• Every male shall have his hair cut round according to a cap.

While Sabbath restrictions among Christians today usually vary by denomination and most often are open to individual interpretation, in some ways that may make them more difficult to observe.

Pastor Bernie Anderson of Wasatch Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Salt Lake said his congregation basically adheres to the same type of "worship and rest" observance as local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with one major difference — they do so on Saturday.

As a result, "we likely miss out on the opportunity to attract some people to our church." While the Adventist school community has teamed with the Jewish Community Center to sponsor Junior Jazz to a limited extent, "most of our people are left out of team sports because most games fall on Saturday morning."

Intramural sports are offered within the church, but he finds many members — particularly those with young children — struggle with loyalty to the church versus allowing their children to participate in soccer, football, baseball and other youth leagues.

Some members try to find a reasonable balance between worship and sports, but often "we lose them in the sense that their level of activity (at church) is greatly diminished. I think there's a sense of guilt."

As a result, "we have some who just don't come except for Christmas and Easter. Church becomes less of a priority, and I understand that. I'm athletic and have always been involved with that because I didn't grow up in Sabbath-keeping home. Now I have three daughters and I want them to be active in things.

"Sometimes it's a challenge to remain faithful and at same time provide an alternative for them."

Saturday sports isn't the only challenge. Some members have worried about trouble at work if they tell their employer they need Saturday off, Pastor Anderson said.

Over time, he's seen his denomination go through cultural changes and accommodations regarding Sabbath worship, as have leaders of many faiths. "What used to be inappropriate 20 to 25 years ago is becoming more accepted."

Traditional practices have included avoiding such things as work, shopping, eating out and public entertainment, he said, adding he sees people working with the "spirit of the law versus the letter of the law."

"We have members who have pools in the back yard. They may go stick their feet in but they can't really get in," because it would violate their view of Sabbath observance. "There's always this tension between the Bible saying and how we actually live it out."