Pastor Matt, why don't you ever wear a tie?

People tease me all the time about not wearing a tie (or dressing up for that matter).  On one particular Sunday, someone complimented me on wearing my "nice t-shirt" to Sunday School. 

Others get upset and are sure that the Bible requires a pastor to wear a tie and suit at all times because he is to be "a man set apart unto God."

You know what I call that?  Bunk!

The Bible calls pastors to be set aside in their personal lives and devotion to Christ, not in whether or not they wear the latest fad in suits. 

What about all those preachers in the 70's who were convinced that all preachers must wear paisley suits with butterfly collars and bell-bottoms?  If God required it then, why not now?  (Trust me.  You don't want to see me in a bright orange suit).

Back to the question at hand. 

I do not wear a suit and tie because God has called me to be a pastor to the common man.  I am to reach out to those who do not normally feel comfortable in a traditional church.  If they came to church and saw me all stiffed out in a suit and tie, they might turn and run the other way.  My intent is to present myself in a way that people feel comfortable around me and can hear the Word of God in a relational way, instead of having it shoved down their throat by what appears to be a lofty preacher.

Not to mention, I look fat in a suit and it makes me sweat (of course getting out of bed is enough exercise to make me sweat these days).

Of course, I am aware that not all people agree with my philosophy on how to dress and that is OK.  Wear what you feel convicted to wear.  Dress up, dress down...I don't care and I seriously doubt God does either.  If you are dressing down to be disrespectful to God, then that is another matter.  However, God made us all different and that is good.  If we all dressed the same, how boring would that be?