The Posture of Worship Pt. II

 
 I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about you
All about you, Jesus.
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about you,
All about you ,Jesus.
~Matt Redman

Imagine for a moment on Sunday morning....there is no Praise Team, no band, no sound system, special effects, or no flags, streamers, banners or beautiful garments for the dancers. Could we still offer extravagant praise to God without any of these things? How many times after praise and worship have we complained about the way the musicians played, or how the worship leader switched gears in the middle of the song, or even worse, forgot the words to the song  and threw everything "off"? Could it be, that we have taken ownership of the worship time and made it about us, instead giving worship to the One who made heaven and earth? Unfortunately, many of us have been guilty of grieving the Holy Spirit in this way.

The story of  the song: The Heart of Worship tells of how the songwriter's pastor in England got rid of the sound system and band in the church for a short time, to allow people to worship from their hearts. He asked the church members one question: "When you come through the doors on a Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?" The article states that the congregation was uncomfortable at first without their music and sound, but they learned how to really honor and reverence God in a way that they never had before. In other words, the people put their focus back on God, and not on acting out what they thought was praise and worship. Matt Redman wrote the song in his bedroom as his response to what he learned from this experience, and it subsequently became popular around the world.

Worship is all about God, and who He is. Now imagine again...that everyone came to worship Him just because He is God. What kind of atmosphere would be in our gatherings if we all did that? God is calling. Let's go back to the posture of worship!

What may I give to the Lord for all the good things which he has done for me?  I will take the cup of salvation, and give praise to the name of the Lord. (Psalm 116:12-13)







Footnote: Song Story: Matt Redman's The Heart of Worship,  by David Schrader (http://www.crosswalk.com/)

The Posture of Worship Pt. I

"Come let us worship and bow down...let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for He is our God" (Psalm 95:6-7).

There are so many things that can be said about what worship is, and what it is not. Let's look at the definition of worship from Webster's Dictionary: worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being; reverance toward a divine being or supernatural power, or the expression of such reverence; extravagant respect, admiration or devotion; to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power.
It's very interesting how the word "reverence" is repeated several times in the definition of worship. This means that our worship is to honor or respect the supernatural Divine being, Creator of the Universe, the True and Living God. Notice that it says nothing about what we do when we worship, the garments we wear, the banners, flags, tabrets, streamers, or anything else that accompanies our worship. The true worship of God starts in our hearts, and everthing else follows. Over time, we have become so preoccupied with external things, that we have forgotten about the One whom we are worshipping. Worship time is now on the clock, and has to fit in with everything else that goes on in a service. It has taken on a life of its own, and sometimes has all of the characteristics of a staged show. Many times before a worship service, dancers are waiting "in the wings" talking about everything else but God, and say a quick prayer before going back to their original conversations until "showtime".

Worshipers, this should not be! If we are going to give honor and reverence to the supernatural Divine being, the posture of our hearts, as well as our bodies should be one of quiet meditation, even if we are going to dance to an upbeat song. Our worship is spiritual warfare, and lets the enemy know that our God is greater than anything he would try to perpetrate in our midst, on the people or in the atmosphere. We cannnot do this without starting from the posture of worship.

God has given us the awesome opportunity to publicly lead others into worshipping Him. Let's not be guilty of reducing worship down to another performance, or something we do because we are part of the Praise Team. We are all called to give extravagant respect, admiration and devotion to the Maker of heaven and earth, from the posture of worship! Selah...


*Thanks to Lynnea Johnson of Baltimore, MD for permssion to use this picture.

So Much to do...Not Much Money?

This is a repost...but it never gets old.



      There are so many classes, workshops, retreats and conferences going on, but most of us have to choose between attending only a few, or none at all. We can't be everywhere all the time, due to job and family obligations, and if an event involves travel, that's an added expense. Of course when we arrive at our destination, we need to have money to purchase food (if not included) books, resources and most importantly have emergency funds -- just in case.

     How do we do this, in the midst of economic challenges? In her e-book, Garments of Glory, Jocelyn Richard (http://www.thepraisedancelife.com/) has many fundraising suggestions for your ministry. A few of her suggestions are:  Having a ballroom dancing class for married couples or seniors; a silent auction; a car wash; sponsor a walk; a dance ministry concert;  a baby praise ballet class for preschoolers, and temporarily cutting back on items that are not important for a worthwhile cause (From Garments of Glory, page 19). There are so many creative ways to generate funds, if we plan ahead.  One of the ways I save money for a special occasion is to put all of my spare change aside, and not spend it unless I absolutely have to. It is surprising how quickly those quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies add up! We can also save rebate checks and money saved from store coupons.  If there is recycling in our area, we can utilize that resource. How about  not going to that weekly $12 movie, or taking lunch and snacks to work instead of stopping at that fast-food place?  So much of our money that could go towards things that have eternal value for us and others is being wasted, because it's going to the wrong places.  Some of us can always find money to shop at the mall and spend, spend, spend...but when it's time to get equipped for Kingdom business, we complain about how expensive it is. It's time to rethink our priorities and put our money where God's heart is. And remember, if we consistently give to God and share with others, it will come back to us when we need it (Matt. 6: 28-33).

     If there's an event that we would like to participate in that will especially enhance our training, we can write fundraiser letters for sponsorships to help us attend. After we have prayed and saved all that we possibly can,  people who know what we do, know our character and are able to help will be more than willing to contribute.  If we want something we never had, sometimes we have to do something we have never done before!

    So, next time there is a conference, retreat, class, or workshop that you feel is out of reach, think again. Where there's a will, there's a way!

Calling all worship dancers! Get ready for The Sound...at Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, July 25-29, 2012. Conference fees: Adults - $300; Teens $275. Group rates and payment plans available. More info to follow. Start planning now...

Let's Do it...Well!

I recently had the opportunity to attend a Spoken Word presentation at Da' Poetry Lounge and one of the artists did a performance that I will never forget. I didn't agree with his content, what he stood for or believed, but I had the greatest respect for his boldness. He made no apologies for who he was, and how he saw the world, and he had everyone's attention. There was complete silence in the room because of his uncomprising stance and strong presence that shook the theatre. We could have all gone home after that! Even when he left the stage, he left in so much power that the next performer had to admit that he was a hard act to follow, and had to collect himself before he started his poem.

     We should never make excuses when we present a piece of work to an audience, whether it is in song, dance, music or words. Making statements like "Please bear with me while I attempt this song", or describing the challenges you had before coming onstage gives people an excuse not to listen to you. Think of this:  If you went to someone's home for dinner, and they told you that the dish they prepared really wasn't that good, would you really want to eat it? You might try it just to be polite, but in the back of your mind you would probably be wondering exactly what happened in the kitchen before you arrived and wouldn't want to eat much of it.

      In Poetri Smith's Spoken Funk Workshop, he always says: "No excuses,  no red flags, and no holding back". A red flag is calling attention to a mistake. If you are a soloist and forget a line, a step or part of a song, make something up! If you are really prepared and something goes wrong (with the music, the sound system or something completely out of your control) the audience will never know. Holding back deprives you and your audience of whatever experience you were supposed to have together when you went before them. As ministers of God, we are to present our best (just as He did), and not just do something for form or fashion. So, now that we know what to do, let's do it...well!

Is This What They Really See?

     I recently watched a YouTube video in which a man stated that there were only five basic moves in Praise Dance, as he proceeded to demonstrate each one. This was meant as comedy, but the truth is, what he was doing was showing what many people see and laugh at when they see dance done without thought or preparation. He was making a parody of  moves that he called  "the flutter kick", " the dog paddle", "pulling down the rain", "frustration and running for cover" and "running around".
    
     I don't know this man's heart or intention, so I cannot judge him. But, we must admit that we have all seen these same types of dance movements done badly over and over again, mostly by dancers who repeat what they see others doing because they are not willing to take the time and effort to learn how to move clearly. The result is a dance that looks comical. On a side note:  In my own experience I have seen dancers wearing gloves that are too big for their hands, so that the gloves flop around like a duck's bill.  There are only a few instances that gloves are appropriate for dance ( I am not referring mime, or mime dance), and if they are worn at all, they should fit properly and be worn with shoes to complete the look. Wearing gloves with bare feet really doesn't make sense! These are the types of mistakes that give people like this man something to make fun of. Now I agree that the scoffers and mockers never need an excuse for their behavior, but why make it easy for them? If we are studying to do it the right way, they will lose their audience soon enough.

     If our movement vocabulary is limited, then we need to look for opportunities to expand and increase it. Every weekend, someone somewhere is hosting low or no-cost dance ministry workshops -- so there are very few excuses to not attend. Even if our budgets cannot accomodate classes at a professional studio, we can take advantage of classes offered by the Recreation and Parks department, or the local Y. Commuinity Colleges offer classes in a variety of dance styles from professional instructors twice a week per semester at reasonable prices. At some colleges, free tickets to see at least one major dance company perform are included because attending staged perfomances is a class requirement. It is worth the sacrifice of time and finances to make our ministries the best they can become. The Bible says in Matt. 22:14 that "Many are called, but few are chosen", meaning that there are many people who God has called into the movement ministry, but only the ones who prepare themselves to be all they can possibly be to represent Him well will be chosen. People will always make a mockery of what they don't understand, but we never have to give them a reason to do it. The challenge is: How much are you willing to invest in your ministry so that it will not be laughing stock? It's time to get busy!

Health Benefits of Ballet

This is a link to an excellent article by Debra Cornelius about the Health Benefits of Ballet on edubook.com. Read and enjoy...


Health Benefits of Ballet

Class, Anyone?

    The dance ministry attracts many people, some of whom have no formal training. While God does not call or anoint us based on our skill, we should always strive to learn as much as we can about dance, spiritually and physically. Besides having a Biblical understanding of dance, prayer, praise, worship and spiritual warfare, we also need to know how to move safely and properly so that our message in movement will be clearly understood. Many leaders still teach that it is not necessary to study dance or attend dance classes, and that all we need is a heart to worship God, which is not entirely correct, because the benefits of good dance training are endless.
     In a basic dance class ( I recommend starting with Ballet) you will learn body alignment, positions, coordination, gain strength and flexibility, awareness of space, timing, and presence, which will help in any other dance style.  Remember: The goal of a ballet class is not to become a Ballerina, unless that is what you are called to do, but to become a stronger minister of whatever style of dance you do as a soloist or a group.
     If you are new to the dance ministry or would like to learn more about the ministry of dance, Jocelyn Richard of the Praise Dance Life will be teaching the Biblical Study of Dance teleseminar from May 6 to May 20 at 7PM, EST. The series will discuss The Purpose of the Dance, The Dancer as Worship Leader, The Dance of the Prophet Killer, and more. The teleseminar is interactive and includes coaching and thought-provoking discussions with Jocelyn, who is a dynamic minister of dance and director of  the Visual Praise Dance Studio in Augusta GA. for more information or to register for the class, please go to:
http://biblicalstudyofdance-poetry.eventbrite.com/.

Keep Dancing...