Does our appearance for Christ make a difference?

[John81]

Why is it that among IFBs and other conservative churches there are so many pastors who have wives with short or often very short hair...and not only the pastors wives, but many of the women in the church that hold positions?

Often in these churches we hear much about how we can't live in open sin, we must present ourselves to the world as separate, as following Christ, as obeying the world. We hear so much about visible sins and disobediance to the Word being a disqualifier to hold a church position or to do public ministry...often directed towards anyone who might still smoke, attend a theater, date, a man with long hair (or sometimes a man with facial hair), one who doesn't dress right (not always a matter of modesty), etc.

Yet Scripture tells us that women are to have long hair and men are to have short hair. This is a very public matter and for the most part, the world can tell if a professing Christian man or woman has long or short hair. As most of us know, the lost world is quick to notice things that don't line up with Scripture among professing Christians, whether it be matters of hair length, word usage, sex, booze, etc.

Time and again I've had folks ask me (and it's not only me, I've talked with many just this year who have been questioned about this too) why so many professing Christian women (sometimes they directly ask about pastors wives) have short, often very short hair when Scripture teaches otherwise. I've been asked how a man can be considered to meet the qualifications for pastor if his wife won't even wear her hair a decent length (no need to debate actual lengths here, we've done that before and for the most part, most folks generally agree as to what constitutes short hair and that longer than that may be considered long or longer).

Myself and a few others, including several ladies, have tried to look into that some this year. From our observations, there are a great many pastors wives with short or very short hair, and also many women who hold positions in their churches. Many have such short hair I've heard people making snide comments about the "dyke church" or that a particular church must have a lesbian support group, etc.

In most of these churches it wouldn't be tolerated if the pastor, deacons, men on boards, or men in the church in general had long hair. Why is short hair on women in church tolerated, even shown approval?

Interestingly I saw where someone who was predicting how we would know when the end is near (this was a couple hundred or more years ago) said that women would be in rebellion, cutting their hair short and wearing pants.

As if we don't face enough obstacles getting the lost world to take Christians seriously, to believe we believe and live what we profess, why do we accept this open hurdle with roots in rebellion that gives the lost world more reason to call us hypocrits with something they can clearly point to that even others can see?

Why is obeying the Word of God in some areas seen as so important while a few others, including this one, are seen as unimportant or something we can ignore?

[Brother Rick]

Does the Bible say it's wrong for a woman to have short hair? I know it says her hair is her glory, but does it say it's a sin for her to have short hair?

I know a lady who keeps her hair short because it brings her a lot of pain to raise her arms up high enough to fix her hair. She dresses, looks, and acts very much like a lady even with her short hair.

[John81]

Read the verses related to this. Women are to have long hair. There are some who try and say hair style is all that matters, but the Bible says nothing about the style of men or women's hair, only the length. Even most of the lost world recognizes this. Until modern times this was commonly taught, accepted and practiced. It wasn't until the 20th century that radical feminism and other factors began to question this and rebel against it.

I've noticed what seems like a growing trend of women having hair so short in the back that from behind the first thought is you are looking at a man's head.

I don't know the woman you refer to so I won't speak specifically to that. If a person can do what God asks of us, we are to do so. If we actually can't, then we can't and God never expects us to do something beyond what we can do.

[JerryNumbers]

Sin, failure to obey God.

But of course all of us sin, but unlike a persons hair that is seem by every person that they pass by, many of us commit sins that people do not see with their eyes, while hiding our sins from everyone, except for the One that truly counts.

People hate it when the pastor preaches on a subject such as hair, & or even over eating, for that is sins that we cannot hide when we go out in the public, or attending church services.

But many will set in the church hearing a preacher preach on such sins that are open to everyone to see, looking around seeing those that are committing those sins, saying a big hearty 'Amen,' while they them self may be living in a sin that those in their church home cannot see them committing. Romans 2:16

[No Nicolaitans]

(1Cor 11:15 [KJV])
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

I think a key word is "if"...But "if" a woman have long hair... Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to debate; however, that word "if" indicates that there is an option.

Unfortunately, the other option (which applies to women praying or prophesying) is to shave their head according to I Corinthians 11:5-6.

What's interesting to me is that if a woman prays or prophecizes...she should be covered (be it by her hair or another covering if she has shaved her head). I'm of the belief that the gift of prophecy is no longer used in the day in which we live...and when you look that word up in the Greek, it does mean to foretell future events. Therefore, does the "long hair prerequisite" apply today? If so, it would only apply to the woman praying; therefore, if the woman prays without having long hair, shouldn't she cover her head only while praying?

[heartstrings]

Then there are those beings in the Book of Revelation with the "hair of women". What specifically made it "hair of women"? Was it lighter, darker, thicker strands, or made out of a different material? If a man and a woman have the same color hair and you pulled out a strand from each could you tell the difference? Maybe it was LONGER?

But I agree with Jerry and Jesus. Some are "whited Sepulcres", clean on the outside. Some of those who AMAN! the loudest against those external sins in the church house are backbiters, talebearers, manipulators ,liars and hippocrites on the inside.You may not see any long hair, "pants", overeating, the beard, long hair, ear ring, or whatever external sin there might be on the outside but there's still death on the inside

[John81]

No doubt we are to deal with all sin, not just that which can be seen, and if we are only dealing with the outward appearance while neglecting the heart, then we are doing wrong and failing if we refuse to submit all ourselves to Christ.

At the same time, if we refuse to deal with outward sins, it's obvious we are not fully submitting to Christ in our hearts either.

This issue seems to be something many fear to address, prefer to overlook, to wink at, yet it presents a stumbling block to many. Some Christians feel there are certain things they don't have to pay attention to in Scripture because they see others not doing so, and some lost folks see Christians as not even living what they profess so they want nothing to do with it.

[Brother Rick]

Where are the verses that state it's a sin for a woman to have short hair?

[HappyChristian]

John, just to clear things up: is it Christians you know who are referring to churches that have women with what they deem short hair as "dyke?" If so, I would hasten to say that there is a problem with those people that goes beyond hair length (Rick and Jerry have touched on that). If those who have said it are unsaved, I would have to ask what is the big deal? The unsaved are going to say all kinds of things about the saved, whether true or not. And, honestly, I just can't see lost people referring to a church as "dyke" on account of hair length...And I wonder, too, if maybe by worrying about OTHER churches, OTHER pastor's wives, etc., we aren't grabbing a dog by the ears...

That said, there is a line which many cross. Rick, there may not be a verse that says it's a sin for a woman to have lshort hair, but the teaching in scripture is quite clear that women and men are to look different. Gender distinction is a biblical principle (yes, even the robes of Jesus' day were distinct for gender...). The hair issue has become (ahem) hairy (sorry, couldn't resist ) and it is because of the blurring of gender distinction.

Men started out letting their hair grow, and the length of women's hair got shorter (along with their hemlines...oops, another topic)...until today we can see two people walking down the street away from us - we might know one is male and the other female, but not necessarily which is which. Somehow, that just doesn't seem to fit with scriptural principle (I realize that often that scenario is relating to the lost, but I've seen some Christians who look like that... ).

As to whether or not a pastor is disqualified if his wife won't wear long hair...we don't live in their homes. For all we know, the man (who is the complete covering for his wife...) prefers short (short to us, anyway) hair on his wife and she is obeying him...

[Brother Rick]

I agree entirely, LuAnne. The Bible makes it very clear that ladies are to look like modest ladies and men are to look like men.

There is a specific Scripture that states it's a shame for a man to have long hair, but I know of no verse that states it's a sin for a woman to have short hair. So unless someone can find a Scripture that says so, to dogmatically declare that a woman is sinning by having short hair in of itself would be unscriptural and Pharisaical (that is, putting a standard upon someone that God doesn't).

Going on about other things like her attitude, why she has the short hair, her clothing, blah, blah, blah are separate issues and should be dealt with as such. For every situation some can come up with about a bad woman with short hair someone else can come up with one about a good lady with short hair.

What does the Bible say?

[Salyan]

When dealing with long vs. short hair, one needs to keep in mind that each person actually has an individual 'maximum growing length' of hair. When I was a teenager, my hair would never grow past the top of my shoulders - even though I thought it should be longer (Biblically speaking) and quite wanted it to be so! Even though others may have called it short, I kept my hair as long as it would grow. It wasn't until a few years ago that -- I don't know -- it seemed like God 'flipped a button' and allowed me to grow longer hair. Yay!
All this to say -- the length of someone's hair is not necessarily an indication of either their heart attitude or their own choices.

[Brother Rick]

There are some women who can't grow any hair at all either for various medical reasons.

[rancher824]

Interestingly I saw where someone who was predicting how we would know when the end is near (this was a couple hundred or more years ago) said that women would be in rebellion, cutting their hair short and wearing pants.

Just wondering who this was that predicted such?

[Anon]

I try to remember too that what we dress like and our hairstyle often does lump us in with a group. Having long, straggly hair with no bangs in combination with a long skirt, clunky sneakers, and a 20 year old top screams "Church of God" or "Pentecostal"....add a doily and you're Mennonite. NOW...lest anyone be offended...I'm NOT knocking these groups of people! I truly admire and respect their modesty! On the other hand, I don't want people to think I'm Pentecostal or Mennonite (although once or twice someone did associate my skirt with Pentecostal....)

I think its good to have a nice, longer (doesn't have to be super long) feminine conservative hairstyle and nice, modest, conservative but at least a little bit stylish clothing....business casual or whatever..... so that you can look modestly attractive instead of modestly dumpy. People DO judge you by your clothes and your looks. I've seen this in emergency rooms or doctors offices....you get treated MUCH better if you have a bit of makeup and nice dress on than if you drag yourself in with sweat pants and unkept hair (obviously at times in the ER you can't help that...but....).

[amblivion]

I try to remember too that what we dress like and our hairstyle often does lump us in with a group. Having long, straggly hair with no bangs in combination with a long skirt, clunky sneakers, and a 20 year old top screams "Church of God" or "Pentecostal"....add a doily and you're Mennonite. NOW...lest anyone be offended...I'm NOT knocking these groups of people! I truly admire and respect their modesty! On the other hand, I don't want people to think I'm Pentecostal or Mennonite (although once or twice someone did associate my skirt with Pentecostal....)

I think its good to have a nice, longer (doesn't have to be super long) feminine conservative hairstyle and nice, modest, conservative but at least a little bit stylish clothing....business casual or whatever..... so that you can look modestly attractive instead of modestly dumpy. People DO judge you by your clothes and your looks. I've seen this in emergency rooms or doctors offices....you get treated MUCH better if you have a bit of makeup and nice dress on than if you drag yourself in with sweat pants and unkept hair (obviously at times in the ER you can't help that...but....).

I had to kind of giggle about the Pentecostal comment. When I worked at Dixie Stampede as a photographer, at first I thought the Pentecostals were IFBs. I soon realized I was wrong and realized the women who wore their hair in a bun, had a skirt on, an out of style shirt, and as you said sneakers were Pentecostals. They had a very distinct look. There is definitely a way to dress that is modestly attractive instead of modestly frumpy.