A pastor from South Dakota was chastised by a congregation member for dressing “too sexy on purpose” after wearing skinny jeans while preaching.
40-year-old Reverend Adam Weber received a letter in red ink from an anonymous churchgoer of his multi-campus congregation Embrace Church, criticizing his fashion style for being “completely offensive” and “morally wrong.”
“As head pastor, do you really think it is appropriate to wear skinny-leg jeans to preach? Since when do men wear skinny-leg jeans? Where is your common sense? This is an outrage! You are a representative of Jesus Christ!” the congregant said in their letter.
“Certainly, you can dress professionally and conservatively. YOU ARE A ROLE MODEL, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. The praise and worship team should also dress CONSERVATIVELY,” the letter continued.
“This is mandatory being in ministry! This looks like you are trying on purpose to be sexy. JUST DISGUSTING FOR A PASTOR. USE SOME COMMON SENSE. DRESS LIKE YOU SHOULD! You are not in middle school but rather responsible for an entire church.” The congregant also added.
The pastor, who said that 99% of the letters and messages he received are “wonderful,” shared photos of the letter on his Facebook account on October 18th and told the New York Post that this sharp critique of his fashion initially hurt him.
Weber also said he shared photos of the letter in hopes of reaching out to them, saying that he genuinely harbors no ill will towards the letter sender. He also added on his Facebook post that he would continue wearing skinny jeans “even if they’re sexy.”
Although this wasn’t the first time Weber received criticism for his outfit, conservative faith leaders rebuked other pastors for wearing clothes they considered “effeminate” and “inappropriate” in recent years.
In a YouTube video titled "Skinny Jeans Rants Montage," a pastor said that skinny jeans were “invented by the homosexual crowd in the fashion industry so some guy that’s a homosexual could scope ya!”
Another pastor, Thomas F. Booher of the Heritage Reformed Church, argued in his blog post that pastors shouldn’t wear skinny jeans while preaching.
“If worship and the church service is to lift us to the heavenlies and the glory and majesty of God, then how can skinny jean-wearing pastors reflect this? How can a rock concert atmosphere make us think lofty thoughts of God and Jesus Christ?” He said.
“Conversely, how can a man in a robe droning on without emotion and a funeral atmosphere make us think God is worth praising? Neither reveal to us who God is, and both make God look like something He is not, which is grave sin and even idolatry.” The pastor also added.
