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Christian Leadership Training Course

By J.C. Choate

Lesson 17

The Preacher’s Appearance

You might not consider appearance to be a Bible subject or one worthy of our time, but when you think about the preacher, who he is, what he represents, and his influence, you can see that everything about him is important.

No, I am not suggesting that the only young men –– or older men for that matter –– who can be preachers are those who are handsome, well-dressed, and come from wealthy backgrounds. Actually, it was said of our Lord that He had no form nor comeliness, and when seen, there was no beauty to be desired (Isaiah 53:2). Most of the apostles came from uneducated, poor, and harsh backgrounds. Even Paul was not thought to have been a great speaker and probably had poor vision, according to Galatians 4:15 and 2 Corinthians 12:7. I know that I have personally seen blind preachers, crippled preachers, and many who were far from having the most pleasing physical make-up. Most preachers are certainly not wealthy but neither are they the poorest of the poor. So I am not talking about physical beauty when it comes to the preacher, but I am referring to what he allows himself to become, his general attitude, his overall appearance, and how others see him.

The preacher is a messenger of God in the sense that he proclaims His word. First of all, he must not only appear to be spiritual, but he must be spiritual. He has put off the old man of sin, which represents ugliness and distaste, and put on Christ and righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). He is not to be proud, haughty, and boastful, but meek and gentle, and loving (1 Peter 5:5; 2 Corinthians 10:15-18; Matthew 5:5; Titus 3:2; 1 John 4:21). Paul makes a statement that could well apply to the preacher, when he said, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:12-17).

So the preacher must be Christ-like and ever a godly example in all that is good and right. Brethren are watching and so are the people of the world. If he is not sincere and genuine, that can be seen easily. If he is a hypocrite, all will know it. If one intends to be a preacher and have much influence on those around him, he must practice what he preaches.

Not only must a man be at his very best in regard to his spiritual appearance, but his physical appearance is equally important. Of course there are many people today who will tell you that you shouldn’t judge by outward appearance because the thing that is important is what may be found in the heart. It is true that man often sees the outward appearance of a person regarding his looks, clothing, actions, etc., but it is equally true that the Lord looks on the heart, concerning motives and attitudes (1 Samuel 16:7). Yet, one’s physical appearance often betrays one’s feelings, what is in his heart, his values, his motives, and his attitudes. If a person has a rebellious attitude, his clothes may reflect it. If he has low standards, his general appearance will likely be of equally careless or low standards. Appearance –– chosen appearance –– does betray a great deal about the heart, good or bad. But it does not tell everything: appearance can be deceptive. That is why the Bible says that the Lord looks into the heart itself, and will judge accordingly on the day of judgment. Nothing will be hidden from Him at that time.

Let me go on to suggest another point concerning the preacher’s physical appearance. Remember he is a preacher of God’s word, and represents the Lord in that sense. Therefore he should put forth an effort to stay clean, shave daily or keep his mustache and beard well-trimmed and groomed. He should keep his hair cut at least short enough that no one would accuse him of competing with the young women in his general appearance. Paul says that is a shame for a man to have long hair (1 Corinthians 11:14). Of course the old argument on that is, how long is long? The person who has long hair knows when he has long hair and so do you and I, and that should settle the matter. Of all people who would not want to have objections raised against his grooming, it would be the preacher who is really concerned about his work. The preacher should dress neatly, not to the point of showing off or calling special attention to himself, but he should wear his better clothes during worship and preaching services. What would he wear to a wedding, to a funeral, or if he was being invited to meet the President or the Prime Minister? If a person is unable to afford a suit, or a nicer form of dress clothes, including shoes, then he can at least dress in the best that he has, and see to it that his clothes are clean and neat.

We are living in a time when people have gotten so casual with their dress and appearance that it is ridiculous. If a preacher, for example, cares so little about his clothes and grooming that he looks like a tramp, with no respect for himself and others, not to mention God, who would want to hear him? Who would want to come to him for spiritual help? Don’t kid yourself, those things do make a difference! I realize that it can be taken to an extreme, but many have carried to the opposite extreme today. If a man respects himself he will show that respect in the way he dresses.

It is argued that when a preacher gets down to a casual and sloppy level in his appearance, he is relating to the common people. Are you serious about that? People want someone to look up to as an example of what it means to better their spiritual and physical lives. If all they see is a low standard, they will more than likely turn and go in the opposite direction. Look at your business people, your successful people in any field, and see how they dress. Again, one doesn’t have to be wealthy to have a good appearance and to have the respect of the people, but he does have to care about himself and the message he is sending to the people around him.

Preachers, think about these things and how you can improve your life and how you appear to others. It does make a difference.