A matter of balance.

As in everything else, balance, balance. Of course as you say it's always nice to see someone neat and presentable. But you'll have to agree there's a big difference in washing and pressing your clothes, showering and combing your hair, and having to wear new designer clothes and shoes to every service, especially when it's your tithes and offerings that are paying for these luxuries. If a pastor wants these things, let him get blessed with a part time job.

The initial question here dealt with tithes and whether we are obligated to pay them to a church or not. I think we have all (most anyway) agreed that a good worker is worthy of his/her salary. What most of us seem to be saying is that material excesses should not be a required part of a congregation's obligation towards a church or pastor. I personally do not feel drawn to giving my best offering so that a church building can be decked with a bigger crystal chandelier, or so my pastor and his whole family can have a luxury vacation to the Caribbean. These things are not wrong in and of themselves, but our tithe money should be spent in God's service, and not to feed the lust of the flesh.

The most important thing that a group of believers should concentrate on is the winning of souls, and that is done by a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in truth and love, producing a godly repentance. Fancy cars and buildings are not what accomplishes this, and I would rather my money go towards giving out Bibles and food to the poor. It's the imbalance and the abuses, not a decent manner of living that is the problem.