Hats in church or a church function in a sanctuary. This is the question. This is a hot topic in the church and has been for a very long time. We all have varied personal opinions on this subject, some according to how we were raised and some because of how we interpret scripture in the Word of God. For me, Jim Everett, I believe it to be disrespectful to wear a hat in church. However, if someone comes in with one on their head, God did not assign me the job to run to them and tell them that it is disrespectful and to please remove their hat. If I do that and they are a first-time visitor, they will leave and never come back to my church and in some cases never enter a church again for the rest of their lives.
God did not put me in charge of judging others and quite frankly God does not approve of me judging others. In most cases when a man points out another man’s sin, he has a log in his eye tying to see the sin he is pointing out. Listen, we are all human, we are all sinners, none of us is perfect and we never will be perfect in a fallen world.
I was coming to Crossroads Christian Church in Corona Ca. in 1985. A couple asked if I would like to come to their Sunday School Class. I said ok and went with them. I was looking out the window while people were getting coffee and a donut. I noticed a young man about 17 or 18 walk by with spiked hair all different colors and he looked like the Statue of Liberty. I immediately commented to this couple who invited me, “wow, I can’t believe a parent would allow their child to come to church with a haircut like that! So disrespectful to God!” Debbie, the wife that invited me said this, “Jim, that is our son, Keith and he is the youth minister here at the church. He is an amazing son who loves God with all of his heart and he does so much for our youth. The kids love him because they connect with him on a level, where someone like me never could”. I felt so incredibly bad, I could hardly speak. I apologized for judging her son.
Wearing a hat in church is generally considered to be disrespectful for men to do. It has been this way for a long time. How we address it is the issue at hand. There is a godly way and a human way. It must be done in kindness, with humility and deep respect for the person who may be unaware that it is thought to be disrespectful. Some men may be unaware of this tradition or practice in most churches. Speak to them in private, gently and softly with no condemnation at all. It absolutely must be done in a loving manner. Remember to prioritize grace and understanding, reflecting the compassion and acceptance taught in Christian faith.
If the man continues to wear his hat, that is his decision and God will deal with his heart on that. God is the judge and has the final word, not us. We did what we could. Whatever you do, please don’t condemn them and ostracize them and treat them with disrespect or you are no better person than they are. Love them and let God take it from here.
My pastor was at a church conference, and the speaker wore a hat, and my pastor was so upset about it he could not get it off his mind. It caused him to be so distracted by his judgment of what this man was wearing on his head that he missed a very good presentation according to the ones that did not focus on the hat.
We should all have a desire to honor God in all we do. Not everyone who enters a worship center may be at the same understanding of church traditions of hat removal, and grace should be shown. Be thankful they are in church and God in His perfect timing will correct this man Himself. We all should approach the worship center with humility and sincerity and engage the Holy Spirit as we worship. Please do not let a hat on a man’s head cause you to lose your joy or hinder this moment with God. The Holy Spirit is not leaving over his hat, and neither should we.
It is very common today in many contemporary churches or contemporary settings for men to wear hats, as it is a personal choice of their style. It may take months or even years for them to realize that it is considered by most churches as disrespectful. Contemporary churches today look at acceptance of where a person is in their walk with Christ or lack of walk with Christ and turn a blind eye to these men wearing hats. If they enforced a rule and lost 35 men over a religious tradition that has been around a very long time, what did they accomplish? We got rid of the hats, didn’t we? Yes, you did and you also got rid of the soul wearing it. Just something to think about.
The last thing we want to do in the church is to be considered a Pharisee. “It is all about the law, the do’s and the don’ts and the punishment we can inflict upon one another for someone else’s sin.” That gets the focus off our sin. I never wear a hat in church and never will but that is my personal choice. You also will not see me condemning people for wearing one. I choose to look at their heart like God does, and not what they are wearing.
Jim Everett
1 Corinthians 11:4 “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.”
1 Corinthians 11:7 “For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.”
Ecclesiastes 5:1 “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”
1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
