Summer has arrived and with it renewed questions about modesty in the inbox.

So Pastor John, can you speak to the issue of modesty regarding clothing at the pool, especially

bikinis, and speak to pastors and leaders?

Should they take time in the spring to directly address the topic of modesty?

And if so, how would you counsel such a brave pastor to best step through that minefield?

Here's the most important thing to say.

It is impossible to come into a church or a youth ministry or a school, say a Christian school,

that is permeated with immodesty, immodesty, and fix it with rules about modesty.

There is a place for rules, guidelines, in families, in schools,

in youth ministries, in churches. But if you try to turn that thing around, that institution,

whatever, if you try to turn that around by starting with the rules or the guidelines,

it will not accomplish.

A Christ exalting, gospel-rooted, spirit-empowered, faith-sustained,

Bible-informed, joyful, free culture of modesty.

It won't.

And yet that's the goal.

So, my approach was never to start with the rules or the guidelines, but to start with God and the gospel and the Bible and the

spirit and faith and joy. Deep things need to happen in a woman's and a man's soul before they have

any chance of thinking and feeling about these things in a way

that honors God. Until God has become your treasure. So I'll just say this to any woman,

any man who dresses inappropriately. Until God has become your treasure, until your own

sin has become the thing you hate most, until the word of God is your supreme authority

...