Easter Workshop 1980
DANCE IN WORSHIP
Jill Price
What does it mean to worship God?
Our translation of the Hebrew word for worship means literally, “to come forward to kiss.”
Our true worship comes from our hearts: it is true response to God our Father and Jesus our bridegroom; remembering who God is, what He has done, we open ourselves up in love to Him, thanking Him, praising Him, and being amazed by Him.

In family life, the physical expression of his love is the most natural thing in the world. Children run to their parents to be lifted up and kissed. We just don’t tell each other that we love each other- we show each other.

Creative arts in Worship

God has given us the creative gifts of music, dance, poetry, drama and architecture to express our inner feelings. In many churches today, we see evidence of these arts in use; the rich symbolism of the Catholic Mass, beautifully embroidered vestments, and altar cloths, superb sculptures, such as La Pieta by Michael Angelo, in St. Peter’s, Rome. Huge cathedrals are built to point to the glory of God, colorful frescos of Biblical scenes, rituals in services, designed to explain the nature of God, beautiful organ music, Handel’s “Messiah,” imaginative metaphysical poetry, and the concise beauty of the language of some prayers and hymns.

Where these gifts have been offered as genuine worship to God, they can be an inspiration to us – an example to follow. It is only when they become an end in themselves, and substitute for God that they become a hindrance to true worship. It is not the arts which in themselves are wrong, but the false values, placed on them by people.

However, many of us still find ourselves trapped in the Puritan stream of thought, rejecting the trappings of Christianity, and looking only for its essence – Christ.

This very worthy aim, can mean, that in throwing out the bath water we lose the baby, and end up in bondage, unable to freely express our love and worship to God, creatively.
When we really do look for the simply essence of our faith in Jesus, we find what Paul describes in Colossians 1 v. 15-17.

“He is the image of the invisible God,
the first born of all creation;
for in Him, all things were created in Heaven
and on earth, visible, and invisible,
Whether thrones, or Dominions, or principalities,
Or authorities, all things were created through Him
and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him
all things hold together.”

God the Creator

In Jesus, we find God, the great Creator, expressing Himself: Jesus is the full expression of God for us. When we look at the detail God asked for when His temple was being built, we could not imagine that He dislikes beauty and sculpture, light and color. When we observe the delicate and subtle differences in flowers, the beauty in a sunset, and the perfection of a human form, we see it as God does, and appreciate it in the same way.

He has created us in His own image, to be creative, and appreciate creation. God, the great perfectionist, who, when He had made the earth, looked at it and saw that it was good, has given us our talents, and made us the stewards of them.

With the gifts He has given us, He also gives us a responsibility to use them wisely, and to the best of our ability, to bring praise and honor to Himself, to bring others into His Kingdom, and to encourage and give pleasure to His people.

I believe that God is pleased when we take time to create beautiful things, as an expression of our love for Him. He looks at our motives, as well as our achievements, and judges accordingly – as we see in the parable of the talents.

Jesus appreciated the small gift of the two copper coins from the widow in the temple, which were all she had, more than the greater gifts of the rich. Similarly, He understood, and welcomed Mary’s gift of expensive ointment, with which she anointed Him.

The sacrifice of praise which we offer, maybe to sing a song of love to Him, as we do the washing- up- or write a symphony , build a cathedral, or make a beautiful Christmas card. We are not all Michael Angelo’s. God does not expect more than we can give – but what He does expect, is all that we have.

The Ministry of Dance

It would appear that dance is three fold ministry:

1) First and foremost, an act of worship
2) Secondly, to encourage others to teach, heal
3) Evangelistic

Let us look at each of these in turn

1) ACT OF WORSHIP
God asks us to worship Him within the whole of ourselves, to love Him with heart, mind, soul and strength; and in Romans we read:

“I appeal to you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies, as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

We can allow God to use our bodies, as an instrument of prayer and praise to Him, and a blessing to others. In our daily lives, we use physical movements to express our feelings, and clarify what we’re saying; so too in worship we can use movement to do the same – remembering ‘that actions speak louder than words.’

Sometimes we may find that our worship flows easy to God – a spontaneous overflow of love, joy and praise, which we can’t contain, and have to express in a physical way- by lifting our hands, singing aloud, or jumping for joy.

At other times, our worship may be a real sacrifice – an act of will. Many times in the Psalms, we read of David deciding to praise God. ‘I will lift up mine eyes to the hills…’ How does God see this? Just as any earthly father also loves to see his child lift up his arms to him, and say “Daddy,” our Heavenly Father also loves us to do things for Him, and make an effort for Him. To begin to move in worship is for some of us a real ‘sacrifice of praise.’ Culturally we are a reserved race, taught from an early age to keep our feelings within, on a tight rein, to keep a stiff upper lip, to present an image to others of coolness and distance. This, a cultural, rather than a biblical trait, and the new creation which we are now in Jesus, is full of new life, and increasing freedom. We have been born of a spirit which is not free, to be whole, and healed people.

PRAYER In the privacy of our own homes we can offer God our individual attention, and adoration in dance. If we’re feeling depressed and alone, we can show Him how we feel perhaps by curling up into ourselves covering our faces and saying “Look Father, this is how I feel – no-one seems to love and understand.” And from this position of honesty, God can begin to show us the way out. By physically acting out our symptoms, we can more fully understand ourselves, and come to realize that God can see inside us and understand them too – and lead us on from there.

INTERCESSION There may be times when we have a real burden for someone, but cannot find the words, or realize we do not understand the situation, well enough to pray in wisdom. If we can learn to intercede in dance, we will find another dimension is opened to us by the Spirit.

PROPHECY Sometimes the Spirit may incorporate dance and movement into the gifts of prophecy. In the same way that one person may be given a word in tongue and then interpretation, the Spirit may lead a person to move in dance as they speak in a tongue and another to interpret it in dance and in word. It is wonderful to see all as well as hear God speaking to us. It increases the beauty, truth, and clarity of what God is saying by His Spirit – and increases our wonder at God’s sovereignty and grace.

SPONTANEOUS FREE- DANCE When we remember our “First Love” for Jesus, the time we first realized He loved us, and died because of that very strong love, I wonder what memories are awakened. In my own case, I remember being so excited about everything- devouring the Bible, and eager to spend hours in prayer and praise to God, because He was my newly discovered Father.

Often dryness creeps in until we can forget the spontaneous pleasure we once had in our prayer and praise. It is even possible to sit through many church meetings in this state, not realizing there is anything wrong- but gradually becoming more and more lukewarm. We have a duty to one another in the Body of Christ, to bear each other up in times of difficulty, and comfort, encourage, exhort, and rebuke one another. Often this is done by seeing the spontaneous worship of another. As God touched their heart, someone may lift their hands up to God, another sing of thankfulness and another, dance.

This is what is meant by free dance, to dance spontaneously in response to the Spirit in praise of God. Not merely an emotional reaction, but a deeper spiritual reaction, which will of course involve the emotions. This may take the form of a powerful victorious movement, or gentle, beautiful, flowing, peaceful dance. Or even a lament over the suffering of Jesus, or as a reflection of God’s sadness sometimes, when he looks at the world.

The vulnerability of a dancer prepared to offer a sacrifice of worship with the whole of themselves, can enrich the worship, of a body of people it can set people free to forget about their problems, and concentrate on God, and it can unlock the emotions, and allow the Spirit to work.

Such a powerful gift, must operate as any spiritual gift, under the authority of others, be weighed, tested, and also be subject to the spirit of the dancer – just as the spirit of the prophet is subject to him.

2) SETS US FREE

Dance is a visual art, perceived mentally, and physically, by those watching. It can stimulate the imagination, capture it, and provoke deep and profound thought, extending our understanding of our faith, and our lives. It also works, at an emotional –gut level, and is often the catalyst which the Holy Spirit uses to challenge us. It can unlock emotions, buck raw areas, bring out prejudice, and hidden sins which are deep rooted, and well covered over in our personalities. It can challenge some in the area of sexuality, and our attitudes to our bodies.

Are we heady, and theological about our worship? Looking for spiritual heights? Dance can challenge us to stop, and think about what we are singing in praise to our God.

HEALING AND WHOLENESS

After the Holy Spirit has challenged us through the dance, in a certain area, we need to respond to that, be honest with God, and ask why we responded in the way we did. The way is then open to God to bring us to repentance, and healing or understanding. This may happen alone, or in a group of people, as God uses us to bring insight and healing to one another and set us free to minister.

For some, God may bring deep healing, through their willingness to step out in faith, in the area of dance, perhaps in a dance workshop – or at home, in their own private time with the Lord.

This may be in the area of self acceptance, we have been conditioned by images put forward, by the media, and believe we “should be like” certain people. That we should just be so tall, just so slim, just so successful, wear certain clothes, and adopt certain attitudes. These are subtle influences, but now often deeply rooted in our personalities.

We can too easily forget that God wants us to be ourselves- fully ourselves, with a right amount of self-respect. He loves us completely and accepts us as we are; but often, we find it is impossible to accept ourselves. God can bring freedom to those who are like that through movement, if we allow Him to by taking steps of faith.

3) EVANGELISM

Dance is a particularly valuable gift in evangelism. Preaching explains the Truth of God, and the tremendous “Good News” of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Led by the Spirit, a good speaker can explain the Gospel, the need for repentance, and open the way for God.

Music can encourage us to open up ourselves, to God in praise, and worship, engage our emotions, and imaginations. Dance can show visually, the freedom, love, unity, and new life, which God offers the Christian, a new quality of life, of which dance, can be symbolic.

CALLED TO THE MINISTRY OF DANCE

Those who are called to the dance ministry can expect a challenging, difficult, yet rewarding time. It is important that their lives live up to the statements they are making through their dance. Proclaiming new life, freedom, purity and holiness, also brings with it, the responsibility of living out those things. None of us can be above making mistakes, but also none of us is beyond being forgiven and when God gives a ministry to us, He also equips us with all we need to carry it out.

To be with a group of people, committed in the Lord, to each other, and to dance, is a very valuable experience. It is within such a group, we can grow, learn, encourage, and pray for one another, bringing one another wholeness and healing as we seek to bring it to others. With others we can experience deep unity in our relationships beyond the superficial, so that when we dance to present that harmony and unity, as a visual expression of the Christian life, it is a reality in our experience, not an ideal not yet attained.
Not all are called to the ministry of dance, but many may be called by the Holy Spirit to use movement in their own private prayer, worship, and intercession, and find it to be an increasing blessing to them.
JILL PRICE