Featured Interpretive Dance in church?

How about when everyone is participating? Like the giant 'conga line' at the Reformed general assembly last year:

They "formed a procession line to Calvin’s chapel for a combined worship service while singing, “We will walk with God/we will go rejoicing till the kingdom has come” to the beat of congas." —Grand Rapids Press, June 16, 2011

 

Sounds like a "Religious Nut" party. Sure that was all prearranged by the Big Guy! :tongue3: Probably not Baptists though since it sounds like they were having fun.

 

Performance art.

 

Excellent point & well delivered....blunt & to the point!

When one sings or plays a musical instrument, isn't it still performance driven & do you advocate church service performance free?

 

I understand why some are accusing people of being judgmental in this thread and our attitude towards this issue. I would respond by saying......Yes I am judging the worship of others, and for good reason.

In the OT God methodically prescribed what He was calling His people to do as acts of worship. He was calling them to be completely different from the pagans around them. They were to worship the One true God, maker of heaven and earth and to worship Him according to His commands. Through Isaiah God rejected their offerings and sacrifices...the very things He commanded of them. Why? Because although they were doing the things God commanded they were also guilty of worshiping other gods and bringing the worship practices of the pagans into their midst.

Now in the NT God has not laid out a strict methodology of worship but simply said to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The work of Christ on the Cross fulfilled once and for all many aspects of the OT system of worship through His final and perfect sacrifice. So we have a lot of freedom in how we worship in a post-Cross context. Does that mean we should have an anything goes, don't judge the worship acts of others mindset? No. It does not mean that at all.

Consider the instructions written to the church in Corinth. The corporate worship was chaotic. God is the God of order, not confusion. The church was given instruction to restore order in the church. Today we have churches accepting "holy laughter" and barking like dogs. Heck, one "pastor" in Florida a few years ago claimed to be getting new teachings from God through an angel and was literally beating people up during worship services. We have churches embracing the worship practices of the RCC. We have churches embracing the worship practices of eastern mystics (new age garbage). These have not simply been allowed but supported by the people who are supposed to be protecting the flock God has placed in their care. While God did not command specifics in what is and what is not allowed in NT worship we can see the principals to be applied. God is a jealous God and He will not tolerate sharing His throne with anyone or anything.

So, call me arrogant and judgmental all you will but as a pastor I am responsible for many people and will be held accountable for what I allow as acceptable for how shepherd them. So, I am very careful in what I support as worship practices in the corporate setting.

 

Not at all. I just don't understand the point of interpretive dancing in church.

 

An excellent presentation which I appreciate very much. I am afraid the many pastors are negligent in their responsibility, either by introducing aberrant practices themselves or allowing them. I believe many are not following the admonition of the Apostle Paul:

Acts 20:28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Many years ago and for some months before God saved me I started reading the Bible regularly. For some unknown reason I began reading the Books of Samuel and then Kings. The one thing that impressed me most in these Books was the very thing you discuss in your post. God was routinely chastening the people of Israel because they introduced practices into their "worship" that were not pleasing to Him or they worshiped in the "high places". I believe the reason that the children of Israel were carried into captivity was their continuation of "worship" practices that were contrary to God's instructions. The Northern Kingdom went first because they built idols for the people. Eventually the same fate befell the Southern Kingdom.

That being said I am sensitive to the introduction of anything new into the worship service. It may seem trivial at the time but it never seems to stop. As I used to tell my SS class when this subject came up, the Roman Catholic Church did not develop over night but over a period of several hundred years. What I consider errors were introduced gradually, some evolving into what I consider heresies. It was in 1950 that the assumption of Mary became RCC dogma.

I believe a present day example of the danger of error in churches is the evolution of the "name it and claim it" movement into the Word of Faith heresy. I believe I am correct in this.

 

Perhaps its done to the Glory of God! Id hope anyway.

 

On the Theology Forum there is a poll: Most pressing problem for Churches? That the question posed in this thread is even being considered is symptomatic of the problems of the Churches! My response to that poll was:

 

I'll grant you that. Our Lord does look on the heart.

 

It's interesting to see the different ways people view things.

"unnecessary movement that might distract from the words of the song" is an example. Yes, some come to the microphone and sing with arms by their sides and their eyes straight ahead. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that.

Others come to the microphone to sing the same song, hand up raised, face lifted towards our Lord, eyes closed, and something within their voice tells anyone who listening the words to the song are coming straight from their heart. Same with some who clap their hands in joy or drop to their knees in thanksgiving.

If the Holy Spirit is leading them, why should the singer stand as still as a stature? (I'm not talking about "antics" sometimes used to draw attention for the purpose of drawing attention as opposed to heartfelt worship.)

When interpertative dance is done in true worship of our Lord, attention isn't (shouldn't be) drawn to the body of the dancer in a sinful way. Attention is dawn to the act of worship, to the story that's being presented in movement. Kneeling with outstretched hands towards Christ isn't "writhe around" Nor is kneeling with head bowed in repentance. Nor portrayal of the conflict between good and evil.

Bodies become the vehicle used to convey the message. Just as the voice of a singer becomes the vehicle used to praise God. When I tweak the volume of the mic a singer is using, the sound system is also another vehicle being used to convey what's in the singer's heart.

Any and all of these can be used to bring glory to God. Any and all of these can yield to "Hath God said". For both those up front and those in the audience.

As to distraction, often we are distracted, when we allow ourselves to be distracted. Whether it's a gaudy tie worn by the pastor or too much makeup worn by a choir member. Either I focus on those "negatives" or I focus on giving God the praise that imperfect people are giving of themselves to honor Him.

 

The Apostle Paul gives some advice on what a worship service should be:

1 Corinthians 14:26-33
26. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

mont974x4 has some appropriate remarks in his post #65 regarding the above Scripture as well as reminders of the problems the Children of Israel had because of what they called worship.

It is the simple truth: Just because we call something worship does not make it so. Jesus Christ said: true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. We must not emphasize "worship in spirit" and ignore the "worship in truth". There may be a lot of "spirit" in some of the things that are practiced in churches today but I believe there is very little "truth".

 

You mean just like southern gospel quartets? Now I've seen some performances there!

But to answer your question, I think it can be taken as something other than a performance - and let's be honest, there are a lot of performances going on in our church meetings any time people are insincere in their worship.

If a soloist, instrumentalist, duet, trio, quartet, or choir, or even a film can be seen as a blessing to the gathered church, why not something artistic and creative as well?

But again, as I said before, care must be exercized, as in any facet of congregational worship.

 

Sadly I believe many "worship services" are primarily performances! Folks should read the book He Is Not Silent by Albert Mohler of Southern Seminary!

 

Thanks, OR...I will look up that book...

 

I would suggest John Piper's DVD series entitled Gravity and Gladness.

 

Well, let me present it another way.

I see a large part of the issue is that people think everything that goes on in the church is for them.

If someone is singing to the Father, it's not about you.
If someone is dancing for the Father, it's not about you.
If someone is praising with an instrument, it's not about you.
Etc..

So if someone doesn't like something or is not moved by it, then it shouldn't be a problem because it wasn't meant for your pleasure.

Now if it is dishonorable by being against scripture or if it is out of place for the culture/style of the church, that's another story. By that last part - culter/style - an example would be someone in a church that doesn't believe in using instruments just walking in and starting to play one, or someone coming into a church in a cold area of the country, but wearing shorts and a tank top, which may be acceptable in a church in a hot climate, but not in that area. Stuff like that.

It does seem that far too many people judge on their own personal likes and dislikes or what moves them or doesn't move them, rather than judging it for what it is.

 

Since we have the completed canon, there is no further interpretive dance. That was for apostles and believers at the start but not now.

 

A little too creepy for me. I'd do an interpretive dance of someone finding another church. Just me.