We have VBS this week from 9 - 12. I am in charge of openings and closings so I'm on stage during those times. I dismiss the kids everyday after the closing prayer. All the kids are in their group with the teachers in the sanctuary. The parents have to go to their kids group and the teacher deals with the sign outs. We haven't had any clothing issues with kids, parents, or eaders thank God. For children's church it's a bit different. We start in large group and end in small group. The parents pick the kids up from the small group classrooms. I have 7 kids in my group and know all the parents so no big deal there. The kids have to wait in class until the parents come. No running down the halls helter skelter. There are a couple kids I bring to the parents in the choir room. Nursery is always sign in and out and you must have the tag that matches the child's.
That's pretty much how it was always done before, Tiffany. But this year, after being dismissed from the sactuary, the teacher takes them back down to the classroom, and we pick them up from there. Hmmmmm. I wonder if they will start doing the same thing at AWANAS....? I don't really like it that way, but I do understand it and know it's for the kids' safety. So I'm sure not going to fuss.
Did they tell here to sit at there feet while she was there also? HOW SAD! That the church sent her away like that. Could it be that she is a brazen woman who was taking at look at the other side of life, by visiting the church? She might now think that there is no real love, or place for her in God's church either.
She looked like a ' lady of the evening', as did her daughter. She was welcome to come back anytime- properly dressed. And no, she was not asked to sit at their feet while she was there. Had she, all that mass would have come tumbling out of her unbuttoned halfway down blouse. Her push up bra was doing over time, see.
Oh my! I can understand someone dressed that way being asked to leave and change. There are children there!! Now someone coming in off the street it dirty clothing or something is different obviously.
Okay. Good point. Even though I wouldn't want my kid to see someone dressed that way and at church none the less I suppose you are right TM. We don't know what that persons situation was but we also don't know that she didn't dress that way on purpose. Jesus wouldn't have asked someone to leave because of the way they were dressed but he also knows what is in someone's heart and we don't. Thinking about it I'm not sure what the right answer is here.
My church is very welcoming to anyone. It's a pretty laid back (come as you are, we are glad you're here) church. The teen group is awesome. They even lead worship at times. It is a 45 minute drive for us to get to church but we just love this church because of how involved the children's ministry is. All workers are screened before being allowed to work with the kids. Parent's are always allowed to stay with the kids and the kids have to be signed in and out. The other reason I love the church is the nursery where they do a young children's program along w/free play.. Now my 5yo has been pretty content to sit in the sanctuary since she was 2 yo. Before that she was only able to handle the song service before she became bored. I always sat in the back with her that way if need be I could exit quietly. Now my 4yo son is another story. There is no way he can even make it through 1 song let alone the whole service. The church in my home town doesn't have nursery at all. It has a mother's room which I always hated. The room is pretty small 8x10 with a window to the sanctuary and a speaker to hear the sermon. It always made me feel like I wasn't even taking and participating in the sermon (listening) I really hated it.. I mean the main reason I go to church is to be able to listen and learn. To me it is worth the 45 minute drive in order for us to get the blessing of fellowship at church. Everybody has their own opinion I just think that no matter what respect for others is necessary. leave sanctuary if necessary or even sit towards the back so as not to distract the others. Just my thoughts.... no tomatoe's please.
oh wow, here comes the tomtoes and watermelons my way... But, I tell my girls we all go to worship the king. some people don't have money to dress right but they want to worship the king and we need to let them.. God loves everyone no matter what we wear.. thats why I say go to church and don't worry about what the Jones wear...
EXACTLY!!!!! Ya know. . .Jesus ate with the tax collectors and even drank from the cup drawn by a woman who was sleeping around. Really--He hung out with a lot of shady characters. He also talked about how He came for the sick. Our church is in the inner city. NO ONE would ever be asked to leave unless they were disruptive. That's it. People walk in and smell like urine because (gasp) they're homeless. And yes, their sin led them there. And yes, sometimes they have horrible problems and curse like sailors. And yes, there are (bigger gasp) prostitutes that have visited our church too. And you know what--they're dressed like prostitutes. I frankly know of nothing more convicting and more powerful to change these lives than the gospel of Christ and His Holy Spirit. And they can't hear it if they're asked to leave.
sneaky mama we have homeless that sleep in our church lot occasionally, as long as they do not stay there in the morning no one has said anything, I mean say sleeping, they are welcome to join us in church. I don't know how this topic changed but I think most of us agree on this one, Jesus did after all say you who are without sin cast the first stone? how can they hear unless they are taught? ( somewhere in the Bible)
You know, if we had a prostitute come into our church, she would be welcome. Our church is also a "mission" church. One time, we were passing out freeze pops to the kids on the street, and a hooker DID ask me if she could have one. Of course, I gave her one! But if she were to come into the church dressed as a hooker, I think someone in authority would say something to her about her appearance, at least eventually. We had a gal who was part of the worship team at our old church. She dressed in VERY tight jeans. No one would dare address the issue, even though there were complaints. We had one guy in quasi-leadership that told the pastors flat out that if they didn't deal with it, he would walk out of the service with his family the next time it happens, and then he did. Guess what. She ended up breaking up one of the families in our church. Now, I know the husband that left his wife for this woman is just as guilty as she. But I wonder if it would have happened if the pastors had dealt with her dress and the heart-attitude involved with her dress.
Maybe the difference is between is it someone who has just started coming to the church and may not know that others feel their dress is inappropriate or is it someone who has been a member for a long time and is doing it to get attention. (That has to be some kind of grammar-horror sentence!) I don't know the answer. I am not eager to view everyone's goods, but I don't want to make someone feel they are not welcome if their heart is in the right place, but their clothes are not!
Very well said! I would hope that during an opportunity to share Christ we would ceratinly be willing to overlook someone's clothing!
One Sunday morning several years ago we had just started the worship service and a man came in. He walked down to the front center pew and sat down. He was scruffy and dirty and needed a haircut. He wore old jeans and had on a long camouflage coat and was carrying a large duffel bag. He kept his big coat on and acted odd as if something might be under the coat. He was sitting right in front of our youth group which included my twins. At the first hymn when we pass the peace of Christ our pastor came down and welcomed him and shook his hand and patted him on the back. He later said he did the patting thing to see if he could feel a weapon or anything. I know this sounds awful but I am being honest. The guy acted nervous and moved around a lot during the sermon. I don't remember a word of the sermon because I couldn't stop thinking what if he does something. Can I get to my girls fast enough if he pulls out a gun or a weapon of some sort. Freddy was on duty that day and wasn't with us. Anyway after the service was over and we were leaving the man went to our pastor and told him he had come in to ask for money. He was broke and needed help getting to where he was going. Of course that was taken care of and he went on his way. The whole church was talking about how nervous he had made everyone feel. The next month we had youth Sunday and each of the kids that wanted to could speak for a few minutes. One of my twins gave a talk about the day Jesus came into our church and how we didn't recognize him and how we treated him with suspicion. It was very humbling to hear her words. I will never forget it. Beth
I think that's exactly it. You deal with the prostitute who comes in off the street on any given Sunday, the new believer who has just committed their life to Christ and mature Christians differently. A prostitute doesn't know and doesn't claim to love and follow Christ so how can she be held to standards she doesn't acknowledge? It's like trying to explain someone how they need salvation when they don't acknowledge sin in their lives. A new believer may not know better and so you gently instruct her with Scripture. A true believer will be convicted by the Holy Spirit on such matters. A mature believer however, one that has been a part of the local body, who has committed to the church in membership (if the church has it), who professes Christ with their mouth--must have the walk to match the talk. This person should be dealt with under the Matthew 18 principle. Or at least that's my opinion. This is how we would deal with something like that in our church. ;-)
It's probably good to try to discern between people who need a touch from Jesus and those who claim to know Him, but dress lilke they don't. The latter ones are the ones who need to be held accountable and dealt with on matters of dress. (IMHO)
