Distinctive Femininity of Dress

In this part of the sermon: He applies these principles to contemporary American culture, noting the exponential increase of women wearing pants in church. He distinguishes between cultural evolution (like…

A story of a single woman who asked if her dignified, distinctly feminine pantsuits would be offensive. Martin assured her they would not, but notes the exponential increase of women wearing pants since then, setting the stage for his appeal.

The God who made us male and female is displeased when the external signs and symbols of that distinction are exchanged in external appearance. Now, that's my basic biblical foundation for addressing you men, I'm sorry, you girls and you women with this pastoral entreaty concerning distinctively feminine dress in the gathering of God's people. So I move from the biblical basis rooted in 1 Corinthians 11 and Deuteronomy 22 5, secondly, a specific application of this biblical basis for our appeal for distinctive femininity of dress in the house of God. Now, to help you know where I'm going, let ...

25:53 - 27:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He applies these principles to contemporary American culture, noting the exponential increase of women wearing pants in church. He distinguishes between cultural evolution (like…

An example of how cultural perceptions of men's beards have evolved. In the 60s, a beard might have signaled rebellion, but now a well-trimmed beard is a mark of masculinity, illustrating how cultural context affects dress interpretation.

Now, it's against the backdrop of that movement in our congregation that we as pastors have wrestled with this and said, well, since pants are taking over out there in our society and in our culture, should we regard this simply as a filtering into the church of an innocent matter of cultural evolution and just accept it? Because there are some things that that's true. That's true of men's facial hair. Back in the sixties, you showed up here with a beard.

28:51 - 29:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He applies these principles to contemporary American culture, noting the exponential increase of women wearing pants in church. He distinguishes between cultural evolution (like…

The common idiom 'Who wears the pants in that family?' is used to illustrate that pants were once a distinctively masculine item of clothing, signifying authority, but this is no longer true in contemporary society.

Hey, who wears the pants in that family? How many of you ever heard that question? Okay? Where'd that come from?

31:21 - 31:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Prayerfully consider whether you ought to have a substitute pair of slacks, not quite so tight, not quite so old and threadbare, that you pull on before coming to prayer meeting, to honor God.

An example of women wearing well-worn, tight, faded jeans to prayer meeting, used to question whether this honors God and to encourage more thoughtful, modest dress even for informal gatherings.

may I say a word about a broader context? Dear ladies, do you really believe that showing up in those well-worn, oh, so comfortable faded jeans at prayer meeting is honoring to God? We are known around the world as a church committed to Biblical worship and Biblical order. What do you think strangers think when on a Wednesday night they see women dressed in, sometimes all together, they fit you before you had that last kid or two. Jeans all together too tight and faded. I would just say, would you not prayerfully consider whether or not you ought to have a substitute pair of slacks, not quite ...

46:10 - 47:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Have one day a week or maybe two, called 'non-jeans and sweatshirt days,' to present a more distinctively feminine image, especially for mothers.

A vivid description of a mother's daily routine in faded jeans and a sweatshirt, illustrating how children might grow up with an image of femininity that is not distinctively feminine, prompting a call for 'non-jeans and sweatshirt days'.

And then a second heel along that line. Those of you especially with little ones and all kinds of responsibilities that meet you day after day, I know it's so easy. First thing in the morning to grab that well worn, comfortable pair of jeans and that old gray sweatshirt. Pull on the jeans and the sweatshirt. Give yourself to your laborers throughout the day. Grab your hubby when he comes home from work. Give him a little peck on the cheek while you get the rest of the meal on the table and the rest and then feeling like you've done three days work to pull the clothes off 10 o'clock at night, f...

47:24 - 48:18 Read in full sermon

The point: Have one day a week or maybe two, called 'non-jeans and sweatshirt days,' to present a more distinctively feminine image, especially for mothers.

Martin uses the humorous analogy of Romeo proposing to Juliet to convey the earnestness and sweetness of his appeal, emphasizing that he is not angry but deeply concerned.

That's just bearing my heart, asking the question. I'm not making any decrees. I'm not angry. I'm not being nasty. I'm being as sweet as I know how. If I could get away with it, Harry told me the last thing, I moved off too far and DVDs got an empty pulpit a couple of places otherwise I'd be around move this thing and get on my knees and stretch out my hands like Romeo proposing to Juliet up in the balcony. Dear ladies, dear ladies, have you thought this thing through at all? I think for many of you, you've just never thought it through.

48:38 - 49:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Think through the implications of distinctive femininity with respect to circumstances other than the house of God.

A story of a young mother who admitted that sometimes immodest dress is due to not wanting to be bothered. This leads into Martin's point about the inconvenience and cost of finding modest, feminine clothing.

So I would plead with you to think through the implications of distinctive femininity with respect to circumstances other than the house of God. And then finally, I want to say something growing out of a pastoral visit with a young couple just a week and two days ago. This young mother said, Pastor, there's something you didn't deal with and address on the matter of modesty and that is, for us many times it's not a matter of rebellion, it's not a matter of seeking to be seductive, it's just we don't want to be bothered. We start out the house door, start out the house in something we know is m...

49:22 - 50:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Think through the implications of distinctive femininity with respect to circumstances other than the house of God.

Martin shares his wife's frustrations in finding modest dresses and skirts in catalogs and stores, demonstrating his understanding of the practical difficulties women face in adhering to his appeal.

some of you are thinking sitting there. Pastor, you're a man. You don't have a clue what it's like to find a modest dress, to find skirts that cover the knees. You don't have a clue. Yes, I do. I see the frustrations of my wife going through catalog after catalog, going to pennies, trying to find a modest dress. It's not easy. But let me ask you, if we're not willing to bear the inconvenience of distinctive femininity and modesty, are we ready to die for Christ?

50:21 - 51:05 Read in full sermon