Why Dance for the King, Reason to See Dance as a Way to Worship

     As I found “Dance Fitness with Stephanie” one day on Facebook while scrolling through random posts, I never would have thought checking the page out or going to my first fitness class with Stephanie was going to be something God used to help me out of the water.  I wasn’t expecting it to be more than exercising, BUT GOD, He has had bigger plans.  How can this be?  How is exercising able to minister to me and impact not only me but my family outside that basement?

     Let me give you some background on myself.  Yes, I’m putting myself in an uncomfortable place with sharing this.  I’m also very passionate about God and His marvelous works and sometimes I dive into the Word as I’m led to by God in hopes you see the AWE I’m experiencing.

     I love my God and I already have a relationship with Him.  My relationship with Him could be better, I know this because it has been SO MUCH BETTER.  There are seasons we all experience and if we remain in our “self” then we miss God’s plans for us.  In fact, we are being disobedient.  God hates disobedience.  If a sinner can be sent to hell for all of eternity, that clearly shows God’s hatred towards disobedience.  Also, being disobedient shows disrespect, “saying” His Word is not important to us, that we will do what we want.  I personally don’t want to dishonor God, because to dishonor God is to honor Satan.  So with that being said, this season I’ve been going through, I’ve felt like I’ve been thrown in a body of water and can’t seem to find land.  God is here, He is sustaining me in the water, but He is calling me out and wants me to be even more than my past.  That my friends, is so exciting to know.  I can’t begin to imagine what that will be like, but I know I want it!  Oh, to hear God’s voice again, to have several messages throughout the day be revealed to me that all seem to say the same thing.  God does cool things.  

     I shared the dance fitness page with some friends and my good friend and neighbor wanted to give this class a try.  We finally got our schedules to align – and this was God and His perfect timing coming into play.  He was preparing both of us for this ministry.  

     I didn’t know what to expect.  How was this dance fitness going to be a ministry?  Am I just here to get a workout in?  Am I wasting valuable time?  Will my family approve?  So many thoughts and questions.  Obviously, I was not trusting God or realizing He led me here.  Here I am, at my first class exercising to these songs.  They seemed to be igniting a fire in my soul.  I wanted more!  The songs are God’s words like I’ve never heard them before.  I’ve always been told there are many versions of Christian music, I just never explored them.  Why mess with what was “normal” to me?  You know, the songs and tunes that make our kids sit in the pews with their pouty faces, slouched bodies, or arms crossed in complete boredom.  These dance songs started making their way to my playlist and now play throughout my house.  I never thought I’d hear my 8 year old son ask his 16 year old brother to play a certain Christian rap artist.  This was a game changer in my house and conversation pursued about who this artist was and I’m hearing this little boy become a witness to his bigger brother.  

     Then questions flow through my mind.  What is a ministry?  Is it something you go to, chat with others, and go home for the day?  Is a ministry drawing people in and putting God in their homes? (in ways not always expected?)  Can there be a “dance” ministry?  The Bible says we are to be disciples and make disciples.  I’m no longer in the basement but I’m seeing things outside of that class time changing my home (and it looks like discipleship).  I find myself going to the Bible to help explain what I’m experiencing, how is this part of His plan, and most importantly is this a ministry?  

     The first scripture showed to me, by God, was Romans 10:14-15

14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Wow!  And look back at Isaiah 52:7-8

7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.

The feet of those who travel through dirty or dusty roads was a sight naturally disagreeable, but when they were altered by traveling a long journey to bring messages of peace and deliverance to those who have been oppressed by their enemies, they appear beautiful.

     Then I reflected on Mark 1:17 - And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

Did he really want those men to become trophy fishermen?  Jesus called them to become disciples.  

     1 Corinthians 9:20 - To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.