I like World Magazine. It is a fine Christian news magazine that is much more hip than some staid, old periodicals. But I was jarred a little when I saw one cover photo.

Speaking before a congregation, a pastor was leaning on a pedestal, with one hand in the pocket of his faded jeans that, while clean enough, hadn’t seen an iron in a very long time, and which partially covered bare feet in sandals. His shirt was short-sleeved and apparently wash-and-wear because it hadn’t been ironed either. And the shirt tail was not tucked in.

So why am I telling you all this? Well, because it represents a major departure from the traditional look of a pastor and made the cover of a major Christian magazine. In our culture, we are always in the process of changing our style—style of dress, of worship, of music.

Since that’s the case, does it matter what the preacher wears? What’s the big deal about what we wear to church? God doesn’t care what we look like, does he? I’m not so sure. Take a parable of Jesus that we’ll find in Matthew, chapter 22.