WHY DANCE MINISTRY ....OR ANY FORM OF ART AS WORSHIP TO GOD?

WHY DANCE MINISTRY OR ANY MINISTRY THAT UTILIZES SPECIFICALLY A FORM OF ART AS WORSHIP TO GOD? (Jennifer Morrow, November, 2009)

God is Seeking Worshipers – Not just singers, musicians, dancers, artists, etc.
John 4:23-24 (24b – God is Spirit, and those who worship God must be led by the Spirit to worship Him according to the truth – CEV.)

Our first calling and desire as worshipers (and worshiping artists, dancers, singers, musicians, etc.) is to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:29-30) and to worship (through our gift of song, dance, art, etc.) for an audience of One – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Jude 25 – to the only true God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.).

Additionally, our worship (not just as artists, but as believers, preachers, teachers, etc.) serves a three-fold purpose in the kingdom that scripture teaches:

1. Our worship in spirit and in truth honors and blesses God (or ministers to God alone) - through singing, playing an instrument, dancing, praying (teaching & preaching – even if we feel like no one is listening, etc.) For those who are worshiping specifically through the gift of song, music, dance, art, etc., this does not require that anyone else experience this with us - it is between us and God. (Psalm 95:1-2, 6)

2. Our worship in spirit and in truth blesses us (or ministers to us) – Psalm 22:3 - God inhabits our praises - through singing, playing an instrument, dancing, speaking forth His word, prayer, etc. - we are then filled with His presence as we offer our worship to Him. Again, no one else needs to observe or experience this with us for this purpose either (although as a body we are more blessed when we come together corporately to offer our praise and worship - more believers offering up our praises and more of God's presence (His Spirit, His power, His anointing) filling us all and overflowing into the atmosphere - then His presence can be experienced by others too (a witness even to non-believers). (Psalm 16:11)

3. Our worship in spirit and in truth blesses others (or ministers to others) - to believers and non-believers alike. For musicians and singers, others do not need to "see" the actual singer or musician for this to occur, because they can "hear" the song, the music, etc. (even with a preacher or teacher - others can be ministered to by the preacher or teacher just from "hearing" the message - Romans 10:17) and worship through singing, playing an instrument, etc. can still minister to others. However, with dance (which is a visual expression of worship and art - just like a painter or an actor during a drama) this third purpose will not be there to minister to others if the dance is not seen (if the painting is not seen, etc.). (Isaiah 61; John 12:32, 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Corinthians 10:31)

I believe the third purpose is important for all worshipers especially in this time and in our culture (both within the church and outside of the church within our communities, our cities, our states, our nation, and our world). Personally, it is one of the reasons I continue to commit time to this calling to dance ministry (to proclaim God to the lost through our worship and to help others enter into worship in spirit and in truth and experience the freedom Jesus died to give all believers – Galatians 5:1). I also continue to commit time to dance ministry to help mentor and teach others how God can use their worship through dance not just to bless and honor God and experience His presence more personally, but also to be used as a tool to reach the lost and encourage other believers to experience more freedom in Christ. As we boldly and freely offer up our worship to God through our expression of dance (song, music, art, etc.), it will be used to reach a generation that desperately needs to be drawn into the life-giving presence of Jesus. As we freely dance and sing in a spirit of true freedom for the purpose of exalting and worshiping our King, may others be drawn into the presence of Jesus, who is the only way to the Father God, the truth and the life (John 14:6). (1 Peter 2:9, Galatians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 3:17)

God has covered the earth with His glory through His creation. As part of His creation, we are also to join in covering the earth with His glory through all that we are in our minds, our spirits, our souls and our bodies. We were created to reflect His glory in the earth and to a lost world. (1 Chronicles 16:24, 28, 35; Psalm 3:3, 8:1, 19:1, 57:5,11, 72:19, 29:1-2, 86:9, 89:17, Psalm 96:3, 7-9, 102:15, 108:5, 113:4, 115:1, 145:11, Isaiah 40:5, 42:12, 43:7, 60:1-2, Romans 8:17, Romans 12:1-2,1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 1:12) Revelation 4:11 - You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.
I believe God desires to use all the arts that He created for His kingdom purposes. I believe God is restoring the arts for the purpose of His receiving glory alone. Let’s pray that there will be more worshipers and more artists who will answer this calling and that there will be more places and more spaces provided for the restoration of all the arts to the glory of God and God alone; a platform to publicly declare and proclaim the glory of God through the arts . (Romans 11:36, Colossians 1:16)