When I started in pastoral ministry many years ago, most of us wore jackets and ties to preach on Sunday morning. Some even wore suits. Recently, I looked at some old pictures of me from the early 1980s, and by the fashion standards of the day, I looked just fine. Today, those pictures can be a bit embarrassing.

A change took place somewhere in the late 80s when the brave among us decided to ditch the coat and tie and replace it with an open collar, sweater, and slacks. This went on for a few years until someone decided to wear jeans.  We all wanted to wear jeans but needed someone to grant us “permission” to do it. 

I remember the first time I wore jeans in a public worship service.  It was for a Wednesday evening.  I felt both naked and free. I got some comments.  I was surprised that most of the people thought it was cool.  We began to discover that jeans actually worked, and a few years later, they began to show up behind most Sunday morning pulpits.  Today, I can only remember a few Sundays in recent history when I have not worn a pair of jeans to preach.

I have what I call a “marrying and burying” suit hanging in my closet.  This suit comes out a few times each year to help a young couple begin their journey of life together or to conduct a funeral for someone who passed away, and I officiate the service.  

I mention all of this about attire to process a simple point. The packaging of ministry has changed over the years and will continue to do so for many years to come. It’s OK to change things; in fact, I think it’s a sign of emotional health. The Church is one group that can actually get stuck in time and call it righteousness.

If Jesus were to show up today and manifest in a physical body, He would not be wearing a robe or sandals. He would be dressed like the rest of us. Sometimes we make Jesus too mysterious.  The Incarnation—Jesus taking on a physical body like ours—was His idea.   Jesus was good at removing barriers to communication. He is still doing that today amid our ever-changing culture, and the power of His message has remained unhindered.