African American Church Attire is Rapidly Changing

Image Courtesy of The Neighborhood

As we work up to the launch of this site's clothing and apparel online store, and during the store build, something suddenly occured to me: African American church attire is rapidly changing. The moment this became evident was not at the fellowship I lead rather at another local church called Impact Church of Hope (Waterloo, Iowa).

This congregation is led by one of the Lord’s true warriors: Dr. Pastor Marshaundus Robinson. As readers know, I slay non-called, non-anointed, and non-sent preachers with no apology (Isa. 58:1, Jer. 1:17, Acts 4:20).

If this is doubted, please download, to any electronic device, Vol. 1 of Black Church Chronicles: The Hireling.

Crooked and reprobate leaders should be fired immediately because when their evil goes unaddressed, millions mock the Lord as we recently discovered with the Pastor Marvin Sapp Scandal.

There are quite a few of these scoundrels in this city but my dear brother-in-Christ, Dr. Robinson, is not among them for sure. How highly do I think of this man and his Christian lifestyle?

I declare if he is a fake preacher, I am doubly so!

Our fellowship was visiting Impact and our State of Iowa Central District Moderator, Pastor Moses Ward, and the church he leads from Ames, Iowa, were present.

I just love me some Pastor Ward!

There was an alter call and Ward’s wife approached the front of the church and I stared not knowing what to make of how she was dressed. Not in a condescending way, just marveling that she did not adhere to the First Lady dress code, as represented in this image:

Image Courtesy of Dresses

Dr. Marshaundus's wife, Dr. Amber Robinson, aka DocRob, doesn't play that second bench First Lady lifestyle either! My wife and I have mad respect for my dear sister.

Oh, and if you have never had her oxtails, I doubt you have ever truly tasted perfection.

For those of us who grew up in the black church, we understand that the pastor’s wife, even until today, are usually dressed to the nine’s in their sparkly church dresses and huge hats.

More plainly, these women, known as First Ladies, keep up the negro church tradition of being impressively, and quite expensively dressed. Yet Ward’s wife had on blue jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt!

When I looked toward the back where Pastor Ward's flock was seated, they also had on the same style clothing.

Not only was the First Lady not dressed like a diva, she and the congregation, as well as Pastor Ward dared to dress on one accord.

Not long afterward, a couple showed up at our fellowship and the husband wore a baseball cap during service and the wife had on blue jeans; both are ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Black folk are quick to say, “you should just come to Jesus as you are. How you are dressed makes no difference" (Luke 5:32, John 6:8).

Although sincere when making the statement, the reality is very different (Matt. 18:6,1 Cor. 8:9). No matter the sentiment however, how one dresses makes a difference in how they are viewed (John 7:24, 2 Cor. 10:7).

Take, for example, the church I lead; SAINT MARK.

When the previously mentioned brother preacher began attending our Baptist church on a regular basis, his wearing of a baseball cap in the sanctuary became an issue.

We had a business meeting to address the issue. No need to explain the black church context, right?

Three things happened in the meeting;

1. I acknowledged that the Bible does speak against a man being within the walls with his head covered (1 Cor. 11:7). Yet, I honestly either didn’t notice or was simply unconcerned. An elderly gentlemen attended church for a lengthy time, and wore a "doo-rag" head covering and no one said a word.

   
   

2. It was needful to remind the Saints that if I was to approach the brother about hat removal, our women should be required to wear a hat or other form of head dress. The Bible says women should keep their head “covered” (1 Cor. 11:5-10).

   
   

3. The meeting basically ended with women refusing to cover their heads and me reminding all present that it is a disgrace before God’s Throne to judge our brother and not the sisters for their neglect (Rom. 2:1-2). Note: I never teach being judgmental is wrong as do fake and cowardly preachers but rather unrighteous, or in this case “part-time”, judging is evil (John 7:24, 1 Cor. 5:12-13).

Not only did brother wear a baseball cap, but he is a Wild Man, bullhorn wielding street preacher.

One of my favorite Christian rappers, Stephen the Levite, has an album cover with a man resembling this Wild Man:

Image Courtesy of Lampmode Records

If this guy's braids were taken down and his hair picked out to full, this is exactly, dress, style and all, what he looks like!

Amazingly, however, once both he and his wife began to preach and teach, not only did the issue go away, but they are also now much beloved amongst the same people who called the meeting.

What blessings would our fellowship have missed had we persisted in creating chaos about an issue that simply doesn't matter?

Jesus was/is the Master of drawing unconventional people to become His followers yet, His Bride (us) have mastered running them away (Matt. 9:9-13, Luke 19:1-10, John 4:1-42).

For me, I do not wear the old school, negro preacher pimps suits and penny loafers. Yet I am not at all comfortable wearing a t-shirt into the pulpit either. As radical as many think I am, there is yet a bit of churchy remaining.

More to the point; although how we appear is important to us, church folk, God forbid that we make it an issue with those who are being drawn to place of worship but are not yet saved through the Blood of Jesus (Mark 9:42, Rom. 14:13).

For example, the same old school, church dressed up divas, as well as church mother, have hurt so many younger women by shaming them for being inappropriately dressed.

Yall know what I mean with respect to the “lap cover” thing.

With unchurched young men, a local named Pastor Marvin Jenkins makes it a habit to shame them at funerals, about wearing hats. This is interesting because Jenkins, in my interactions with him, has no regard for the House of God personally.

At least, not if financial integrity in a leader matters which, according to the Bible, is either a qualifier of disqualifier to lead people (1 Tim. 3:1-7).

More plainly, imagine someone constantly tracking mud onto the carpet of the office you work in yet gets angry when others do so (Matt. 7:3-5, Luke 6:41-42).

Jenkins will be featured in another article, most likely the longest on this website because, and as the Apostle Paul publicly said about Peter, “he is to be blamed” (Gal. 2:11-14).

Now, let me take this a step further, because this shift in attire ain’t just about fabric—it’s about the soul of the church.

I’ve seen it with my own eyes: the old guard clutching their traditions like a lifeline, while the young folk are out here trying to breathe new life into a faith that’s supposed to be alive, and not subject to the whims of those sporting cement shoes.

Pastor Ward and his crew didn’t just show up casual—they showed up real as it gets and that was the blessing for me personally. Their jeans and t-shirts weren’t rebellion; they were an invitation to, like Jesus Christ, become part of the "whosoever if" followers of "the way" (John 3:15-17).

Preachers like the previously featured Bishop Darrell Hines, are the ones in rebellion against the Lord through their blatant hypocritical teaching (Rom. 1:1-2).

Didn't Jesus both say and demonstrate the same with, "come unto me all you that are weary and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:20-27).

And the baseball cap brother and his blue-jean wife? They didn’t just preach some time later —they connected. The Saints stopped worrying about the outward appearance and instead were moved by what was in their heart (John 16:13, 1 John 4:6).

It’s like the Spirit said, “Y’all worried about the wrong covering—where’s your heart at” (Luke 10:40-42, John 6: 26-27)?

That’s the question I’m wrestling with now. I’ll call out a fake preacher, as we used to say, "with the quickness," but I’m starting to see how our fixation, mine included, on Sunday best can be its own kind of hypocrisy.

Take the church mothers, bless their hearts. They’ll drape a lap cloth over a sister’s knees like it’s a sacred duty, but where’s that energy when she’s crying out for help (Matt. 23:23-24).

Or Pastor Jenkins, making a pretense of holiness at funerals demanding young men, lost and without Christ, remove their baseball caps - meanwhile, his own life’s is a biblical disgrace (Luke 13:10-17).

As the Savior said so long ago; these leaders strain at a gnat and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24).

Colored folk must stop majoring in minors.

I’m not saying ditch all reverence—God’s house deserves respect (Psa. 93:5).

But if a young soul walks in with a hoodie, hat, or short hoochie dress yet with a heavy heart, I’m not about to turn them away not allow them to be attacked by church members (not disciples).

The church ain’t a country club; it’s a hospital, although spiritual, for the broken (Jam. 5:14-15, Heb. 12:12-13). And if we keep shaming folks for their sneakers instead of sin, we’re missing the whole point of the cross who are the "whosoever ifs" Jesus spoke of in John 3.

So here’s my charge, church folk: let’s keep our eyes on what matters. Jenkins can keep his hustle, and the divas can keep their hats—just don’t let either stop us from reaching the lost.

These sort of fakers will be judged and condemned by the Lord for what they have sown and not repented of. Furthermore, and depite the false teaching of the blind leaders of the blind concerning eternal security (once saved, alway saved), Hell will be there home (Heb. 6:4-6, John 15:6, 2 Thess. 1:8-9).

The Blood of Jesus don’t care about your wardrobe, and neither should we when souls are on the line (1 John 1:7, Heb. 9:22, Rev. 1:5).

Am I saying this never matters? No!

However, as long as someone doesn't walk-in butt-naked, does it matter? If so, where is the biblical proof outside of the false teaching of your pastor who misuses the text; "let all thing be done decent and in order" (1 Cor 14:40).

Not our order rather God's and I close with this; "let God be true and everyone else a liar" (Rom. 3:4)