preachers must wear a coat & tie or must wear jeans & untucked shirt. It is far more critical that preachers deliver the good news in the least distracting way possible.

2) Consider Your Audience

Every audience we address has its own culture and preferences. And where the audience gathers to listen tends to create certain expectations of pulpit dress. That city legacy church with stained glass windows and mahogany pews probably has different expectations for pulpit attire than the rural church audience gathering in the country. Other audience considerations, such as region, season, and church size, add more complexity to the matter. An audience accustomed to seeing a pastor in a suit and tie tends to differ from the audience expecting their pastor to wear jeans or khakis. As a general rule, what the audience wears while listening to the Word guides the one who is preaching the Word. Perhaps Paul’s deferential motto about “becoming all things to all men” (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:22 ) allows for a reasonable implication on pulpit dress. In my own experience, I have found wearing a sports coat and tie offends no one.

3) Consider Your Age

And now for a bit of “meddling” for guys my age (50s) or older. It pains me to see one of us “older” guys trying to squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans or attire otherwise suited for younger preachers. You don’t want your audience wincing while trying to hear you preach. True, a few older guys can pull off the hipster look, but you’re probably not one of them. Just be sure to be well-groomed, comb your hair—if you have it 😉—and, whatever your age, own it and preach the Word!

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible.
(1 Corinthians 9:19; NIV)

Previous Comments:

1. directorfsm Very good, when I was in New England, our church was built in 1837, and we wear more formal. I regularly wore suits to church, conferences, lectures, etc. Since moving to the south (Mississippi) over a decade ago, I am down to one suit, my marryum and buryum suit.
2. Comment by post authorTodd Linn, PhD“Marryum and buryum,” haha, I like that!