On Repeat...

  

The beginning of wisdom:
Get wisdom! Get understanding before anything else. ~ Proverbs 4:7 (CEB)

The holiday season is upon us, along with a new year that brings new ideas, new goals and new energy...but somehow the same issues keep coming up over and over again. There are more praise ministries in the church than ever before, yet some of us seem to be quick with presentation without the preparation that goes on beforehand. All of these things I'm about to write have been read before, heard before, and said many times already, but for those who have never heard, it bears repeating:

IF you are going to dance to a song in church...especially if it is a popular one...please make sure you understand the song, the Biblical/spiritual meaning/who is speaking/to whom are they speaking/ and that your moves demonstrate the words of the song. it's not always about looking like a polished dancer, but you cannot beat your chest like Tarzan and jump around up in the front like a monkey and call it praise dance, dance ministry, mime, pantomime (they are not the same) drama, worship arts, human video, or any combination of the above.

   I recently saw a video in which the dancers were literally hopping around in a frenzy, doing the same movements alternately in the chorus of the song. It seemed as if they were sometimes attacking the audience instead of ministering to them, and at one point, it looked like a duel between the two  of the dancers when the lyrics were actually not about them, but about who God is. I'm sure that wasn't their intent, but that was the look. Now... it's one thing to do that in the privacy of your own space, but to present that in a worship service is something quite different. People may say "Amen...Go head...Werk!"...but in reality they are probably responding to the music, and not to whatever is going on in front of them . . . and while they may not know any better they deserve better. It's equivalent to a minster going into the pulpit and doing a lot of shouting, but never bringing a real message that anyone can actually use. Because he or she knows how to get the crowd's attention, people will respond emotionally, but spiritually, they received nothing because nothing was given to them.

   This is in no way meant to put anyone down, to be mean, or critical. When I have the time to watch dance ministry videos, I'm blessed by what I see, all ages and cultures of people who love to worship the Lord in movement, some are highly skilled, some have very simple movements, but it doesn't matter as long as they are offering their best worship to Him and have taken the time to think about what they are dancing about and to whom they are sharing the Good News of Christ with. Good dance/movement ministry always contains these elements:

(1)A song or music that is Biblically based; (2) Clear movements that express the message or essence of the song; (3) Connection to the music by all who are ministering - including facial expressions, and wholehearted participation (in other words, look like you really want to do it, and not like you did someone a favor to show up);and (4) Appropriate attire - does not mean expensive but should be modest and fit well (no body parts out of place on anyone, no cleavage on women); which brings us to the net point: A lot of us are eager to put on dance conferences and give workshops when we need to go and learn what to do before we try to teach someone else. If we don't, all we are doing is perpetuating slackness and mediocrity. All of us will not look like professional dancers, but all of us who God has called to minister publicly in any way, should do everything that we possibly can to be at our best.

   If you have a desire to start a dance/mime/step/flag/drama ministry, please be prayerful about it. The worship arts ministry has been exploited and misunderstood, and still does not receive the respect that it should have, mainly because people are unwilling to take the time and learn how to minister properly. Take time to seek out knowledge from seasoned ministers in your area. Avail yourself of DVD's and books that are worth the investment of time and money. It's not necessary to attend every conference and workshop that is given, but let God lead you to the one He would have you to attend. Otherwise, we will have to keep playing this same message on repeat...repeat...repeat...

*If you would like information on worship arts ministries, please click on the links under "Dance, Drama, & Literary Resources".

Please enjoy these ministry presentations by different groups. All have different stylistic elements and abilities but the one thing they have in common is that the Good News of Christ is very clean and clear, and done excellently!

May I Have This Dance?

        People love to dance! Just a look at the most popular network shows gives us an idea of how many people love dance, so much that they are either doing it themselves, or watching others. Many people who join dance ministries are great dancers who danced it up in the clubs or in the streets, and they bring that same zeal for dance with them to church. Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but what is wrong is that a lot of them are putting on worship garments and dancing with the same spirits that they danced with "up in da' club" and although they may be doing different steps, they have not yet changed partners. It takes time to learn how to be a worshipper, we learn as we go along walking with God on a daily basis. Are we willing to take the time to learn, or are we just in a hurry to get our praise on? I once heard a very wise Pastor say that there is really no such thing as "getting our praise on", because since the praise really belongs to God,  it's not something that we own; we are just giving His praise back to Him...Selah. 

     We have all seen dance ministries who seem to only be interested in attending conferences to present their dances without attending any of the workshops, or show up at concerts and musicals to perform and leave early, and of course the never ending line-up of dancers on You-Tube who don't wear the proper attire for ministry, etc. With so much good information circulating, it is hard to understand why there are still so many who don't know the basics about dance ministry. But, guess what? If we have seen any of these things, and did nothing more that talk about them among ourselves when we have knowledge to share,  God is not pleased with us! Some of us have notebooks and hard drives full of information that we have yet to pass along to others. What are we doing with it?

    

     We can continue to talk and complain about what others are doing until we are tired, and nothing will change. Even if we were to tie the dancers to their seats and lock all of the the doors so they can't exit the building, if their hearts are not ready to learn, or if they feel that they are being scrutinized and judged, they won't listen to anything that we have to say:

An offended brother is more resistant than a strong city,

and disputes are like the locked gate of a castle tower.

 Proverbs 18:19 (GWT)

     What are some things that we as seasoned worshippers can do to help those who are not as knowledgeable we are?  How about sharing books and resource materials with them and inviting them to workshops? If you are on a social networking page, send them a friend request so they can see what you are doing.  If you beong to a Liturgical dance organization, how about telling them how excited you are about what is going on in your area,  making sure to have some flyers or brochures ready to give them?  Even if they aren't ready to listen at first, they will remember the way you approached them. Was it with a kind spirit, or were you judging them? It's not about enlarging the membership roster of your group,  it's about promoting excellence in the Kingdom of God. When your group has an event, do all that you can to sincerely make them feel welcome if they decide to attend. Those who really want to dance for God will see the difference and want to know more about what you have to offer. Your kind words can accomplish a lot more than your criticism ever will. And remember, God is saying to them as He once said to you: "May I have this dance?"

     Of course, the most important thing we can do is pray for ourselves and others. We do our part by sharing knowledge, and God does the rest:  Lord Jesus look on us, Your worshippers. You know the hearts and motivations of all people. let those who have an ear to hear,  be open to learn and receive Your Word, so that they can learn to be true worshippers at all times. let them learn that worship is not an activity, it is a lifestyle of prayer, praise, the Word, fasting, and giving. Help us to be good examples, and not their judges.  this is our prayer Lord, in Your Name, AMEN.

Enjoy this praise by