When Dress Codes Conflict with Apostolic Beliefs
by David K. Bernard
Podcast recording (no venue stated in the delivered transcript)
Kind: teaching
Scripture: Genesis 1:27, Deuteronomy 22:5, 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/david-k-bernard--when-dress-codes-conflict-with-apostolic-beliefs
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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well first of all let me start with scripture we do believe as apostolics that our dress should be different from the world specifically we believe in modesty of dress avoiding ornamentation and gender distinction between male and female in modern Western culture that means we think men should wear pants but not skirts or dresses we think women should wear skirts and dresses but not pants now if you haven't if someone wants a theological discussion I have a book called in search of Holiness another book called practical Holiness both of them discuss it from a scriptural point of view going back to Genesis 1 27 Deuteronomy 22 5 First Corinthians 11 First Corinthians 6 9 through 11.

uh and so that would give you a theological basis so this is how we choose to live this is how we want to live and by the way we're not the only group that faces this um the Amish um and even though they don't interact too much with Society a lot of the Mennonites um do and they face these same issues uh many Orthodox Jews and conservative Muslims uh face the same type of thing as well as other Conservative Christian groups so it is a matter of obeying the Bible and it's also a matter of religious liberty now the laws of different countries differ I know when I grew up in Korea years ago the government had a dress code for public schools and part of that it varied at times but during my time there the typical thing was boys had to shave their heads and wear you know a black uh uniform girls had to cut their hair right below their ears and while and sometimes they could wear skirts I think other schools at different times required pants well we had a big problem because many of our church members were children and teenagers in some cases their parents weren't even believers they were Buddhists our ancestor worshipers but these children would receive the Holy Ghost they would grow up in our church and now they hear our teachings as a teenager they want to follow them and so sometimes the girls wouldn't cut their hair um and I remember in in some cases uh the the teachers would get so angry they'd yank them up in front of class and chop off their hair with scissors and send them home and then their parents would support the school because the parents were unbelievers um and then likewise uh sometimes they would force them to put on pants well obviously when you don't have a choice like that I believe God's grace covers you you attempt to follow God's will and you're you're you're you're not able to do otherwise because the authority in your life so there are unusual circumstances but in um in American culture we do have the First Amendment which guarantees religious liberty and we have the equal employment opportunity commission which is supposed to uh guarantee that everybody's treated equally and so we have a strong case And as far back as when I was a law clerk I worked on a case like this where a Pentecostal woman I think she was a bus driver and and I've worked on cases where restaurants they would be hired and then say well you have to wear this uniform and you cannot wear a dress and sometimes in medical situations they say you have to wear these scrubs you can't wear a modified form and they would say well it's because of safety because a skirt might get caught Machinery or this or that or the other but I think we can say we can make the case this is our religious conviction therefore this is our First Amendment right under the U.S Constitution and whatever practical reasons you have modesty safety Health we can find suitable Alternatives that meet the the goal of gender distinction which is scriptural and yet fulfill any reasonable concern that any employer has and so we have there have been women have been successful Pentecost women have been successful either in appealing it internally to the company or the hospital and getting a change of policy or if all else fails taking the legal route to the EEOC the government or if necessary filing a lawsuit and getting a court to to order that and I'm thankful to tell you that women do have more options today Styles change but right now dresses and skirts and and modest flowing long dresses and skirts and More in fashion so it's easier to get them in regular stores but let me let me just share a few places where they're they're either Apostolic or if not Apostolic at least focused on modest apparel which can be used in the workplace or in sports so even in our sports activities I should say or leisure activities so even when let's say the employer insists on something uh the woman can say well here's an alternative that meets whatever your concerns are and yet um fulfills my scriptural teaching so there's uh and by the way obviously I'm not officially recommending any business but I'm just giving you examples you can go online look at them see what you think and uh but there's a sea Saucy c-s-a-u-c-y which is focused on medical uh uniforms so like scrub skirts for example um there's mod sportswear there's dainty Jewels uh spelled with two L's um they're snoga s and oga so those are some websites where there's some Alternatives so I would say if um and and so far we don't really seem to have the issue with men and boys and they they seem to be able to you know the government or the uh businesses don't seem to be forcing uh men and boys to to violate their convictions so it's usually women and girls so if you're faced with that what I would say is do your research come up with a Godly modest uh gender appropriate alternative and go to the employer or school or you know government office and say this is my religious conviction I understand your policy and the reasons for it well here is an alternative that meets the goals some people say we want a uniform well we can have something made that exactly matches your uniform but is gender distinctive and whatever your goal is in having a uniform is superseded by a constitutional right um and in most cases I think if you go through the process with the company or school and invoke the First Amendment perhaps even need to get a letter from your pastor or even from headquarters we'll be glad to send a letter saying this is the official position of our international organization of over 42 000 churches and 233 Nations and territories this is what we believe and here's the relevant statement in our articles of faith and in our manual uh and if all else fails then then you can go to a lawyer and see if a letter from a lawyer or filing a lawsuit is necessary but hopefully that won't be necessary in short there are good options for Apostolic women to follow the teachings of scripture and yet uh participate in various employment positions