ariel brittany’s blog
replace this ariel view with Your aerial viewArchive for March, 2008
Dance as Prophecy and Prayer
Even though we live in the tension of “the now and the not yet” we still cling to the knowledge and assurance that it is God’s ultimate goal that everything in heaven and earth come under the subjection of Christ (Hebrews 2:8). Therefore we will take a look at what this could possibly look like for the field of dance in the here and now.
A. Performance Restored to Prophecy
Performance dance is exactly what it sounds like: a dance that is choreographed and then performed. When performance dance is used to speak God’s Word I believe we can call this prophetic dance. Whatever prejudices there may be regarding the term “prophetic,” the Bible encourages prophecy when love is the motivation and it is thus rightly used for edification, exhortation, and consolation (1 Cor. 14:3). Therefore, despite prejudices, misconceptions, miscommunication, and misuse, prophecy still remains a valid gift and the term continues to be satisfactory in describing one of the roles I believe God has intended dance to fulfill. Dance is in fact a language that speaks what words often cannot contain. And when God uses human vessels and human languages to speak His Word, I would like to propose that we can call this prophecy; whether the language is one of words or movement.
B. Improvisation Restored to Prayer
1. The Role of Spontaneity
There is a second category of dance that the secular world has engaged in for a long time, but that is often overlooked in the Christian context. This second category is known as improvisation dance. Both amateurs and professionals in the world of dance have made this category of dance extremely common. A majority of social dancing is improvised, and there are very few university dance programs that do not offer the technique of modern improvisation as a core part of the curriculum. As we analyze a second way in which Christ can bring restoration to dance, I would like to consider improvisation dance.
Culture has currently diminished the role of leadership found within both the family and society and this has resulted in a hunger for authority and leadership. There is also a growing desire for the freedom that can often be found in spontaneity. Ironically these two desires (for both leadership and freedom) go hand in hand. True freedom exists when there is perfect leadership (Matt 11:29). As this is applied to worship, we can see an amazing opportunity for God’s perfect leadership to govern joyous freedom as spontaneity is embraced.
This of course requires faith that God will step up to the plate and not leave us hanging. But this whole idea of God leading a people into freedom through the tool of spontaneous worship is not just a nice theory. It is quickly becoming a tried and true reality. There is a prayer and worship movement growing that embraces spontaneity within the context of music for the sake of God’s agenda having room to grow in the void where man often tries to insert his agenda. Of course God will work wherever His Word exists (Isa 55:11), with or without spontaneity, but there is an additional opportunity for His Spirit to invade as we submit our agendas to Him. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17).
Likewise, through the spontaneity of improvisation dance, we can grow to trust the leadership of the Holy Spirit and experience His freedom. It is very important to point out that a common error in thinking is that spontaneity equals disorder. If this were the case, however, there would not be things such as jazz music. We can also see many instances in the Bible where people had one thing planned and God wrecked their plans, gave them what they needed to spontaneously respond by His Spirit, and life was made way better than it otherwise would have been. As pointed out in 1 Corinthians 14, disorder actually comes from a lack of love. (a.k.a. selfishness and PRIDE!) I deal with this issue a little later on in this essay.
2. Spiritual Language
As I mentioned previously, dance can be used as prophecy. While the concept of calling dance a medium for prophecy might be new, the notion of using the language of movement to communicate God’s Word to viewers is not new at all. What may be newer in concept is the idea of using the language of movement to communicate with God Himself. What I would now like to propose is the importance of using dance as prayer—as a language through which a conversation between God and man can occur.
When we pray, we can pray other people’s prayers (ie: The Lord’s Prayer) as well as spontaneously speak our own words to God. It is the same for the language of dance. So how does this work? How is it that we can communicate in prayer through the language of dance (whether choreographed or spontaneous)?
The Bible speaks of spiritual languages which are for our personal edification (1 Cor. 14:4). The reason a spiritual prayer language is so beneficial is because it speaks beyond the limitations of a finite human language and helps us express the inexpressible aspect of a faith based upon a limitless God (1 Cor. 14:2). The language of music does the same thing. In fact scripture actually compares the spiritual language of tongues to music (1 Cor. 14:7, 15). I would like to also throw dance into this category of languages that express the inexpressible.
Scripture tells us not to forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:39) but to rather bring this beneficial gift into a place of order under the perfect love and leadership that Christ offers through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 14:1, 40). In the same way, dance, as a prayer language, can and should be allowed within the context of worship, in a spirit of love. But as is true also with a prayer language, Paul calls us to engage not only our spirits but also our minds (1 Cor. 14:14-15). We are to pray for understanding (1 Cor. 14:13). Using the example of music, we see that the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, in music are in and of themselves expressive, but not always in a clear and understandable way. That is why we add words to the songs at times. Even when we are worshiping with instrumental music, we meditate, pray, and listen for the understanding that the Holy Spirit wishes to impart to us.
In the same manner, dance can be used to pray with our spirit, and as we do so, we must also seek the Holy Spirit for understanding so that we can simultaneously pray with our mind. Prayer is not just about us speaking, but it also involves God speaking. We must be willing to listen. This occurs with the gift of tongues as the Holy Spirit both intercedes on our behalf and speaks deeper understanding to us (Rom. 8:26). I believe He does this for the languages of dance and music as well.
II. The Obstacles
There are several common obstacles that hinder dance as worship and the pursuit of bringing dance into a place of subjection to Christ:
A. Pride
Sometimes it is common for us to fear different forms of charismatic expressions of worship. Usually this comes as a result of people who have previously abused gifts and expressions in such a way to glorify themselves, paying no regard to those around themselves. Because dance is such a physical expression, it has an extra capacity to be intrusive and disruptive if used in a prideful, selfish manner.
Paul says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil 2:3-4)
RESPONSE
When someone seems to be acting out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, we must do everything possible to help guide people back in love onto the path of selflessness and humility by speaking the Truth in love (Eph 4:15). We do this with an abundance of grace and gentleness (Gal 6:1). We do not fear or reject a person because they are wrongly using a gift, just as we do not fear or reject a person because they mess up in other areas of their Christian walk. Instead we come alongside them in love and shepherd their desire to use a gift such as dance in the proper manner.
B. Prejudice
Possibly due in part to other’s prideful misuse of gifts and expressions, we might easily find ourselves holding spiritual gifts and expressions at an arms length, only willing to allow as much as we can control. We let fear start to govern our decisions and expressions instead of God’s Spirit. What we have to guard against in addition to the pride that abuses gifts and expressions of the Spirit, is the prejudice reactions and responses that sometimes follow as we might have a knee jerk reaction that “throws the baby out with the bath water.”
Paul encourages, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Rom 8:15
RESPONSE
We must learn to respond to negative situations by operating in a spirit of faith, hope, and love instead of a spirit of fear. We must guard against both the fear of man’s opinions and the fear that God will not be faithful to carry unto completion that which He has started. He has given us good gifts such as dance to be used within the context of worship. Man has every capacity to mess up every good thing given to him, but instead of constantly worrying about how man might mess up what he has been given, we step out in faith and trust that as we do our part, God will be faithful to guide, protect, and bless what we entrust to Him. After all, this is the role of a good father, and He is our perfect Abba, Father!
C. Fear of Man
All too often we can easily become more concerned with people’s opinions of us rather than God’s opinion of us. This becomes an obstacle to worshiping God as it transforms an act that is supposed to be all about Him into something that is really more about ourselves and the people surrounding us. At the point where we are more concerned with people’s opinions than God’s opinions we are not able to truly let go and worship Him with everything. Our fear of man can especially be seen as we consider the notion of dancing as an act of worship. Suddenly we become worried that we will look stupid to the people surrounding us. But this is not the spirit of true worship and we can see this clearly as we examine the famous “man after God’s own heart.”
In 2 Samuel 6 we read about David’s heart to physically express the depth of His praise to God and how this did indeed cause eyebrows to be raised. Yet, he was in it for God and not people: “When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”
RESPONSE
We must learn to follow the example of David if we are going to be a people who are after the heart of God. We must be willing to forsake our reputation and fear of men and cling to the fear of the LORD. As we dance in worship, we must be willing to look stupid. In fact we might not be doing it right if we don’t look stupid some. Of course we don’t look stupid for the sake of looking stupid. But if you are willing to look stupid, then you are physically stepping out on faith saying, “God, I don’t want pride or fear of man to interfere with my worship.” And He meets us in the place of humility in greater ways that we even expect (2 Chron. 7:14).
III. The Practical
So what can using dance in a worship service setting look like practically? The best analogy, for this seems to be that of a wedding reception. At a wedding reception people dance both together and individually. There are moments when people all join in to do the same movement (ie: the chicken dance!) along with doing their own spontaneous movements. Everyone is welcome to dance at a wedding, but if someone wishes to sit off to the side of the room and have a conversation with a friend the whole time, that is fine also. No one gets offended if someone doesn’t dance. And the person not dancing does not get offended with those who do dance.
In the same manner, incorporating dance into a worship service will allow for a time of dancing together (in unison, following a leader) and separately (individual spontaneous improvisation). If someone feels the desire to go off to the side of the room and meditate/pray, praise the Lord! If they are moved to move, that’s great too! We want to be careful that we are not trying to concoct anything. The goal is simply to provide an opportunity by “clearing the way” (Isa 62:10).
IV. The Conclusion
Jesus has called us to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and STRENGTH (Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27). As we enter into worship through using the physicality and STRENGTH of our body (whether we have had dance training previously or not) we find that it can often purify our worship and draw us into an even deeper place of loving Jesus. As dance helps us remove two major obstacles to worship (pride and fear of man) our distractions fade and our focus becomes more and more on Jesus alone. This is the place where dance becomes restored for the original purpose that God intended it to be: a tool that refines us and lead us into total abandonment for our Maker!
Also, for inspiration for the significance of dance in this hour, read the word given to Julie Meyer: http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/5413
