| Poster | Thread | Nellie
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Joined: 2004/4/5
Posts: 952
| | Dancing in the Church | | A few weeks ago a Young Couple came to our Church and were dancing like the World would dance, on the front pew. One of them was part of our Youth Group.
This was done during the singing.
Not anyone in Leadership told them to stop.
This grieved the Spirit of God in me.
When some of us objected to this type of behaviour in Church, we were made to feel like we were the ones that were wrong, to even question it.
These Young people need to be saved.
Are we just supposed to pray, and act like nothing happened?
Would like some input on this.
Some Scriptures.
Thank-you.
God Bless you
Nellie |
|  2006/4/8 15:31 | Profile | sermonindex
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Online! | | Re: Dancing in the Church | | I believe that dancing is permissible but there definetly needs to be a spirit behind it and not done in a fleshly manner. We are spirit-soul-body and when we want to express worship in the spirit it comes through our soul (mind, emotions) and our body (ears, hands, eyes, mouth). So in some ways it makes sense that the worship in Spirit and Truth will result in outward acts.
I also believe God is most pleased in heart worship and one of the main hebrew words for worship has a picture of a dog before the masters feet, when last have we conceptulized and practiced that sense of spirit worship.
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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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| | 2006/4/8 16:16 | Profile | roadsign
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| | Re: consideration for others | | Nellie, the way you describe this situation would grieve me too. Even putting aside any spiritual or religous viewpoints, there is a place for good-old fashioned etiquette, ie, respect for others. If one's "worship" is self-absorbed and shows no consideration for others, they are only worshipping themselves.
It is inappropriate to let this continue - even under the disguise of "freedom in the Spirit". Those who are bothered by it have no need to feel like THEY are the ones in the wrong.
This is no different than for those who feel "free" to wear their dirty boots in the sanctuary or in someone else's house. They should know to take them off out of consideration, or else they need to be told to do so (if they are so immature that they do not see the need to do so themselves.)
People may freely wear dirty boots or dance in their own homes; no one needs to stop them there.
I remember being in a church service where two women were dancing "in the Spirit" the entire time of singing. They never thought that they were blocking our view to the overhead words on the screen. This was inconsiderate.
I realize that our dancing friends can come back at us with the biblical passage about David dancing in the nude, and his wife despising him. But that episode is hardly a lisence for the "free" expression of the flesh.
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2006/4/8 17:06 | Profile | lit4ever
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| | Re: Dancing in the Church | | I'm wondering how you know that they weren't being led by the Holy Spirit? I have seen both "led and unled" dancing in church and I'm not going to be the one to put the Holy Spirit in a box. He can pretty much do what he wants. :)
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Suzanne St. Martin
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| | 2006/4/8 17:29 | Profile | roadsign
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| | Re: | | Quote:
I'm not going to be the one to put the Holy Spirit in a box. He can pretty much do what he wants.
This is where discernment is needed. Not everything attributed to the Spirit originates from the Spirit.
Some things are obvious, some are not.
If the dancers are offended when the church leaders tell them to stop or to dance elsewhere, and they go around bad-mouthing or bitter, then likely it is an indication that they are not led by the Spirit, but rather by the flesh or deception. They still need to undergo some maturing.
I guess you just have get good at inspecting fruit.
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2006/4/8 17:36 | Profile | Compton
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Posts: 2732
| | Re: | | Obviously there are many scriptures, especially in the Old Testament that sanction dancing. There's hardly a need here to create a long post full of examples of Hebrew words for whirling, clapping, joyful occasions and other worship concepts.
Quote:
I'm not going to be the one to put the Holy Spirit in a box.
Amen! Hopefully no Christian wants to confine the Holy Spirit! Yet limits and constraints are also holy. If we don't like to leave these church-wide matters up to arbitrary methods of "discernment" then we are left with making rules.
In my experience there has always been a simple rule to differentiate between spiritual dancing and sensual dancing: I do not believe in all of the biblical examples of ceremonial dancing that male and female could mingle in the act. I think this is unpleasing before the lord as a form of public worship. Thus, typical Charismatic expressions of congregational dancing are in my opinion, unpleasing to God. (I'm not talking about clapping hands...)
One time a young woman shared a testimony on Sunday morning how the Lord delivered her from bondage. It was a touching and transparent moment for the congregation. But then she asked the sound man play a popular CCM song called Shackles (Mary, Mary) Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance. I just wanna praise you. The congregation, following her lead began to dance to the funky beat, women and men together. We had danced before during worship, but I had always been separate from the congregation, up on the platform concentrating on my keyboard playing. This time I was down on the floor with congregation and felt the wrongness of it. If anything, it made the older believers uncomfortable, and out of respect for them I felt it was inappropriate.
Since then I decided to never play on a Charismatic worship team again
We have all week long to worship with our whole body and it's endorfins...can't we find a couple hours a week to set apart for worship in spirit?
Now we want freedom in the Lord for sure. But for me, I want my liberty to edify and encourage my brothers and sisters. It is not a liberty that I want to claim at the offense of those who are older then me, or those who are uncomfortable with men and women dancing. Also, I do not believe dancing has a unique supernatural power, like evoking the presence of God, or breaking demonic strongholds. These things are accomplished through heart submission to the ministry of the Holy Spirit alone
we are set free from religious methodologies that have no power in themselves.
As I said earlier, I believe that the Lord sanctions (some)dancing. Ive seen politely dressed women perform moving and demure ballets in church, and I freely admit that I have felt a sense of the Lord's joy and danced freely myself on occasion in my own prayer time.
But public shoulder to shoulder dancing in mixed company with men moving in the very midst of each others wives and daughters I think is unedifying to the Church and unwelcome by the Lord. True David danced publicly with all his might in the nude. But he also had concubines and cut the foreskins off of his enemies. David lived in a different chapter of Gods everlasting covenant then we do brethren. The Spirit has moved on and so we must also.
Blessings,
MC
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Mike Compton
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| | 2006/4/8 18:53 | Profile | Christinyou
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| | Re: | |
Wrong:
Exd 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
Right:
1Sa 18:6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
1Sa 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, [they were] spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
2Sa 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart
Do we see the difference in dancing, when God has overcome enemies and does good to His people there is dancing before the Lord. It seems that God entertains the Joy of His people.
2 Samuel 6:16-23 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
Let them dance to the Lord, iiiiifffff it is to the Lord and not of self in showing for self reward and self display for wanting others to see how spiritual they are.
Like tongues, don't forbid, but make sure it is of God and not for self exaltation and works oriented.
If it is of God, Glory. Don't be like Michal the daughter of Saul, despising the dancing to the Lord that was in David. There was a consequence to in the despising, no children all her life.
In Christ our Joy is in us, which is Christ in us the Hope of Glory. Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
In Christ: Phillip
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Phillip
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| | 2006/4/8 19:09 | Profile | Smokey
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| | Re: Dancing in the Church | | Nellie
I have no problem with people dancing, or swaying, or lifting hands, and rocking back and forth, if there is no attempt to make a spectacle. In this case you state that they were dancing ON the front pew. I do not believe that this is appropriate behavior anytime, or anywhere, let alone during a church service, as this caused all the attention of the worshipers to be focused on them.
Just my thoughts..
Many blessings Greg
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Greg
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| | 2006/4/8 19:14 | Profile | Nellie
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| | Re: | | Dear lit4ever
I would never want to put Holy Spirit in a box, either.
God is never the Author of confusion.
The Spirit of God is up-lifting, and He is a Gentleman.
Blessings to you, also
Nellie |
| | 2006/4/8 19:28 | Profile | crsschk
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Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA
| | Re: | | Quote:
Even putting aside any spiritual or religous viewpoints, there is a place for good-old fashioned etiquette, ie, respect for others.
Yes, precisely.
Quote:
In this case you state that they were dancing ON the front pew. I do not believe that this is appropriate behavior anytime, or anywhere, let alone during a church service, as this caused all the attention of the worshipers to be focused on them.
Though all of 1Co 14 would apply ...
1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
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Mike Balog
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| | 2006/4/8 21:46 | Profile |
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