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"!

Humble Yourselves...

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God,  and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.~1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)
 

 



     Have you ever thought about what it really means to be humble? A simple definition of humility is: modesty, lacking pretence, or not believing that you are superior to others. It doesn't mean that you believe that you are inferior to others, or that you are undeserving or unworthy of respect or recognition; instead, it means you believe that God has created everyone in His image and likeness, everyone has equal value in His sight, and as Creator, He is greater than His creation, which includes all of us!

 

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?

 You have made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.

~Psalm 8: 3-6 (NIV)

     It's really difficult to be prideful when we consider the greatness of God, and how He chose to create us along with all the other things He made, gave us control of His earth and all of its resources, and then offered us the opportunity to work with Him to bring His Good News to those who don't know it. It's really sad then, when we step outside of that humility and take on the prideful nature of the enemy by expecting others to cater to us, making unreasonable demands on others, or by demeaning those who serve us in the everyday world.

     In recent news, a minister went into a popular restaurant with her group of 20 and after being served, left a very acerbic note on the bill stating: "I give God 10%, why do you get 18?" I think that most Christians gave that one a double-take, and it also ignited a lot of controversy among people who want nothing to do with church or God, simply because it was wrong. In the minister's defense, she has since apologized for her actions that resulted in the server being fired. While there are still a lot of unanswered questions about this story, it does show what can happen when we become impressed with ourselves and our accomplishments, titles, education, or social standing, and forget that without God's help, we wouldn't have any real success in life. Remember: We never have any excuse to treat anyone as if they are "less than" we are.

Later the seventy came back full of joy. “Lord,” they said, “even evil spirits obey us when we use your name!”

 “Yes,” returned Jesus, “I was watching and saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning! It is true that I have given you the power to tread on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the enemy’s power—there is nothing at all that can do you any harm. Yet it is not your power over evil spirits which should give such joy, but the fact that your names are written in Heaven.”

~Luke10:17-20 (Phillips)

 

     If we follow Christ's example, we will see that we are never to become impressed with ourselves, with what we are able to do, or with the amount of spiritual strength and power that we have been given, but we are always reminded to be grateful that God chose to save us from sin. In reality, it's very humbling to work with the God of the Universe in bringing His Good News and presence to the world, and never something to be prideful about!

 

 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

~1 Cor. 13:4-7 (NIV)

 

     Along with increased opportunities and recognition we  will receive for the things we do in God's Kingdom, the more chances there are for us to become prideful and available for the enemy to use to hurt others. Let us always remember that Christ's example is always humility and faith, that works by love. Selah...

 

     Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.



     ~ 1 Cor. 13:13 (NLT)



Remember...

The Dance of Praise...worshipers giving thanks and praise to God accompanied by a dance of praise and thanksgiving...sacred movement as a form of spiritual applause offered to God our Father in gratitude for all of the blessings we experience in our lives...often misunderstood in liturgy...sacred movement offers another range of forms...of profound expression of praise and thanks before our God ~ Los Angeles Religious Education Conference 2010
`

     Remember...the first time you ever danced before the Lord, before you even understood what it really meant, before you ever attended a conference or were part of a group... before there were politics and problems...before it mattered who you knew or where you came from...before there were expensive garments, cliques, auditions and competitions...

     Remember...when you enjoyed reading God's Word, attending prayer and going to worship just because you wanted to, and not because it was a chore or an obligation, or part of a contingency plan on someone else's agenda...when it was just about God and learning to follow His ways...

     Remember...when there was a real difference between church and the world, and people really had respect for the House of Worship, each other, and God...when it wasn't always about how much money you gave or didn't give, a position, or a title...

     Remember...and don't forget.

     Thank you to everyone who has been following my blog, for the 37 members which includes 12 new followers this year! I hope that I will continue to inspire and encourage you in 2013. Blessings!

Light vs. Darkness

...and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them.~Eph. 5:11 (CEB)

 

 

     This is the season where we are seeing preparations for what has become one of the biggest celebrations of the year...Halloween. The store aisles are filled with all kinds of decorations in orange, black, purple and green, where houses, jobs and even some churches can transform their entire worlds into haunted works of architechture designed to shock and frighten those who dare to enter. Over time, Halloween costumes have become increasingly violent and bizarre, from simple cartoon characters to mass murderers.
 

     Where did the tradition of Halloween come from? Is is just a harmless celebration with plenty of candy and treats, or there a more sinister origin? As worshipers, can we participate in these activities and still lead others to Christ?

     Do your own research and learn about the real origins of anything you do before getting involved with it, even if it goes on in a church building. We are living in a time when it's important to know, discern, and understand that everything we do impacts our lives...and the lives of those around us.

 

     Selah...

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.

                                             

Mime, Anyone?

     What is mime? We know it's a popular artform in ministry, but what is it, exactly? There are a lot of people doing it, and many don't understand it, are afraid of it, or see it as evil.

• Where did mime come from?
• Why do people wear "mime" make-up?
• What is the difference between pantomime and mime? Aren't they the same thing?   

     Pantomime is a very old art form that dates back to the Grecian Theatre, when the first recorded pantomime actor Telestes stepped out of the chorus of Seven Against Thebes in 467 B.C. to interpret through movement and gestures, the actions that the chorus sang.  This also shaped the beginnings of Western Theatre. (1)   

     There is a difference between pantomime and mime. Paul Curtis, Founder/Director of The American Mime Theatre, uses the following definitions: Pantomime is the art of creating the illusion of reality by dealing with imaginary objects or situations. Its art rests on the ability to imply weight, texture, line, rhythm and force to the air around them. Mime, on the other hand, is the art of acting silently through various kinds of theatrical movement.



     American mime is a unique combination of playwriting, acting, and moving that is quite different from the familiar French school of mime exemplified by  Marcel Marceau. "He is a pantomimist," Curtis explains, "and pantomime and mime are not the same thing. Pantomime is the handling of imaginary objects or situations. Mime encompasses any form of silent performance. It's a broader term. When a pantomimist is performing, you don't have to believe it or empathize the way you do with speaking theatre. You just see it and are entertained by it. But American mime is more like a play, in that if you don't believe the characters up there, then it's nothing. In American mime, everything has to be motivated; it has to be me. And of course we don't wear white face." American mime actors perform symbolic acdons and express the feelings of their characters honestly through motivated movement they call "form." (2)

     As you can see, there is much more to mime than a lot of people know. One of the main objections to mime ministry is the fact that during the times of the Roman persecution of Christians, mime was used to mock Christianity. It is true that the Roman theatre was the most efficient tool used against Christians (3). But remember that if you don't want mime in the church, there should also be no drama or dance ministries, because according to history, the mimes were part of origins of the theatre, which also eventually included dance as we know it today!  Also, in those days, mimes did not wear "white face", which started in France during the 19th century with the Pierrot pantomimes as pantomime blanche with Gaspard Deburau.

    The mime ministry can be very effective in communicating the Good News of Christ. So, if you are called to minister in this way, learn all that you can about it, don't just put on mime face and a robe, and step out in front of an audience. Know why you do what you are doing, and be able to answer the questions that you may be asked!

     Please enjoy this mime/dance presentation by Dancing For His Glory of Kileen, Texas. Watch their expressions, with and without mime make-up. They are powerful!



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Footnotes:

(1)Lust, Annette: The Origins and Development of the Art of Mime, www.mime.info/history-lust.html 

(2)Curtis, Paul, The American Mime Theatre, http://www.americanmime.org/ 

(3)Bruch, Debra, Ph.D.: The Prejudice Against Theatre, www.rtjournal.org/vol_3/no_1/bruch.html