It would seem that people know how to behave in a courtroom, at work, and for the most part in public. Some also know and observe what is considered to be respectable dressing for occasions. Yet, when it comes to going to church there is no order and no consideration in relation to "how to dress or behave when going to church and when in church?" There was a time when people could easily identify the Christian, both male and female from the non-Christian.  Why has the morals concerning modesty and decency disappeared from the church community? Why are leaders ignoring these sacred behaviours taught from the Bible in exchange for fitly lucre instead of maintaining spiritual dignity? Where is the reverence for God? In fact, why go to church; and better still, why are leaders exchanging the truth of the word for a lie? It could be that many are thieves and robbers, who entered in through a window, and not through the door (John 10:1). It is very important that Christian beliefs are set apart from the ideologies of the world (Romans 12:1-2).  Furthermore, in Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." This message should be the hallmark of every believer when he or she dresses for church and being in the public. When we obey the Word, this gives glory and honour to God as the world sees our behaviour and the way we present ourselves as members of the Body of Jesus Christ. Below are some guidelines which used to be expected and acknowledged by Christians and visitors, but have become obsolete in most churches of the 21st Century.

 

1. Sit quietly – praying, reading, meditating. It is bad manners and irreverent to have loud continuous conversation or loud laughing, in the pews. It is a reproach to God; the Pastor and other members/visitors will be disgusted. If you must talk, keep this quiet since someone might be praying.

2. Do not eat in the pew; do not leave your candy wrapper, tissue or gum in the pew or on the floor. Try do your drinking in church: everything is on camera! What are we portraying to the world and those who need a church?

3. If you have children – keep them in order – reasonably.

4. If you must go outside for any reason, leave quietly. Look for the closest exit. If you know you must get up during the service, sit at the end of the pew if possible. Make your bathroom run before sitting down.

5. Turn off your cell phone if you expect a call.

6. Respect the ushers.

7. “Let all things be done decently and in order” I Corinthians 14:40. I Corinthians 14:33. 

8. When called upon to pray or sing, do just that! It is disrespectful to be asked to pray or to do anything, and you decide to do something else; then say it is the Holy Spirit. He does not behave unseemly or contrarily. He does not act out of character, but always decently and in order.

9. Have respect. If you have something to say to someone, do not drop words since this will only create an atmosphere of demonic activity – they are very subtle, and are only looking for an open door to enter.

10. The Bible teaches us to be different from the world. We were not asked to blend in, but to separate ourselves and to look like the One we claim to serve.

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Dress Code

1. When doing anything in the Pulpit, please dress orderly and avoid wearing garments which are revealing either visibly or physically – Pants should be avoided, no matter what you are doing at the Pulpit.

2. Dress as though you are going to church, and not the club or to the gym. It matters not whether you are a member or otherwise.

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​Church Service

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1. Worship means: reverence, holiness, orderliness for the Pulpit which represents order and God’s Presence; Psalm 29:1-2

2. If there is a Pulpit Bible; please use it for congregational reading, instead of reading from a phone.

3. Pastors should encourage their members to bring their Bible to church. If the carpenter, for example, leaves his toolbox at home when he goes on a job, he cannot work. 

4. If church begins at 9:30 am on Sunday mornings for Sunday School and you are teacher or student, be there on time. This is to please God. What if God took His time to answer an urgent prayer, what would you do?

5. Praise and worship must always give time for the Speaker since there are people who go to work, and it is unfair for them not to hear the sermon before they leave. Let us be our brother’s keeper.

6. Use wisdom and omit something if time is moving on: if we have had a long opening prayer – omit the intercessory prayer.

 

The Altar Call

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1. During the altar call, every believer should be offering up intercessory prayer because working at the altar is very important and serious. This is the most active time for spiritual warfare to take place and distract believers to become inattentive or even to leave.

2. Do not pray for someone if you are not spiritually ready. If you go to the altar to pray for someone with a bad spirit in you, that demon might enter into the one being prayed for and cause him or her more problems. Even if you are asked to pray, send a message or indicate that you would rather not at this time.

3. Do not lay hand on anyone unless you are led to do so.

 

​Responsibilities of Church Leaders

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1. If you are an officer in the church, you are expected to attend at least one weekly service except for extenuating reasons: distance, work, transportation.

2. It is up to all of us to do what is right in the presence of the Lord and not to take anything for granted or personal.

 

In Closing

You did not come to this page just for curiosity. Surely, there is a message here for you or for someone you know. If this is the case, then make the adjustment you as a Christian need to make in order to please God, and not yourself or the world. You may know of someone who needs to be reminded of these simple points, if so, then please pass it on. 

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Psalm 95:1-11