Each One, Teach One...Don't Forget the Teens!

   

You are my king and my God; you give victory to your people.

Psalm 44:4 (GNT)

     A recent video from a church service in a large metropolitan area has gone viral. In this video, several young ladies dressed in fatigue t-shirts and jeans are dancing to Jay-Z's The Story of O.J.. In fairness, I went on You Tube, objectively watched the music video and carefully listened to the lyrics in order to express an informed opinion about what I was seeing and hearing, as we were required to as college students when we had to attend dance concerts, view films, watch plays, and read articles, some of which we agreed with and some which we did not. We still had to look for certain elements that stood out to us, find the message the artist was attempting to convey, and determine its relevance for the time in which it was expressed.  Art can be very controversial, and its inherent value often lies in its ability to make people uncomfortable.
     Does this mean that The Story of O.J. belongs in a house of worship? Definitely not. However, I understand Jay-Z's cultural references employing black & white cartoon characters to portray Nina Simone singing Four Women, as well as social commentary surrounding racism, colonialism, colorism, the whole dilemma of O.J. Simpson forgetting where he came from, the Heisman trophy debacle,  and no matter how many touchdowns he scored, and what he did (or didn't) get away with, society still sees him as a "------", as well as the rest of those who need to be put in remembrance. He addresses economic disparities between the Jewish community and African-Americans and why many of us are still impoverished, the systematic murders of young black males, and the gentrification of Brooklyn and eventually, Queens. Jay-Z informs his audience that he has taken advantage of his own financial opportunties and put his money to work for him, allowing his money to turn over, make more money, and successfully fund his own work, evidenced in record breaking sales of his album weeks before its official release date. He clearly made his point.
     Young people listen to Jay-Z and can relate to his music, and while the church is in an uproar about the pastor using this medium to preface his sermon, were there more appropriate songs that could have been chosen to get the point across? Probably so. But more importantly, what message is being taught to the youth who were part of the sermonic presentation? Could things have been done differently?
     What more of our churches could possibly do better is to listen to the youth, hear what they are saying, offer intelligent and non-judgmental, biblical answers to their questions and show them something other than the duplicity they have been so accustomed to seeing from many of us. We can see the inappropriateness in much of what they do, but we can't blame teens for what they don't know when it's our responsibility to teach them, or expect for every young person to change what they are doing simply because we disagree with it. Imagine what our churches would look like if each of us who were concerned about what's happening with the youth could become a mentor, a teacher, or a Christlike example to one or two young ladies or young men? Suppose ministers really considered the content of what they allow in the sanctuary when trying to creatively prove a point? What could happen if we really understand what it means to be led by The Holy Spirit everything that we do?
    There are no simple answers to any of these questions, because in reality, we don't all read our Bibles the same way and no matter what anyone says, there will always be someone who can find ways to justify what they are doing, and many more who will support the actions of those who do.
Art is a powerful tool for communicating The Good News of Christ. Let's be responsible and learn how to use it correctly, and as we do, give the youth an opportunity to learn and grow along with us!
   

   
   

Say What?

In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves.

~2 Peter 2:1-2 (ERV)

     Just in case no one has noticed, there's a lot going on in the world now, and it's happening all at once at a very high level of intensity. We see more because of the large amounts of information that can be seen and heard and passed along quickly, 24 hours a day. The media controls a lot of what we learn so it's not always easy to know what is true and what isn't. The older people used to say "Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear" and there is some wisdom to that saying when it's taken in the right context.

     The one place that we should always be able to get accurate information is when we go to church to hear God's Word. Even though pastors and ministers are not perfect, what they say should always be found in the Bible and not made up. Nothing is supposed to be added to their message from outside beliefs, and definitely nothing should ever be taken away. The church is supposed to be a safe place where we can worship Christ in a pure environment, pure -- meaning that no one makes mistakes or doesn't sin, but the purity that comes from worship in spirit and truth according to John 4:24:

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

~John 4:24 (NLT)

     We need to worship God in a place where we will not be lied to, manipulated or have mind games played on us. The only way to know if a preacher or church is telling the truth is to know what the Word says for ourselves. We need to listen to everything they say with an open mind (thinking), an open heart (reflecting), and an open spirit (discerning). I once heard that when bank tellers are being trained to recognize counterfeit bills, they learn what real currency looks and feels like, so when the fake bills are passed they will immediately reject them. It shouldn't be any different when it comes to any type of ministry. We should be so familiar with what the Bible says that when someone speaks something that is foreign, we don't listen to it. It doesn't require a degree in theology to know a lie when we hear it. It's not necessary to have a title or be a church leader to discern when something is wrong with what a person is saying or to be able to see that his or her actions don't agree with what they are promoting from the pulpit.

Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).
1 Cor 11:1 (AMP)

     God is not calling us to be judgmental, but He does require us to discern when something or someone is leading us in the wrong direction and not to follow them. A wise pastor once said: "If there ever comes a time when you no longer see the fruits of righteousness in my life, please leave this church!" Anytime you see a minister mixing other beliefs with God's Word in the pulpit, or promoting activities on TV that should only go on in private, saying one thing and doing another, paying off millions of dollars to keep themselves out of court or promoting selfishness, worldliness and greed, it's time to take a long hard look and determine if what they are doing is bringing you closer to Christ or closer to Them....because as men and women of God there should be no contradiction between what they say to you, and what they do. 

Do not let anyone fool you. For the Lord will not come again until many people turn away from God. Then the leader of those who break the law will come. He is the man of sin.  He works against and puts himself above every kind of god that is worshiped. He will take his seat in the house of God and say that he himself is God. ~2 Thess. 2:3-4 (NLV)

     It's challenging when we see "great" preachers that we admire become part of the world system that they are called to pull others out of, but we are living in a time where the Word says that people will be deceived and will cause many to fall after them. I hope and pray that none of us will be in that following. Let's remain watchful and prayerful!

   
      Please enjoy this video from the P4CM Dancers reminding us to "Stand Out"!

Spirit to spirit

You are not the same as those who don’t believe. So don’t join yourselves to them. Good and evil don’t belong together. Light and darkness cannot share the same room. ~ 2 Cor. 6:14 (CEB)

     October is the month when all things Halloween are seen everywhere, from the house next door to the neighborhood shopping centers, school campuses and even medical facilities. According to a 2012 article on CNN World, Halloween is no longer a holiday dominated by children, but today Halloween is a decidedly adult affair -- replete with raucous parties, racy get-ups and elaborate decorations. Many adults begin celebrating the holiday as early as a month in advance, says Kathy Grannis of the National Retail Federation. (1)  Ms. Grannis goes on to say that: "A large portion of the growth is coming directly from adults who begin celebrating as early as a month prior to Halloween night. We are definitely seeing that it is no longer only a children's holiday." Halloween has also grown in popularity outside of the U.S., according to Lisa Moron, author of “The Halloween Encyclopedia” and “Trick or Treat? : A History of Halloween”. (2) 

     Along with increasingly bizarre costumes, there is also a large fascination with the occult, including séances, the paranormal, psychic readings and even witchcraft.  Many Christians see nothing wrong with participating in these activities and often practice some of these things regularly, especially around Halloween. But, as worshipers and followers of Christ, should we participate in a holiday that has its origins in paganism? Are we to communicate with the spirit realm outside of what is written in the Word? Let’s see what He has to say about it:

...So why are you trying to find out the future by consulting witches and mediums? Don’t listen to their whisperings and mutterings. Can the living find out the future from the dead?

Why not ask your God?

 “Check these witches’ words against the Word of God!” He says. “If their messages are different than mine, it is because I have not sent them; for they have no light or truth in them."

~ Is. 8:19-20 (TLB)

     In other words:

·     Don’t be a Fortune Teller, Spiritual Medium or Clairvoyant

·     Beware of consulting a Fortune Teller, Medium or Clairvoyant

·     Have nothing to do with Palm Readers, Tea Leaf Readers or Ouija Boards

·     Don't follow Astrology or Horoscopes

·     Avoid Black Magic in any form (3)

Why? You may ask…

The Lord your God, who is with you, is a God who does not tolerate rivals.  Deut. 6:15 (GWT)

Never have any other god. Ex. 20:3 (GWT)

But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Matt. 6:33(CEV)

     We don't need to look too far around us to see that we are in the last days. God's Word says that the closer we get to the Lord's return, there will be more people walking away from God's ways and seeking after the dark side. There are many reasons for this, but as worshippers we cannot afford to compromise our faith to blend in with the world. We are supposed to be different...which doesn't mean walking around with an oversize Bible and a sad face, not enjoying life, but according Matt. 5:13-15, we are called to be salt and light, a purifying force of enlightened people who carry the presence of God. We can't be that if we are walking in darkness, even if we think it's just for fun. Too many people have lost their way and don't take Christ seriously, because we don't!

And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For you are God’s temple, the home of the living God, and God has said of you, “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.”   That is why the Lord has said, “Leave them; separate yourselves from them; don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you   and be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters.”

~ 2 Cor. 6: 16-18 (TLB)

  

Something to think about... 

____________________________________________

References:

1, 2: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/22/world/halloween-culture-adults/index.html

3: Spiritism, Free Tract Society



These Things...Ought Not to Be!

...Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ~ James 3:10 (NKJV)

     Liturgical arts have come a long way in the past few years. Ministries and groups are becoming more well-versed in technique and becoming more innovative, even edgy with their presentations. Multi-media platforms and creative risk-taking are all commonplace in church services, conferences, and concert settings. But...some of us are forgetting that our focus is still communicating The Good News of Christ, which is that Christ was born, was crucified, died, was buried, and is now alive so that we can be free, if we turn away from our sins, believe with all of our hearts, and personally confess that this is true, and start living for God and not ourselves. This means that whatever we do has to: (1) Be inspired of God; (2) Be based on His Word, the Bible, and (3) Reveal God to people. It is not to entertain, amuse, or placate the audience, and although there is a performance aspect involved, in the context of worship, that is not our purpose. We are simply there in front of the audience to offer out of our relationship with God, a visual representation of His Word, ways, and nature, possibly in a way that hasn't been revealed to them before.

There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the Feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: "Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us?"

~ John 12:21 (MSG)

     Having studied Theatre and Dance for many years, I am always interested in seeing different types of presentations in church, but this latest video should concern most of us. In a church service, Thriller, yes that one...was danced to after a message about Ezekiel 37, the story of The Valley of Dry Bones in which God asked the prophet: "Son of Man, can these bones live?" Please let me say that as an artist, I have no problem with the artform of Thriller as a music video, and I have enjoyed Michael Jackson's music as much as anyone else, BUT, Thriller is a song and video about Halloween, zombies, and fear. The dancers in the original video were second to none, and the dancers in this new video did a good job with their modified version of Michael Jackson's and Michael Peters' choreography. However, they should have found different music and let God inspire them to do completely different choreography for their ministry, simply because people will automatically hear that song, see the dance and will either compare it with the original, miss the entire point completely because they are totally caught up what they have already seen and heard before , or simply be entertained by an exciting performance. In other words, it's inappropriate for a house of worship! Why? because, what aspect of God's Word are they presenting with a music track that was composed for a song about the powers of darkness? And, other than the fact that their performance was well done, what aspect of God was revealed to the people, some of whom may never hear The Good News again? There are many others, but these are the first ones that come to mind.

But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord,
And of justice and might,
To declare to Jacob his transgression
And to Israel his sin.

~ Micah 3:8 (NKJV)

...And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
~ Acts 2: 16-18 (NKJV)

    I rarely post about ministry presentations that are controversial, and certainly am not writing about this for the sake of controversy; but we need to have intelligent, non-judgemental dialogue about what is going on around us, as well being sure that we keep the worship arts focused on Christ, and not become a second-rate copy of what the secular arena has already done. Truly there is a problem here, and the solutions are not in condemning those who are promoting these activities, but in directing them towards God's Word.  All of the creativity and style that we need, come from Him, the original Creator.  Most importantly, we must have a real, born-again relationship with God, and not just blindly follow the latest trend that comes around. There are so many up-and-coming artists in the church with phenomenal talent, but they must always remain true to their own voice, and not simply become a copy of someone else's past glory. Watch...and be prayerful.

                                             

Stand for Something!

Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand.
~ Eph. 6:13 (CEB)

"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything".  How many times did we hear that statement, growing up? We first had to learn what we believed was right, and then stick by it when we faced the pull of gravity from peer pressure, cultural mores, personal dilemmas and even religious standards. Sometimes, we were able to resist, sometimes we gave in. So, how do we now stand?

Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands.~ Proverbs 7:1 (NLT)

We are living in a time when values are being tested on a daily basis, many times having to choose between standing up for our beliefs, and holding onto something that we have worked hard to achieve. We often say: "I'll never do that..." but reality always checks us when whenever we are faced with a situation that requires us to either speak up or speak out from our heart with no one to support us, even if they are standing by, witnessing the attack that has been waged against us. It is then that we learn not only what we really believe, but who our real comrades in the faith are.

...Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?  Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”  Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.

~ Mark 14: 48-50 (NLT)

When you stand up for what you believe is right, you may not get what you want. In fact, you may lose everything, and be left standing alone. It's why wars have been fought, lives have been lost, nations have been formed and destroyed, and laws have been changed or abolished. Standing up for your beliefs takes courage, because the outcome may be uncertain. But whatever the cost, it's worth having principles strong enough to stand on.  So...Stand!

Let's Let Christ Back Into the Dance...

"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom..."

 (Song of Solomon 2:15) NIV

     A professional dancer recently commented to me that when dance was being reintroduced to the church, people were very careful about what they did, and were much more attuned to the worship of God than many of them are now. Now that dance has become more popular, much of it is becoming more about the spectacle than the worship. There are many reasons for this, but the question to ask now is, how did that happen, and even more importantly, how can we stop the trend?

     I remember my first time ever seeing dance to gospel music, when a group of middle school girls danced to Perfect Peace by Andre Crouch. It wasn't  in a church, but I saw and felt the message of the song expressed in movement, and can still recall it today. We were told in church at the time that contemporary dance was of the devil, and notes were sent home with parents letting them know that "...although we understand that many children have dance training for poise and confidence, there will be no type of dancing allowed in the talent show". When dance was finally allowed at my church, there was a group of young ladies who danced to What Shall I Do? by Tremaine Hawkins. They had small bells on their wrists and ankles and really didn't move that much, but the message was still clearly received. Of course, there were people who whispered about it, but the group continued to dance on occasion.

     Over time, dance has gained wider acceptance, and brought a lot of joy to people as they see the Good News of Christ communicated through worship in movement. Dancers have become more skilled and knowledgeable about their craft. But along with this, the element of competition and rivalry has crept in. Gospel promoters are cashing in on hosting Praise Dance Showcases and competitions under the guise of encouraging fellowship. Dance leaders have become territorial and have a sense of entitlement to top billing on programs, only want to associate with "recognized" ministries, exclude those from their groups who are not of the right body type or lack technical expertise and even worse, take the place of God in determining who can or cannot worship God in dance. In all of this, the element of worship has been lost for many people, and the dance has been reduced to entertainment, which has no place in the church.  In response, some dancers have taken a hiatus or sadly, left the ministry altogether.

      How can we stop this trend? By keeping Christ at the forefront of all we do, we will always be in worship mode. That leaves no room for competition, egoism, pride, abuse, territorial- ism, or any of the other sins that hinder God's work. I remember the days when we were happy to worship God freely in the dance and really make an impact, and I am thankful for those dance ministries who still do. Let's let Christ back into the dance...please?

     Please enjoy this video by The Georgia NLDN...

Free to be Me!

     Have you ever felt the pressure to belong, to be understood, or just to be like everyone else?  I thought about that today while looking at all of the conformity and compromise that has been going on in the worship ministry as of late. I'm not talking about the conforming to God's Word that we are supposed to do, but the trend to do what everyone else is doing or to try to outdo what we see others doing to "fit in". It seems as if many of us want to do whatever it takes to get the platforms, the notoriety and the validation of those who we think will help us "make it"---whatever that means. In the process, we lose our uniqueness, identity, and creativity and although we may get what we were seeking from people, we are losing God's approval of what we do. 

What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? (Mark 8:36, The Message)

    What are you trading your soul for, in order to become what people want you to be to make them comfortable with what you do? God has given you a unique way of showing Himself to the world through your gifts and talents, but because you haven't seen anyone else minister (serve) in that way, you are compromising and changing your kingdom assignment to become acceptable to man. Or, maybe someone criticized or made fun of your ministry in front of others and you allowed that to stop your flow.  It is very hurtful to be made fun of or rejected, but when we answered the call from God, we agreed to be a partaker with the sufferings of Christ. He was criticized, he was mocked, he was humiliated publicly, but He did not ever change what God assigned Him to do in the earth.( Matt. 27:29-31; Mark 3:22) Thank God! When you back down from the works that God called you to do in the way He has inspired you, there are people who are missing out on what God wants to do through you. He will not anoint compromise. He is not concerned with who is the most popular, if they are out of His will. It is very possible that the very ones we are trying to follow may not even be getting God's attention, most of the time. Only He knows the condition of their hearts, but we are not called to please people!

      Whenever anyone preaches or teaches about compromise, most of the time they are referring to questionable lifestyle choices such as certain types of entertainment, activities, associations, sexual sins, and the like. But beyond the obvious is the more insidious type of compromise that doesn't appear to be wrong---when we stop being ourselves to become someone else that people will like or accept. Maybe you are supposed to do mime and only make-up half of your face (like the Phantom of the Opera), but because you haven't seen anyone else doing it, you change your look to "fit in", and lose God's approval and anointing.

  What has God given you to share with the world?  Don't allow others to control His expression through you by their approval, opinions, or behavior. There's no room for compromise!

       Enjoy this unique ministry presentation:

   

Risk Takers

positive expressions
   unique communications
words out of context, redefined to fit a new dimension
    with the uninhibited totality of prose, given over to inspiration,
the impossible suddenly becomes plausible
and instead of asking "Why?" we begin to ask: "Why not".
(c) 2008 Poetry of Motion!

How often have we condensed our speech to fit into another's way of thinking, putting ourselves into a box and afterwards finding ourselves unable to get out? And if we manage to find our way out, how quickly do we get into a similar situation where we end up in the box again?

To live well, we must learn how to live dangerously, by any means necessary. Keeping ourselves out of the box may mean that we are alone much of the time, but sometimes it is the only way to stay alive.
Look closely around you and you will see, that there are people in your life who carry boxes, ready for you to occupy. It will be your decision to get into the box to keep the people in your life or to refuse to occupy the box they have prepared for you, and risk losing them forever.

I pray that you would become a risk taker.