Dancing in the Spirit

[Nikos7]

I'm not sure how asking for God's help equals setting one's will against the will of the Spirit. Again, you're free to assume whatever you want and accuse me however you wish. That's between you and God, just as my heart is between me and God. I would be willing to share my experiences in choreography with you - you might be surprised by what I have to say - but I have a feeling you wouldn't want to hear it, and after being insulted in practically every way possible, I don't really want to put myself out there voluntarily.

Not interested in the least. Thanks anyway.

I only want what God wants in my life. There's a lot of "stuff" out there in the churches. The heart of God is grieved. We need a revival of holiness that will put the fear of the Lord in the hearts of the people.

 

[mandelduke]

I went to a Pentecostal Church in the 80tys, and there was an old lady that would dance in the Spirit every Sunday. I remember one Sunday she was doing it, and I thought to myself that’s not of God. At that moment that spirit comes over me, and I had to hold on the pews to keep from dancing. I wanted to let go, but I was afraid people would think I was mocking the old lady.

 

[Nikos7]

I went to a Pentecostal Church in the 80tys, and there was an old lady that would dance in the Spirit every Sunday. I remember one Sunday she was doing it, and I thought to myself that’s not of God. At that moment that spirit comes over me, and I had to hold on the pews to keep from dancing. I wanted to let go, but I was afraid people would think I was mocking the old lady.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Zoe of Elyon]

Not interested in the least.

I'm not surprised. I wish I'd realized four days ago that you had no intention of listening to another perspective. I don't suppose we have anything further to say to each other, but I'll keep checking this thread to see if anybody else wants to talk.

 

[Nikos7]

I'm not surprised. I wish I'd realized four days ago that you had no intention of listening to another perspective. I don't suppose we have anything further to say to each other, but I'll keep checking this thread to see if anybody else wants to talk.

You have such a fantastic Christian spirit.

 

[Zoe of Elyon]

I have a hard time recognizing sarcasm in people I don't know. Is that another veiled insult or are you actually being nice to me?

 

[AllForHisGlory]

People, please stop! Where is the love of Christ?
Matthew 7:3
Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

 

[~RENEE~]

God created dance to be used as worship to Him. I don't see the problem as long as we are able to control it after all the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. And it is not vulgar or done at inopportune times

 

[Zoe of Elyon]

People, please stop! Where is the love of Christ?
Matthew 7:3
Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

I'm sorry if anything I've said was offensive to anybody. That was not my intention.

God created dance to be used as worship to Him. I don't see the problem as long as we are able to control it after all the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. And it is not vulgar or done at inopportune times

I absolutely agree. However, I think I've overstayed my welcome so I won't say more than that.

 

[AllForHisGlory]

Like I said earlier, I worship God through my guitar, and when I'm playing lead guitar for worship, that is how I worship. I learn the part for each of the songs, I know what I am going to play, or at least have an idea. I like to improvise, but I still know the general feel for what I will improvise with. With that being said, I have a question that you all can ponder, how is that any different from choreographed dance? Looking at Zoe's profile I see she teaches dance, I see no problem with worshiping God through what she has learned, just like how I play guitar through what I already know how to play. Its no different. If it bothers the person watching them dance, its their problem, not the dancers. They are the ones getting offended. If they have a problem, they should approach the dancer with love, and the dancer can share why he/she dances for worship. Worship isn't supposed to be a "you can do this but cant do this". If it is, you have lost sight of what worship is.

I understand, many churches have lost sight of being lead by the Spirit, and I understand that everything should be done in order, but not to the point where someone dictates how someone else worships. I encounter enough of that playing for one of the two teams I play for, for my highschools chapel with baptist administrators trying to control the songs we play simply because they sound to charismatic to be played for worship. Let the Spirit move, The Holy Spirit won't be bound.

 

[stormdancer0]

You are a strongwilled person. I feel that this could cause you many problems in life. One should never set your will against the Will of The Spirit.

She hasn't set her will against the will of the Spirit.

Just against you and your stubbornness. I hate to burst your bubble, but your opinion does NOT equal the will of God.

 

[stormdancer0]

I'm sorry if anything I've said was offensive to anybody. That was not my intention.



I absolutely agree. However, I think I've overstayed my welcome so I won't say more than that.

You are welcome in this forum, Zoe. We have some hard-headedness here, but we try to support each other, for the most part.

 

[Nikos7]

I have a hard time recognizing sarcasm in people I don't know. Is that another veiled insult or are you actually being nice to me?

I have no idea what you are talking about when you say I have insulted you. I think because we have disagreed somewhat, you think that I am in some way insulting. Well my friend the truth does hurt, however I am not in any way putting you down but I am just correcting faulty thinking. However, anyone can believe what they want and ignore what they want. That is called free will. I am sorry if I have hurt your feelings. I consider you a sister in the Lord.

 

[Nikos7]

She hasn't set her will against the will of the Spirit.

Just against you and your stubbornness. I hate to burst your bubble, but your opinion does NOT equal the will of God.

Ranting and raving. What brought this on?

 

[Saol]

Hi, Zoe's husband here...oh great I'm already biased lol

I joined recently cause my wife did although this place is a bit convoluted and I'm not even sure where to begin so I'm sorta just following her around and seeing if I can contribute to conversations she's joined.

This one is especially interesting to me cause I've been on both sides of the spectrum. Attended Fundamentalist Baptist schools while being raised by a mostly nondenominational family who was okay with dancing. So i've heard both spectrums of the argument. But i know that's not even really the argument here, just sorta bringing it back on topic. Still, the whole idea of choreography is interesting cause it wasn't something I ever really considered til I moved to MS and attended the college Zoe did. I didn't grow up in the dance world, or really get ballet before I met her. Art itself was just something to admire to me, not something I really considered as worship to God. But I've come to believe that God values our creations as much as He values His own...or at least that we are engaging in the creative aspect, using imagination...etc. I don't believe that everything we put forth even in our own self is fallible and unworthy of God because we are created in His Image, and in that Image we have never lost it, even for having sinned. So, Zoe's understanding of choreography is correct. Now I've gone to some churches where I knew people who thought as Nikos did and I get where they're coming from...it's the whole aspect of allowing the spirit to move, and that that needs to be a spontaneous action...and while frankly I don't think worship has to ALWAYS be this, I've seen some beautiful happenings result from such an active surrender...

The point being I've seen worship come from both sides...I've seen God glorified on both ends. Case in point many of the choreographed dances put on by Belhaven's Dance Dept. were specifically written as thought pieces on God. I got so much out of them, I saw God in a deeper way, and I came to love Him more. That was the specific intention of these choreographed dances. I do believe that life itself, when lived in the fulness of God's intention, glorifies God. I believe that Dance is one of the purest forms of that life. Just watching Zoe dance sometimes makes me realize just how much God loves us.

Anyways, I wanted to provide my perspective even though I know that Nikos said he wasn't interested in hearing anything different from what he believes because I wanted him to know that while we disagree I at least get somewhat where he's coming from. I don't consider myself Pentecostal, or Charismatic really all that much, but I see value in some of the teachings.

 

[FuegoPentecostes]

WOW This thread really blew up.
I guess I'll put my two-cents in by answering the questions Zoe asked a few pages back, and see where that goes.

Perhaps I should ask some questions to clarify first. These are for anybody, by the way.

1) When one dances in the Spirit, is the Holy Spirit inspiring you to dance, or is the Holy Spirit also guiding/directing/controlling your movements?

2) Do you consciously think about the movements you are doing while you are dancing in the Spirit?

3) Is dancing in the Spirit more similar to speaking in tongues or to worship through singing?

4) Do you have any background in formal dance training of any kind? For those of you who do, have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit's presence while doing this kind of dance?

1. I have personally danced in the Spirit, and I'd like to throw away the notion that you lose all control. By that, I mean you can start and stop at will. The Holy Spirit is inspiring you, but not in a pre-planned way. It's something that happens suddenly, you're just so filled with joy you need to dance. I do believe that while you're in control, however, the Spirit is guiding you. In all my years of dancing in the Spirit, whether in a crowded church or right at home, I have never once gotten hurt or hit any object/person, EVER. I believe this is because of the Holy Spirit's "interference" in what I'm doing and keeping me safe.

2. I usually never have to think about what I'm doing while dancing in the Spirit. I like to call it "dancing with God" sometimes because I feel He is leading me. If I ever feel I need to plan what I'm going to do or I feel I'm forcing myself to do something, I stop because I know it's not from the Spirit, but from the flesh.

3. I believe all spiritual gifts are equal in importance as well as experience. They're all evidence of the Spirit within someone, they're all evidence for unbelievers, they're all of God.

4. I don't have any formal dance "training", but I have been to dance classes in school. I've never felt a huge amount of Holy Spirit presence when doing that sort of dance.

I hope that my answers have taught you a bit about dancing in the Holy Spirit

 

[Nikos7]

WOW This thread really blew up.
I guess I'll put my two-cents in by answering the questions Zoe asked a few pages back, and see where that goes.



1. I have personally danced in the Spirit, and I'd like to throw away the notion that you lose all control. By that, I mean you can start and stop at will. The Holy Spirit is inspiring you, but not in a pre-planned way. It's something that happens suddenly, you're just so filled with joy you need to dance. I do believe that while you're in control, however, the Spirit is guiding you. In all my years of dancing in the Spirit, whether in a crowded church or right at home, I have never once gotten hurt or hit any object/person, EVER. I believe this is because of the Holy Spirit's "interference" in what I'm doing and keeping me safe.

2. I usually never have to think about what I'm doing while dancing in the Spirit. I like to call it "dancing with God" sometimes because I feel He is leading me. If I ever feel I need to plan what I'm going to do or I feel I'm forcing myself to do something, I stop because I know it's not from the Spirit, but from the flesh.

3. I believe all spiritual gifts are equal in importance as well as experience. They're all evidence of the Spirit within someone, they're all evidence for unbelievers, they're all of God.

4. I don't have any formal dance "training", but I have been to dance classes in school. I've never felt a huge amount of Holy Spirit presence when doing that sort of dance.

I hope that my answers have taught you a bit about dancing in the Holy Spirit

Excellent points. I agree and thanks for posting.

 

[AllForHisGlory]

I think some people (myself included) may have confused Spirit-filled dancing with another style of worship, Dance. They are both for worshiping God but are different. Am I right?

 

[Nikos7]

Hi, Zoe's husband here...oh great I'm already biased lol

I joined recently cause my wife did although this place is a bit convoluted and I'm not even sure where to begin so I'm sorta just following her around and seeing if I can contribute to conversations she's joined.

This one is especially interesting to me cause I've been on both sides of the spectrum. Attended Fundamentalist Baptist schools while being raised by a mostly nondenominational family who was okay with dancing. So i've heard both spectrums of the argument. But i know that's not even really the argument here, just sorta bringing it back on topic. Still, the whole idea of choreography is interesting cause it wasn't something I ever really considered til I moved to MS and attended the college Zoe did. I didn't grow up in the dance world, or really get ballet before I met her. Art itself was just something to admire to me, not something I really considered as worship to God. But I've come to believe that God values our creations as much as He values His own...or at least that we are engaging in the creative aspect, using imagination...etc. I don't believe that everything we put forth even in our own self is fallible and unworthy of God because we are created in His Image, and in that Image we have never lost it, even for having sinned. So, Zoe's understanding of choreography is correct. Now I've gone to some churches where I knew people who thought as Nikos did and I get where they're coming from...it's the whole aspect of allowing the spirit to move, and that that needs to be a spontaneous action...and while frankly I don't think worship has to ALWAYS be this, I've seen some beautiful happenings result from such an active surrender...

The point being I've seen worship come from both sides...I've seen God glorified on both ends. Case in point many of the choreographed dances put on by Belhaven's Dance Dept. were specifically written as thought pieces on God. I got so much out of them, I saw God in a deeper way, and I came to love Him more. That was the specific intention of these choreographed dances. I do believe that life itself, when lived in the fulness of God's intention, glorifies God. I believe that Dance is one of the purest forms of that life. Just watching Zoe dance sometimes makes me realize just how much God loves us.

Anyways, I wanted to provide my perspective even though I know that Nikos said he wasn't interested in hearing anything different from what he believes because I wanted him to know that while we disagree I at least get somewhat where he's coming from. I don't consider myself Pentecostal, or Charismatic really all that much, but I see value in some of the teachings.

I am not trying in any way to belittle you and your wife. But from your posts I don't think you understand what we mean by dancing in the spirit. It is not about our personal talent or ability but about allowing the Holy Spirit to direct us in expressing ourselves in dancing. Please read FuegoPentecostes post and I think it will help you.

 

[stormdancer0]

Ranting and raving. What brought this on?

Two lines are ranting and raving???