As I continue to write the series Creating Great Moments in Worship, I came across this article written by my friend, Leann Albrecht. In it she expounds on the importance of making wise choices and wearing appropriate attire while leading worship. Though Leann writes this mostly from a female perspective to females, it should be noted that men must also take notice of how they dress while they lead worship, and if they are drawing attention to themselves or to God. I couldn’t have said it better! Thanks for allowing me to re-post the article in its entirety here, Leann.
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We live at a time in history when our liberal society would like to accentuate the “sensuous” (a preoccupation with bodily or sexual pleasures) and annihilate the “virtuous” (general moral excellence; right actions and thinking; goodness; strength and courage with the power to choose right). It is a time when purity has little value and sex sells everything. Our cultural obsession with “sex” preys on our homes and churches to paralyze our minds and harden our hearts. It seeks to steal the real beauty of sex that God intended for it.

As Christians, God has called us to be role models. (one who inspires others to good moral and ethical conduct), We have a responsibility to know what’s hip and what’s not in the “fashion world”. If the latest fashion “rage” is risque, we don’t need to cause an outrage by wearing it. It’s imperative that we know the difference between a creative outfit that is beautiful and one that is creative but suggestive. I have no desire to be the “fashion police”, however, I have gained some wisdom from having lived a “colorful” life of various occupations.

My father was a minister ….and I was the prodigal teenager who lived the whispered gossip. Eventually I moved to New York as a flight attendant, followed by several years of print and runway modeling in the fashion industry. After moving back to St. Louis, Missouri, I worked as a sales representative in the business world of ad specialties. Now years later, I am a worship leader, writer and speaker… and married to the same man, Carl, for 27 years.

Not long ago at a conference, a senior pastor extended his hand to me and said, “I want to tell you how much I appreciate you dressing modestly as a worship leader. I wish everyone who is in leadership could somehow know the importance of that.” The definition of modesty is: Adequately clothed for propriety; the quality of being proper, fitting or suitable.

We live in Nashville, Tennessee which is a melting pot of creative colorful people – you can always pick them out. They are the artistic ones who wear funky clothes, striking hair colors and have multiple parts of their bodies tattooed or pierced. Personally, I find it fascinating. They are walking exhibits of art and many of them are beautiful.

Yes, I know, “It’s what’s on the inside that really counts.” However, what is conveyed on the outside can be a reflection of what is on the inside. If your fashion decisions are meant to gain the lustful eye of the opposite sex, it will only lead to a hollow thrill. Please take the advice from one who has walked down that path: the lustful responses you provoke are not the kind of attention you really want and it brings with it a cost you cannot afford to pay.

The dictionary defines lust as: the sexual desire to seek unrestrained gratification of the senses and bodily appetite. Matthew 5:27 says, You have heard the commandment, “Do not commit adultery”, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman and cherishes lustful thoughts has already committed adultery with her in his own heart.

Men and women are different in many ways. Women are emotionally stimulated while men are visually stimulated. That’s the way God made us. Proverbs 27:20 says, The grave and destruction are never satisfied; so too the eyes of man.

Cultural dressing for the Islamic religion only allows a woman to expose her hands and face. “Waabiism”, a sub-sect of Islam, requires women to be totally covered in black with only a small slit for the eyes in the veil. This legalistic form of dressing is not the answer either. It merely deletes the beauty of a woman.

Recently, I was at a Christian Music Festival. One of the guys asked if I could spend some time with his teenage daughter since he was going to be busy setting up. I agreed to pick her up at the hotel entrance later that morning.

As she opened the car door to join me, I tried not to gasp. First of all, she was gorgeous! I had never seen a more perfect body. Then I realized…… I didn’t have to use much imagination ……. she had very little clothing on! Obviously, she had dressed for a “hot” summer day but we were not at the beach.

When we arrived at the park, we met up with her dad. Within a few minutes she whispered to him. “Dad, is this outfit scandalous?” He said, “Well, honey, I guess if you have to ask the question, then it is.” Quietly reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a full cut shirt to cover her bare midriff, skintight halter-top and very low- rise jeans.

Her dad commented to me later. “Her mother was just like her when we first started dating. She had no clue how others perceived her scanty clothing. I had to be the one to tell her.”

For the first time, I realized it was possible that inappropriate dressing could be something other than an intentional decision. Without a parent or mentor to help guide those decisions, people choose their trendy styles from movies, TV and fashion magazines. Again, I am not finding fault with fashion or fads. It’s fun to create but do it with discretion.

If you are a leader, this is extremely important. People are looking to you as an example. What standard do you want to set? When others look at you, what do they see? When you stand before the congregation, whether you are “the” leader or just a part of the band on the platform, you are a leader. People are “checking you out.”

Girls – when every curve or bulge can be seen, I promise you, there are people around you having to close their eyes to have a spiritual experience.……men and women alike. If a fabulous body is being flaunted, other girls are caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts that range from envy, jealousy, criticism or self-degradation. And the guys…they are fighting their own battle of visually ignited desire .

So, girls…. let’s be kind to the guys. Don’t make it difficult for them. Think of them as a best friend who needs your help to keep a clean thought life. When they look at us, let their first thought be of Jesus…not a sexy body or lack of it. If you’re married, save those “sexy outfits” for a date with your spouse.

The same is true for the guys. Tight clothing is not only uncomfortable but distracting. Be kind to the ladies. Instead, let them see your gentleness, compassion and strength of character.

Not only do you want your appearance to be above criticism but your speech as well. Sexually suggestive conversations can lead down a road of ungoldy imagination. You know what I’m talking about…. the two possible comments that follow someone’s statement. One is the innocent comment and the other one has an “off color” sexual slant. You may be tempted to choose the sexual comment because you think it makes you look “clever” or a little “naughty”. My advice is, “Keep your mind out of the gutter.” Get a laugh from jokes that are witty and clean. Proverbs 27:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for a friend. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, those who make it a friend shall eats it’s fruit. Matthew 15:11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

We, as Christians, need to set a higher standard. A standard that is moral. One that promotes the attitude of Jesus and a lifestyle of purity; one that delights our soul instead of our “fleshly” senses.

Here are some clear fashion guidelines that have proven to work well in most church and social settings.

1. Necklines should not expose cleavage.

2. No tight fitting clothes or see through fabrics. Keep in mind that thin “clingy” fabrics are less “forgiving” than heavier ones . If you’re on the stage, remember physical shape is accentuated with bright lighting.

3. Also, for the platform – skirts should be to the knee. Remember, most stages are elevated which makes the length of a skirt appear shorter from the audience level. If you are sitting on the platform, make sure when you are seated that the skirt is designed to give adequate coverage.

4. No exposed midriffs. Bare midriffs give the suggestion of nudity. If you are on a worship team or one who raises your hands in worship, give that outfit a trial run at home in front of the mirror before you leave for church.

5. Ladies, make sure if you get a “chill” or a “hormonal surge” you are the only one who knows it. Shirts that are dark in color or patterned fabrics make a great camouflage.

If you don’t have someone to help you with your fashion decisions, ask the Lord. He will tell you. I even take Him shopping with me. He’s a good shopper and He instructs me on what to buy.

To keep our hearts pure, we must choose our focus. When temptations come, will we discipline our eyes to look away or take the journey of unclean fantasy? Psalm 101:3 says, ” I will set before my eyes no vile thing.” The definition of vile is: cheap, worthless, attributing no value to a person other than a fleeting moment of selfish pleasure.

As you desire to become more like Jesus, allow Him to complete the transformation. Let your heart, your tongue, your appearance and conduct reflect the beauty of Jesus. When others speak your name, may it be with honor and high regard. A respectful reputation will never be forgotten. It will be your crown and legacy. Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected it better than silver or gold.
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This article is reprinted with full permission from Leann Albrecht. You will find the latest writings from Leann with this link to her Music and Ministry page on her website.

Thanks for reading my blog. I know the subject matter is a bit schizophrenic with all of the diverse entries; I can’t just settle on one thing because my interests are many.
(Jamie and Charlie Daniels in photo).

A few weeks ago I posted my live church guitar rig set-up, including the amps, pedals, sound-proofing, cable runs, etc. Today, I want to direct your attention to my website where I have updated the gear page. There you will find a pretty detailed photo lineup of what I use in my studio. Not all of the guitars are accounted for in the photos but, suffice it to say, I have most sonic bases covered in both the electric and acoustic guitars.

I am pumped about my amps! You will see them on the gear page, too. I have no need of double-stacked Marshals to get those nasty tones. Rather, I rely on lower-wattage amps for recording and live applications. Kevin Shaw at Shaw Audio makes some ridiculous amps, two of which I purchased for the church, and two for myself. Kevin also introduced me to WGS speakers, particularly the Reaper. All of my speaker cabs, with the exception of my Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr., have some variation of WGS speakers represented. They are stellar right out of the box! Kevin makes beautifully constructed extension cabs (see the gear page photos). The open-back variety are light-weight, full, loud and spew beautiful tone.

My pedals are present there, too. Most of the board-mounted ones are in the photos with the exception of several that have made their way to the “Island of Lost Tones.” After a while I get tired of certain pedals and replace them with something new.

So anyway, I would love for you to take a gander at my updated gear page. Thanks to my son, Josh, for designing and maintaining the site. He just graduated from MTSU with a Mass Communications degree and would be happy to work on your web project.

Thanks again, friends!

Last night I slept between boxes in my daughter’s guest room. Her husband Adam just graduated from law school at the University of Memphis, and I’m here for the festivities as well as to help them move back to Nashville. I am proud that Betsy has almost everything packed into boxes–labeled and stacked–ready for us men-folk to carry out to the U Haul trailer.

Moving gives us a great opportunity to think about our stuff. Usually our stuff falls into three categories: 1) used everyday, 2) cherished and saved, 3) throw it away. Some of us have a hard time sifting trash from treasure. The resultant dilemma has made many Americans pack rats. Because we are not forced to live in shoe boxes like the Europeans, we can cram our homes and lives full of junk.

When traveling, I try to carry as little with me as possible. In fact, I challenge myself to get everything I need into a carry-on and a back pack. Things get a little more complicated when I carry my guitar. I just love it when I can get off the plane, walk right past the baggage claim (see ya suckers!) and right into the shuttle or rental car. I always keep a separate set of toiletries from the ones at home so when its time to hit the road, I’m not wondering if I have toothpaste or deodorant when I get to the hotel.

I like to travel light. Like my email, I purge the junk daily. And as for Brenda and me, its probably time to rent a U Haul and purge the stuff that’s not “used everyday” or “cherished and saved” out of the house before summer. Brenda always says, “Only have things that you cherish, and cherish the things that you have.”

Even though we love our stuff, and move it everywhere we go, the most important cargo are the people and the memories that fill our lives. That “stuff” is eternal.

It seems like yesterday when Josh was playing in the yard with nothing but a bathing suit, cowboy boots and backyard dirt covering him; curly hair and a toothless smile finished off the blissful look of a four-year old who was yet to start school. Now he’s 24, married, and will be walking with a slew of others from his Middle Tennessee State University’s graduating class. His wife, Amber, graduated last year from MTSU, just a few months before they were married on my birthday in July.

Life is full of many graduations; some are small and almost unnoticeable–others are momentous and worthy of celebration. All of these incremental milestones of life add up and, before you know it, decades have passed. The only thing that sometimes shocks us into the reality that so much time has elapsed is by looking back at the photos and the ridiculous hair and clothes styles from the day.

Betsy and Adam will be married two years this July. I can remember when she was only months old, holding her in my arms as we anxiously waited in a Mobile hospital for test results regarding a stomach problem she had since birth. We were scared–two young kids with two young kids–until we found out that she would be just fine. We made it through that summer as we will make it through this summer and more after that. She and Adam are moving back to Franklin, TN, after he graduates from law school at the University of Memphis, just a day after Josh walks away with his undergrad degree.

As Alice Cooper sang in the early 70’s, “School’s out forever!” Most literally. I don’t think any of us will be itching to make it back for another degree anytime soon. It’ll take a few years to regain financial equilibrium after working hard to pay the college debt down. I guess if I wanted to teach, I could finish my Master’s degree, started over a decade ago. The thought of that just makes me tired.

Anyway, it’s Josh and Adam’s graduation day this weekend. Congratulations, boys! Brenda and I will have a few folks over tomorrow to celebrate. We will certainly take pictures, giving us the opportunity, in twenty years or so, to once again balk at the way we looked back in the day.

Tennessee and Georgia are in a tizzy over 51 miles of land. Actually, Georgia wants it and Tennessee won’t budge. There is a line stretching from east to west that, originally, was to define the border: the 35th Parallel. But, human error resulted in inaccuracies, and the measurements made by early surveyors proved incorrect–at least to the folks in Georgia. You see, the tizzy involves water. The 35th parallel cuts through a southern dip of the Tennessee River near Nickajack Dam, north of the current state line. If it wasn’t for the valued water, I am sure that Georgia wouldn’t be perusing the issue with such passion.

When lines were drawn in the U.S. defining the individual states, there was an interesting progression. Starting in the east, where the country’s population began, state borders were greatly influenced by the connection to water and land masses such as mountain ranges. When you see the states in the east, you’ll notice their shapes seem hapless and irregular. When the Louisiana purchase was made from France in 1803–828800 square miles west of the Mississippi–the states resultant from the deal have more “boxy” shapes. When no one is around to dispute the laying of a boundary, it is a less complicated issue. When people move in, borders matter and the issue gets a bit more complex, to say the least.

Some people like to peer into the backyards of their neighbor (don’t you?). Take political borders within a state–or even a region, for instance, when a valuable commodity exists just on the other side of an invisible line–politicians have been known to “adjust” the lines for their own political benefit. Take the term, Gerrymandering. In 1812, Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts signed a bill that enabled the redrawing of Massachusetts state senate election districts to benefit his political party. When mapped, one of the contorted districts in the Boston area was said to resemble the shape of a salamander. The Boston Gazette came up with the term, gerrymander, and it still reminds us today of the ridiculous measures a human will take to steal someone else’s stuff.

As with state and national borders, it is also important to set personal boundaries in our lives. According to author Robert Burney, from book Codependence: The Dance of Wounded Souls, “the purpose of having boundaries is to protect and take care of ourselves. We need to be able to tell other people when they are acting in ways that are not acceptable to us. A first step is starting to know that we have a right to protect and defend ourselves. That we have not only the right, but the duty to take responsibility for how we allow others to treat us.” Sometimes when people encroach upon our personal borders it is proper to ask the question of the trespasser, “What part of “NO” don’t you understand?!”