I grew up in an era where t-shirts were just white and an undergarment. Then when I was a Boy Scout and we were heading out to Idaho for a Jamboree, we collected things from stores to take and trade with other scouts. I got my first t-shirt with an ad on it. It was a white t-shirt with Dutchman Paints logo on it. [it was blue ink with a dutch boy and dutch haircut sitting on a board with a can of paint] What a booming business t-shirts have been since the early 1970′s.
I have just been to the printer with our churches third t-shirt order. Not bad for a church that is celebrating it’s third anniversary tomorrow, July 1, 2009. I have designed our t-shirts for camp and am now handing over the process of design to my daughter who does design professionally.
What an impact when in a town parade a dozen or more people are coming at you with the same t-shirt design. You see unity and pride in who you are and what you represent. Or someone is in the check out line and reading the back of your shirt and they make a comment about your message on your t-shirt. Usually I find positive comments from Christian t-shirts I wear. I was in Florida one day at a convenience store and a guy was reading my orange tie-dye shirt and we broke racial barriers and became instant brothers because of the message. We talked about our churches we come from. Shared a blessing of peace for each other before we left.
My children both received for high school graduation a t-shirt quilt of their favorite 12 t-shirts they kept when growing up. School bands and camps and church t-shirts. The bordering fabric was something that represented them. That was one of their favorite graduation gifts.
What public message do you portray? I had a beer t-shirt once when I was in college. But will no longer wear one that doesn’t portray a positive message. So, again, what public message do you portray? You are a walking billboard for someone. Are you a message for Christ in your attire? Do you lift up God on your shirt or break a commandment?
I think if Jesus were walking the streets of my town today, He would be wearing a t-shirt. It would have a print at the bottom with an arrow that says, “Touch here, for a Holy experience”
I’m excited about our church camp shirt for this summer. Our theme is God-Created Identity or GCI and we are going off a CSI concept. So the shirt will have a handprint on it and a red thumb print in the middle of the palm to represent Thomas touching the hand of Jesus where the nail scar was.
May you be a visual image of God in your t-shirt, Bless Him and not Curse Him!
Crossroads Church in Ankeny Iowa invites you to wear your t-shirt to worship anytime!
