Dancing in Church

[Classik]

I've never found a verse either for or against the NFL, NCAA, Pop Warner or Pee Wee Football. If you have, I'd love to see it!
(Although, from a purely American point-of-view, I'm pretty sure God hates Soccer. )

I think God loves Spanish foootball

 

[reba]

He got fired

 

[felix]

Not one NT church had air conditioning or electric lights... nor do we wear robes The Psalms are very clear....

I don't know how long does it take for you to understand that we are the church and not any building.

 

[Stormcrow]

Dancing is very different from rejoicing in the Lord out of joy.

So drinking and hanging out with prostitutes and sinners for the kids is it, then.

All you kids can stop dancing now. Felix has a new commandment based exclusively on the example of Christ. :toofunny

 

[Ace1234]

Dancing and wild movements were big in pagan rituals during NT times. Most studies and writings from the early church were against any dancing or pagan rituals of worship. Some dancing took place at certain feast, but other than that it was frowned upon. Paul had the same issue in Corinith with the babbling of tongues, no doubt here this was a mix of previous pagan worship. It was common for cultures to mix previous acts in a new belief.

Certain denominations started pushing the dance movement, simply, the running around, jumping, whatever, seems it took off in the 1930-50's.

I've seen some of it in fundy Baptist churches. I don't care for it, seemed to me one person starts and others jump in, then it becomes who can outdo the other person. To me it's saying "look at me" I once saw a Pastor swing from a stage curtain and it fall down, probably cost a few grand to repair it and put it back up.
Seemed that night the church went mad, it was a revival, people running out the front door hollering running circles around the church, running in the aisles, etc. You could tell many were bothered.

I think it nothing more than people getting worked up with their emotions, not the spirit, the spirit runs an orderly sevice of edification.

 

[Stormcrow]

I don't know how long does it take for you to understand that we are the church and not any building.

Well actually, we are the Temple of God and I must admit, this Temple does love his air conditioning. (Who wants to worship in a sweaty temple???) :o

 

[felix]

The statemet doesn't say 'I would not worship in a church that doesn't dance'.

So, who is making you uncomfortable in worshiping in a church that does not dance?

Do you know that you must worship in spirit and truth?
Does worshiping in spirit and truth require any dancing?

I saw a video of a persecuted home church in China where people were loosely arranged inside a compound and they praised God. The clapped their hands yet without sound, they opened their mouth but praised without any sound. The church was in absolute silence for they will be killed and put in prison if anyone outside the compound knew about it. This is true praise not your dance which you do for others to look you.

 

[reba]

Felix that is a remarkable story! wow sometimes we here in the USA can forget how blessed we are !

 

[Classik]

Thanks for your input.

I don't agree with this, Felix. God and Christ are the same.

God and Christ are NOT the same. There is a difference between they are one and they are same. Trinity is very different from Sebelanism. What you just said is Sebelanism is a false teaching and not a part of core christian doctrines.

Extraordinary conclusion! That's the tone of a Real Madrid Marcelo against a Barcelona FC Sergio

I was trying to say that music in the old testament is not contradicted in the new testament. Talk about the OT - talk about God. Talk about the NT - talk about Christ.
God of the OT does not contradict Jesus of the NT.

I know what the 3nity is all about.

And Felix, can you play a musical instrument without moving your body? That is dancing.

 

[Stormcrow]

This is true praise not your dance which you do for others to look you.

And I thank God we live in a country where people are free to worship God as they see fit.

Freedom is the issue here and whether it's the Communist government in China or the "legalists" tramping through the halls of our churches, some people simply can't understand or don't want the freedom we have in Christ.

It's a shame, really. 2

 

[handy]

Handy---"such a rule" is found in the Hebrew letter. Please read what it says about a covenant, a testament, a will. Its the same as a contract or testament we make today.

Webb, I've studied Hebrews extensively...I've not once seen anything in that book that states a "rule" that if something isn't specifically mentioned by the apostles or the NT...then we are prohibited from doing it, especially if it was something that God gave to His children already, like dancing or instruments.

If the "rule" is there...point me to it...I'd really like to read it, because I don't see how I could have missed in during the years of study I put into that book! Chapter and verse, please!

 

[Hitch]

And I thank God we live in a country where people are free to worship God as they see fit.

Freedom is the issue here and whether it's the Communist government in China or the "legalists" tramping through the halls of our churches, some people simply can't understand or don't want the freedom we have in Christ.

It's a shame, really. 2

But freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility, and no body likes responsibility these days.

 

[Hitch]

Webb, I've studied Hebrews extensively...I've not once seen anything in that book that states a "rule" that if something isn't specifically mentioned by the apostles or the NT...then we are prohibited from doing it, especially if it was something that God gave to His children already, like dancing or instruments.

If the "rule" is there...point me to it...I'd really like to read it, because I don't see how I could have missed in during the years of study I put into that book! Chapter and verse, please!

This is a crazy as all the stuff about long hair when I was a kid.

 

[Stormcrow]

can you play a musical instrument without moving your body?

Yes. I play radio. Much easier to play than flute or cello, and the music is better.

It's just those constant traffic reports and news breaks that really bust my groove.

 

[Classik]

Here's the kind of dancing I'd like to see in church:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zJWA3Vo6TU

:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
:toofunny:toofunny:toofunny
You are very funny. I was wondering, what kind of music is shooting guns and killing people until I saw the real dance

This is the kind of music I'd play for my choir:
Abraham Laboriel-YouTube

 

[felix]

And I thank God we live in a country where people are free to worship God as they see fit.

Freedom is the issue here and whether it's the Communist government in China or the "legalists" tramping through the halls of our churches, some people simply can't understand or don't want the freedom we have in Christ.

It's a shame, really. 2

God did not ask anyone to worship as they see fit. He only asked us to worship in spirit and truth. Anything that is not in Spirit and Truth has nothing to do with Christ.

 

[handy]

There is a reason why I said this: Classik said, I don't feel comfortable worshiping in a church that doesn't dance

None of the new testament churches worshiped the Lord by dancing and I can't find a single reference that the Spirit of the Lord makes a person dance.

I can only see the Satan's "The Toronto Blessing and the Laughing Revival" coming back in a different form to the youth who is absolutely unaware of it as they does not know how to discern the spirit.

I don't see how we can possibly know that "none of the new testament churches worshiped the Lord by dancing". Since there is no statement in the New Testament saying as such...you are making an argument from silence. I could just as easily say that no one in the new testament ever lit a candle...because there is no mention of that either.

However, in spite of our primary disagreement over whether or not a "rule" exisits that no Christian is to ever do anything that isn't specifically mentioned in the New Testament...no matter how many validations come from the Old Testament...I do share your concern regarding Satan's "The Toronto Blessing and the Laughing Revival" and agree that the undiscerning can easily be caught up in such ungodly apostasies.

I guess my reaction isn't to forbid things the Scriptures teach are OK...and the Scriptures do indeed teach that dancing is OK, even during worship...

Rather, I think we need to be diligent to teach, encourage and exhort our brethren, especially younger ones like Classik, to be diligent to study and become discerning. This, in the long run, will serve the Body much better than setting ourselves up to deny what God's word has said is OK. IMHO.

 

[Classik]

can you play a musical instrument without moving your body?

Yes. I play radio. Much easier to play than flute or cello, and the music is better.

It's just those constant traffic reports and news breaks that really bust my groove.

blast blast blast

At least you'd move your head in disapproval when the politicians lie in their commentary.

 

[Hitch]

There is a reason why I said this: Classik said, I don't feel comfortable worshiping in a church that doesn't dance

None of the new testament churches worshiped the Lord by dancing

Prove it

and I can't find a single reference that the Spirit of the Lord makes a person dance.

I can only see the Satan's "The Toronto Blessing and the Laughing Revival" coming back in a different form to the youth who is absolutely unaware of it as they does not know how to discern the spirit.

 

[Stormcrow]

God did not ask anyone to worship as they see fit. He only asked us to worship in spirit and truth.

Thought I made that clear here:

Dancing is what you make of it. God sees the motives of those who dance, just as He sees the motives of those who raise their hands, kneel, bow their heads, and fall prostrate on the ground.

Any of the above can be done in a spirit of worship just as none of it can.

No one should be so quick to judge the motives or heart of another.

Anything that is not in Spirit and Truth has nothing to do with Christ.

Dancing can be motivated by the Spirit. It is an expression of joy, as has been pointed out to you elsewhere (David dancing with joy!)

The irony is that a church left to worship in nothing but truth is a lifeless and joyless one.