Band Dress Code
We seek to glorify God in all that we do, including worshiping Him the way He has commanded us. That means being less noticeable on stage rather than more. Here are some practical reminders followed by some Scriptural foundations.
Height of stage: Due to the build of the stages we utilize, we are typically elevated (in a physical sense) above the congregation when leading worship through music. Ladies, please make sure dresses or skirts are knee-length or below for formal services. Opt for pants when you can for standard Sunday services.
Heavy lighting: Understandably, most of us don't get ready in an environment similar to the stage. We are brightly lit up from the front, the back, and floor levels on stage. This can make certain fabrics see-through when they aren't otherwise. It can also cast shadows on parts of our bodies that draw attention where it's not wanted! For this reason you should not wear clothing that matches your skin color. From the audience, the difference between fabric and skin will not be evident. (This is different, of course, from wearing skin colored undergarments to prevent the stage lights from highlighting the difference between skin and undergarments.) Please select layers/undergarments/outerwear as appropriate.
IMAG screens: You will be projected from different angles onto gigantic screens during service. Before you leave the house, do some motion tests. Raise your arms, do some praise hands, shimmy, lean forward, do the "City Church Worship Girl Sway," etc. Identify any potential wardrobe malfunctions. If anything is showing that should not be, change your outfit! Be willing to text a trusted friend to check if an outfit is appropriate for leading, and you may even want to keep an extra on hand.
Dress for worship, not performance: When leading worship, we are to be pointing to Christ and not drawing attention to ourselves. Ideally, we should be unified and “invisible.” Please do not wear flashy or distracting accessories like large hats, shoes you cannot walk in, etc. This is not the time to “perform” in behavior or dress. Think business casual: Men, jeans are okay. Please, no tees, tanks, tight-fitting shirts, ball caps/hats, sandals, or shorts. Ladies, make sure what you're wearing from head to toe is comfortable and supportive so that you can worship God without being restricted by your outfit. Please cover your midriff at all times.
The Why:
To Adorn the Teaching of God Our Savior (Titus 2:10): Songs have a special importance in our worship services as this is one way for believers to proclaim the truths and promises of God’s Word together. However, singing is not primary in our gatherings — the teaching of God’s Word is primary. As we lead in worship through song, we aim to build up the church (1 Cor. 14:26) by singing together the truths we hear from the preaching of the Word. It is imperative that we conduct ourselves in a manner that does not distract from this holy endeavor, but instead, our aim is to “adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.” So then, anything we do, from the clothes we wear, the shoes we put on our feet, or the jewelry we accessorize with, we ought to always ask “am I adorning the teaching of God or distracting from it?”
To Worship in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23-24): In His words to the Samaritan woman, Christ said that the Father desires those who will to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and because of Christ’s redemption we can. When we lead in worship through song among the body of believers we aim to lead and worship together in this same Spirit and in Truth (who is Christ). If, however, we are a distraction or even a temptation to others by the way we have dressed, then it is likely that: 1) we are not worshiping God rightly ourselves, and 2) we are hindering our brothers and sisters in Christ from true worship.
He Must Increase; I Must Decrease (John 3:30): John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord and lead sinners to the only One who could cleanse them, purify them, and present them blameless before God the Father. So too is our role in leading worship through song to the One True God. Not everyone in our midst will be a believer, and so we desire them to hear the words we sing, to thoughtfully consider them in light of the teaching of God’s Word, and give their lives to Christ. This is an evangelistic moment. We want to lift the gaze of our brothers and sisters, as well as those who do not know God, from us, from even words on a screen, to the Lord and encourage them to worship Him and no other. How we conduct ourselves and adorn our bodies is a small way we lead, but a deeply important way we serve the church and evangelize the lost. Let us make much of Christ, and very little of ourselves.