Pastor Changes

I used to wear a suit every time I preached. I showed up at Dad's church to preach one night without a suit coat. Dad made me wear his, even though it was way too small. V. E. DeFreece, Pastor at Esther Baptist Church, once took me aside and said I need to wear long sleeve shirts under a suit coat.

Being a dutiful young minister, I dressed up to preach for most of my 51 years of preaching. Then everything changed.

Renowned Pastors like Bill Hybels and Rick Warren started preaching on the national stage in casual clothes. It was inevitable that the cultural tsunami would change me.

I began preaching in casual clothes years after most other preachers did. I would often be the only preacher at a meeting wearing a tie.

Casual clothes became a part of my preaching garb, but I never lost my love for suits and ties. To this day, I feel like a real preacher when I'm wearing a suit and tie.

www.john316marshall.com

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