- FAQ

 

 

Q. Why does PDCM refer to Dance Ministry as Sacred Dance?

 

PDCM refers to Dance Ministry as Sacred Dance because it gives a more accurate description of what we are called to be and to do for the glory of God. The word sacred means holiness taken from the Hebrew word hagiosune. It denotes the manifestation of the quality of holiness in personal conduct and lifestyle. As believers in general our goal is to perfect holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7:1) bringing holiness to its predestined end and in doing so we will be found blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 3:13).

 

 

Q. What is Dance Ministry?

Dance Ministry is simply the process by which we use the vehicle of dance to carry out the act of ministry (service) to encourage, comfort, and edify the saints in the faith. 

 

It is important to understand that:

 

Dance in itself is not the ministry. Dance and ministry are two distinct factors. Dance is simply the vehicle in which ministry is presented. 

 

When we are praising God through the dance we can not and are not  expressing our faith for salvation – meaning, we cannot show or prove to God that we are saved and abiding in Him by praising God through dance. There is only one way that we can express our faith for the salvation of our souls and it is by OBEDIENCE which is an act of faith.

 

1John 3:24 says, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And thereby we know that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He hath given us.”

 

OBEDIENCE is an act of our faith because when we say we have faith in God, we are saying that we have the kind of trust and confidence in Him and in Christ that leads us to commit our whole soul and way to Him as Savior and Lord by obedience. 

 

 

I say this because some may think that because they dance “in the name of the Lord”:

 

·     they are saved (when they may not be..ie. allowing an unbeliever to be apart of the ministry they may think they are saved)

·     can be saved by that act

·     or are in right standing with the Lord even though they may be in bondage to sin.

We worship the Father when we dance because we understand that: 

 When we worship the Lord, we can only worship Him in spirit (with our spirits not the works of our body) and in truth (with the knowledge of His Covenant – the truth of the Doctrine of Christ – John 4:24). This is how we truly worship the Father. In order to worship the Lord we have to be born again of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5-7). If we don’t know the Lord in the pardoning of our sins, know His Truth or have His Spirit we are worshiping in vain.

 

Q. Who can and should praise God through the Arts (in general)?

First we must understand that EVERYONE cannot WORSHIP God, but EVERYONE can PRAISE God. Worship is rendering to God our Priestly service offering “spiritual sacrifices” (faith, righteousness, sanctification, holiness, renewing of the mind charity and etc.). In order to worship God the way He prescribes, we MUST be in covenant with Him. It is not enough to simply know about him, we must know Him (John 4:24). Our relationship with God is our primary motivation for worship.

 

For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of love, thanksgiving and adoration, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God — it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the immediate presence of God.

 

Although EVERYONE cannot worship God, EVERYONE can praise God. Psalms 150 instructs everything that has breath to praise the Lord! While others may praise God in instruments or in a song, we praise God through movement (dance, mime, step) or the Arts.

 

The result of praising God using the arts is an uplifting of the dampen spirits of the congregation as they see a visual praise to God. This visual praise acts as a shifter, helping the congregation put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah. 61:3) ultimately leading to a one on one communion with the Lord for the Spirit filled believer and giving a unbeliever a high opinion of God, witnessing to them through dance the wonderful works of God which can prepare them to hear the preached Word of God for conversion.

 

Q. Should the individual who uses the Arts to glorify God (and minister to His people and the lost) be Saved?

 

 

YES! According to the Word of God the position of an unbeliever (a person who has not made Jesus Christ their Lord and savior – to rely on cling to and trust in Christ) is one who is condemned (John 3:18). They are enemies of God because of their wicked works. Their works are wicked because they are still operating under the influence of satan, they have not been redeemed (Col. 1:21).

 

We can no longer sugar coat it. It is what it is! We cannot afford to operate in the things of God ignorantly and disobediently. If someone in ministry is not saved they have no business perpetrating a fraud trying to “represent Christ.” When a person stands before the congregation doing a “Christian work” (leading the worship service, playing an instrument, “ministering through dance”, reading the morning Scripture) they are professing to know God. How? Because this is the message that is implied even if it’s not true.

 

When we allow an unbeliever the privilege such as leading the congregation into the presence of the almighty we are doing them and the people of God a disservice. By “representing Christ” they are professing to know Him but in works (disobedience) they are denying God. I Thess. 5:22 tells us to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” By serving in Dance Ministry we are apart of the worship team and that is a position in the church. While it may not be the same perhaps as the Biblical definition of an elder or deacon, those on the worship team have a job or ministry of exaltation. This is a position of authority.

 

How so? Most congregants look to the worship team as part of the church leadership because they are in the forefront.

 

Also how can an unbeliever lead someone to God if they don’t know Him? Anyone operating in any type of Ministry should be Saved. In order to perform a Christian service one must be a Christian. The Bible gives us no other example. 

 

Praising God through Dance or the Arts is a MINISTRY not a performance. Its sole purpose is to minister for the edification of the Body of Christ and for the purpose of witnessing to the lost (by declaring the wonderful works of the Lord and by audibly preaching to them. How can one minister to save a soul if their soul has not been won?

 

 

Q. How do you know if you have been called to use the Arts to minister to God’s people and reach the lost for Christ?

 

 

First of all, know that our first call is to Jesus Himself. If we offer our bodies to him as living sacrifices each day and are daily seeking to be purified by Him, drawing closer to Him and desiring to be conformed into His image, He will make sure to go before us to prepare the way for whatever He has called us to do. The word says our gift will make room for us. We cannot and must not try to make room for ourselves.

 

The answer to the above question is- it is simply in your heart to do it! Ask yourself these questions and be totally honest:

 

1. Do you always think about it, dream about it – is it always on your mind? Is it a press and a pull in your spirit?

 

2. Do you find yourself choreographing, writing skits and etc., even though you don’t know exactly what you are doing?

 

3. On the contrary it is also wise to check your heart for motives. Ask yourself:

 

Why am I desiring this?

Is it truly God?

Am I in this for selfish reasons?

 

God will give us the grace we need for the work He calls us into and He alone can open doors that no man can close. If you acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:6). We are to be anxious for nothing so let Him do His work in you and then He can do His work through you. Be patient, be still and be obedient. God will release you when your time comes.

 

Until then be like Mary (Luke 10:39) and sit at His feet and seek to know Him, obey to love Him and perfect in you the heart of a servant.

 

Q. How do I choose what songs to minister?

 

Before we begin to choose a song we should seek God for direction and instruction. Just because we like a song and it personally ministers to us does not mean that we are to minister it to the people. This is why prayer is so important because we don’t want to do anything that God has not authorized.

 

In prayerfully choosing a song the most important factor is determining if it communicates the truth about God. Second it must communicate a truth about you. Is the song truthful or real to you?  Can the song be your testimony? Also the song should reiterate what is being preached since we are responsible to help prepare the hearts of the people for the Word of God.

 

 

Q. How should I prepare for a song before I minister?

 

The answer to this question is found in prayer. In my experience sometimes it takes a couple of months and sometimes one week, but God deals with each of us differently according to what He has called us to. SEEK the Lord and never do anything outside of His timing. There is much prayer, meditation on Scripture and the song, choreography preparation and rehearsal time to adequately be prepared to minister a song. 

 

Q. How long should the song be?

 

Typically a Christian artist’s song lasts for about five minutes. If you want to minister a song that is longer than the typical time span you will have to use a large amount of creativity, and have sufficient talent and stamina to express the message of the song. If not, being that it is a long song, you may lose your congregation’s attention and defeat God’s purpose for your dance. Knowing when to cut a song is vital and absolutely necessary.

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