Are We Staging Sex-Appeal in Worship?

[Kim Gentes]

friends,

I wrote this article and it published to my site /blog today. with lots of conversation on it. I thought it might be a topic particularly pertinant with this group..

Are We Staging Sex-Appeal in Worship?

http://bit.ly/118tdex

Kim

[trit...@cox.net]

Good observations, but I would have thought it went without saying that we cast our stage people according to various criteria that often include physical appearance. Which, of course, is exactly why it probably needs to be said.

In one of the first worship leading jobs I had, new pastor informed me that I needed to lose weight, take out the earring and stop bleaching my hair. He was wrong. I actually needed a different job.

Over the years, I've done one of those three, but only because my taste in hair color has changed. :-)

The more a church becomes one man looking for people to fulfill his dream, the more that church will define what everyone must look like. And vice-versa, perhaps.

Not that I would insist that there is absolutely no place for appearance considerations in public, visible ministry. There may very well be. I don't know. Maybe.

Mike

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[Bob Marshall]

Wow, I've never even thought about this subject. It never even crossed my
mind. Personally I've never even noticed the appearance of a fellow worship
team member, or noticed a worship team member's appearance from a
congregational singer's point of view. Hmm, where am I going here, I need to
make a point. OK, the only thing I care about is the heart of the worship
team member. In fact, I usually have my eyes closed anyway, so it doesn't
matter what they look like. I will say that I am somewhat observant of
whether they can sing on pitch or play their instrument competently and
without making a spectacle of themselves. However, I will say that beyond
physical attractiveness, I do pay attention to dressing styles. Don't care
much for the dirty-blue-jeans-untucked-shirt look. Low-cut blouse, tight
jeans style. So, yeah, from that perspective appearance is important (coming
at it from the other direction, i.e., what is unappealing compared to what
*is* appealing). But I'll say it again, the bottom line is the heart, not
the appearance. As worship team members, the most important thing that
matters is to help create an environment that facilitates worship.

Bob Marshall
Cool, CA

[Douglas Anderson]

Go to the CD section of your local Christian book store and take a long hard look at the faces on the CD covers.

--

Douglas
rx...@usa.net

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[Richard Huntrods]

Kim,

Well, I've long wondered about the credibility of 300lb+ pastors preaching about abstinence and self-control (when no medical condition was involved in the weight).

Gluttony was never punished like the 'roving eye' was punished in various churches I used to attend. Of course, pastoral greed was frequently a way of life; almost a boast of their high station in the church.

So no, I'm not at all surprised that beauty is equally (or more) important than skill to most seeking worship leaders. But then, if all you are going to do is duplicate the CD for the church, aren't you really just playing a churchy version of American Idol anyway?

-R

[guitarpicker]

I had a young lady show up with a short leopard-skin skirt once.

It arrested my attention. Didn't look appropriate to me but I let it go

considering she was pastor appointed & approved.

Would you have done or said something?

[Bob Marshall]

The “pastor-appointed & approved” part has little or nothing to do with it. The important part is how well-defined and advertised the worship team dress code is. If it is not clearly defined, or non-existent, then you have to cut some slack. If it *is* clearly defined, then there is not much room for slack; talk to her privately, keep the whole issue just between you and her. Perhaps a few weeks later remind the entire worship team about the dress code (don’t do it too soon else the young lady might think you are making an example of her).

 

Bob Marshall

Cool, CA

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