Handcuffed in worship

[barracuda]

Last night I helped lead worship to kick off the youth camp for our church. The audience was about 100 teenagers, including my daughter, who were starting their week at camp in the woods.

For whatever reason I felt convicted enough through the music to bring a lot of energy to the stage and to dance and jump in rhythm with the beat. Considering that I come from a conservative Presbyterian background, and that this is a Calvary Chapel type of church I would say that maybe my dancing was a bit out of the ordinary. However, the spirit was moving through me, and it seemed to transfer to a lot of the kids that were in attendance.

After our set the guys in the band were very positive, and even my daughter came up to me and told me her friends thought I was "cool". Granted, I'm not trying to look cool through worship, but rather just did what I felt the spirit led me to do.

I even looked up some scriptures, and there are about 18 references to dancing in scripture, so I don't think what I did was out of line. However, our worship pastor pulled me aside before I left and told me he was embarassed by what I did.

Am I wrong to be upset about this? I've never danced in worship before, which might be the reason for it coming across as shocking to some, but where do you see this? I don't know what to do from this point forward. I love to worship, but I don't feel I should be hindered because someone else might be embarassed by it. Were we glorifying the Lord through music? I would say yes we were. We brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to a group of kids. What's wrong with that?

I don't know. I just got mixed signals through all of this and it kind of leaves me with bittersweet taste in my mouth right now, if you know what I mean.

[Orr v'emet]

Oh my goodness...you are totally in my head! I am going through a similar "war" on this very issue myself. I am a member of a conservative Baptist church. To raise your hands or move to the music is virtually unheard of. Well, first of all we would have to have music that you could move to but that is a whole other issue. I don't know what the answer is. I know for me, I need a place where I can worship God as the spirit leads. My husband and I differ on what we need from a worship service which is keeping me where I am but if I could change to another church I would. I have spoken with the pastor about this freedom of worship idea as far as being comfortable to raise hands, changing the style of music etc but little has changed and there is nothing else that I can do. Right now I am just praying for God's direction in changing churches or whatever. I feel I need to follow my husband on this issue but honestly, inside I am struggling. So, bottom line. I totally feel your pain. Just pray and ask for God's direction on this. He will let you know if you are where you need to be or if it's time for a change.

[nebula]

As David did in Jehovah's sight

I will dance with all my might

Before the King of Kings

As Miriam did with the tambourine

I will clap my hands and sing

Before the King of Kings

As Judah did on the battleground

We will make a joyful sound

Before the King of Kings

As Joshua did at Jerico

We will shout to defeat the foe

Before the King of Kings

We can come before Him

And worship Him today

We can now adore Him

Jesus made the way!

You feel the Spirit leading you to dance - you dance!

Remember David and his wife Michal? Michal rebuked David for the way he danced before the Lord. But it was she who was in the wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

The Lord is restoring the dance to His people in the Western culture. It is such an awesome freedom to release your passion to the Lord in dance.

Remember, "Love the Lord with your heart, soul, and strength." And what is your strength? Hint: we are heart, soul and body. How can we love God with our whole being if we keep our bodies to ourselves?

Granted, we need to guard how we dance, that we avoid moves that appear sensual to others (i.e. watch those hips!). But other than that, all indications from Scripture are that God loves our dance to Him!

BTW - I know how you feel. I was in a similar situation, where a leader told me to "tone it down." I, too, felt terrible afterwards. I was seriously crying out to the Lord about this. Later, the leader appologized and told me that the Lord had been convicting him for restricting what He had given me.

So, keep taking this to the Lord, and may He move in the heart of the worship pastor in this. Amen?

God bless, Barricuda!

*Nebula*

(A worship dance team member)

[traveller]

I'm in 100% agreement with Neb!

Nicely said sis.

[Guest Called]

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD , she despised him in her heart.

They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD . After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"

David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD , who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel-I will celebrate before the LORD . I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."

And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

2 Samuel 6:14-23

I used to go to the church that KMB is speaking of. I am now in a non-denominational church, where there is freedom in worship. I am so blessed! You do what the Holy Spirit leads you to do. When we get to heaven are we all just going to be standing around staring at each other? I doubt it. I even will go out on a limb and say that I bet God will be dancing, so excited that all His children are finally home with Him!

[Guest Calamity]

If you continue to feel led to do this, and it's upsetting to others who are in leadership position, you might want to think about changing churches and finding one that worships in the same way? I don't know.

[Guest Called]

Nebula- that is cool that we came up with the same story about David and Michal!

[gypc]

Quote:

"However, our worship pastor pulled me aside before I left and told me he was embarassed by what I did.

Am I wrong to be upset about this?"

David's wife (Saul's daughter) was embarassed of David.........she was cursed!!

Some things happen so we can move on....Pray......God will show you!!

In his love,

Brian

[GymRose]

Have either of you done a study on dancing, clapping or raising your hands and setting it before you leaders. In a respectful manner.

All of these things are scriptural and can easily be backed up by scripture.

But I do whole heartedly agree that if you feel led in this way maybe God is wanting you to move house so to speak for a new season in your walk with Him.

I too see God dancing with His children, don't we love to do things like the with our young ones. I don't want to come off disrespectful at all but some people have this image of Jesus straight faced, absolutly upright in a too great to be botherd with trivial things sort of way. I don't see Him that way at all. I see Him saying let the children come and Him being happy and joyful and laughing and playing and even dancing.

Aren't we supposed to be becoming more Christ like in our walk. I see Him dancing before His Father. And His sacrifice was not to place us in bondage but to release us from it, to me praise is a thankfuness and celebration of His LIFE for the lessons He taught us as a man and the LIFE we have in Him through sacrifice. Aren't both of those reasons to celebrate even more so than birthdays and weddings and don't we sing and dance at those celebrations.

[Guest Called]

That is awesome GymRose! I just got through reading a fictional book by Ted Dekker called "Black". The book is a metaphor for redemption. The author describes Jesus as a God who plays with us and jokes with us and laughs with us. We are created in God's image, so obviously every good characteristic we posses comes from Him! Heaven is gonna be so awesome and it is nice to experience a little bit of it in church!

You know we also scream, shout and jump up and down during a ball game. Why shouldn't we do it, because we are excited that we have eternal life!

Jesus deserves our wholehearted praise for what he did on the cross for us! Not some bound up "religious" experience.