Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor's Page
Dear Friends in Christ,
Periodically I’ll hear or read comments from our members at Zion (some of them lifelong members) which reminds me that we need to regularly teach and explain the doctrines and practices we profess to abide by. Quite often that’s because people either haven’t been taught or were taught poorly. Or, they simply forgot what they were taught during their years of catechism class.
Anyway, a question (which is sometimes leveled as a criticism) is: Why do most LCMS Pastors wear a robe and a stole? Trust me, it would be a whole lot more comfortable if I just wore a polo shirt and jeans. “So why don’t you Pastor?” There are several reasons. First of all, God directed the priests in the Old Testament to wear special garments like this to show that they were set apart for service to the Lord. It was a visual reminder that these men were called to be ministers and worship leaders. My Dad had a great explanation for this. One of my non-Lutheran relatives jumped him about it and mocked our practice. My father calmly said, “Police officers wear uniforms so that we know who the cops are. Pastors wear their robes and stoles so we know who the called minister is.” My father was a smart man. In both the Old and the New Testament there are examples of how people were able to identify the prophets, priests, and rabbis simply by how they dressed. The colored stole that Pastors wear reminds us of the special article of “prophet’s clothing” that Elijah wore and then passed on to Elisha to show that he was taking over that ministry.
Contrary to what some people think, this practice is not meant to make the Pastor look more holy or honored than the rest of members in the pew. No, the Pastor’s robe is frankly supposed to cover him up. God doesn’t take away my personality or appearance but, in a sense, He wants your Pastor to be invisible. Wearing a robe removes some of the distractions that would exist if I just wore everyday clothes. The robe is also a visual reminder of how God has taken a rotten sinner like me, wrapped me in Christ’s robe of righteousness, and made me His representative and spokesman for your benefit. Hand in hand with that, it’s also why I choose to wear a black clergy shirt with the white tab on the collar whenever I’m performing my duties as Pastor. There’s nothing wrong if a Pastor doesn’t wear one and instead chooses a shirt with or without a tie. But I do it because both you and I need to be reminded that I’m a sinner just like you. The black color reminds us that I have a heart full of darkness and evil just like you. And yet, God has sanctified my vocal cords for His divine purpose, which is what the white tab represents. It’s the only reason why I’m able to speak His holy words of forgiveness to you. Like Isaiah, the Lord has purified my sinful vocal cords to be able to speak His holy word. Therefore, these are God’s own words, not mine. Jesus says, in Luke 10:16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
I hope that clears up any questions that get raised regarding this churchly practice that goes back thousands of years. If you have any follow up questions in regard to this or anything else, feel free to share them with me. I’d be happy to answer them. God’s peace be with you!
In Christ,
Pastor Meyer
