One word can change the atmosphere...whether it's spoken, written, or communicated through movement. This is a blog about Worship Arts, particularly for learning about how to make more powerful statements through what we present to others through the mediums of writing, choreography, theatre or visual art... or a combination of two or more. Anything is possible. It's the Poetry of Motion!
Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on
the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand.~ Eph. 6:13 (CEB)
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything". How many times did we hear that statement, growing up? We first had to learn what we believed was right, and then stick by it when we faced the pull of gravity from peer pressure, cultural mores, personal dilemmas and even religious standards. Sometimes, we were able to resist, sometimes we gave in. So, how do we now stand?
Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands.~ Proverbs 7:1 (NLT)
We are living in a time when values are being tested on a daily basis, many times having to choose between standing up for our beliefs, and holding onto something that we have worked hard to achieve. We often say: "I'll never do that..." but reality always checks us when whenever we are faced with a situation that requires us to either speak up or speak out from our heart with no one to support us, even if they are standing by, witnessing the attack that has been waged against us. It is then that we learn not only what we really believe, but who our real comrades in the faith are.
...Jesus asked them, “Am I some
dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?Why didn’t you
arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these
things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.” Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous
revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you
teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the
Scriptures say about me.”Then all his disciples deserted him and
ran away.
~ Mark 14: 48-50 (NLT)
When you stand up for what you believe is right, you may not get what you want. In fact, you may lose everything, and be left standing alone. It's why wars have been fought, lives have been lost, nations have been formed and destroyed, and laws have been changed or abolished. Standing up for your beliefs takes courage, because the outcome may be uncertain. But whatever the cost, it's worth having principles strong enough to stand on. So...Stand!
You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours a person more righteous than he? ~ Hab. 1:13 (NKJV)
In Part 1 of our discussion, we talked about Cain's offering and why it was unacceptable to God, because of the condition of his heart. We also learned that just as it was with Cain, it's possible for God to hate what we do for Him, if we have sin in our hearts. In these times when worship arts sometimes become more focused on the presentation than the message, how do we stay focused on the Lord, and keep His attention on us? How do stay out of the many traps and snares that the enemy has planned for us?
The first and most important way to stay free from the enemy's traps is through prayer. Prayer is our first line of communication line with God, and without a prayer life, we have no ministry. Through prayer, we can find out what the enemy's next move is, and get His guidance on how to handle, stop, or navigate around it. Another way is to be mindful of what we say. Sometimes, we casually say things that can be misunderstood, or we speak to the wrong people about things that are going on. Also be careful of competition, and trying to outdo others. God is not judging whose praise is the best, He receives all praise that comes from pure hearts! If the band changes the music or switches songs, keep it moving and don't complain about how "they messed us up". Speak kindly to others in your group, respect them at all times. Remember, what you have to say is never more important than the person you are speaking to; that goes for members as well as leaders. Don't look down on those who are less skilled than you are, instead, look for ways to befriend them, and offer to share your knowledge. If others have more abilities than you, introduce yourself and find out how you can learn from them.
...But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't look at how handsome Eliab is or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart"~I Samuel 16:7 (NCV)
This is God's work, and we're all on the same team! There is no place for striving in the Kingdom. If we are worshiping and sharing the Good News of Christ through our gifts and talents, we can all have God's attention, at the same time.
Please enjoy this group of dancers from different ministries who worked together to present a beautiful worship piece:
You are nothing but show-offs! The prophet Isaiah was right when he wrote that God had said: "All of you praise me with your words, but you never really think about me. It is useless for you to worship me, when you teach rules made up by humans." You disobey God's commands in order to obey what humans have taught.~ Mark 7: 6-8 (CEV)
What if we sang the most beautiful songs, directed the most profound plays, created the most dynamic choreography, designed the most elaborate garments...and God hated it all? It's probably very difficult for most of us to imagine that God would actually hate what we do for Him, because God is Love, but there are many places in the Word that tells us exactly how He actually feels about things that we do in His name, that He despises. Here is the first example:
[...]Cain brought some crops from the land as an offering to the Lord. Abel also brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. The Lord approved of Abel and his offering, but he didn’t approve of Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry and was disappointed. Then the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”~ Gen 4:3-7 (GW)
Why didn't God accept Cain's offering? Many commentaries give different explanations, but the collective thought is that Abel's offering had something that Cain's lacked. The passage reads that Abel brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock; but Cain just brought some crops. God didn't approve of Abel's offering more because he raised animals and Cain was a farmer, but it does say that Abel brought his best offering to God. Cain became angry at God because of His disapproval, instead of looking to himself to learn from his mistake. We all know that in the end, Cain attacked his brother and killed him. Was he envious? Maybe, the Word doesn't say that he was envious but it does say that he was angry and disappointed. What was in Cain's heart that caused God to despise his offering, leading up to the killing of his own brother?
Going back to our original question, what if we present all of these offerings that are wonderful in our own eyes, and even to the people who experience them, and God doesn't approve of them? Our garments may look amazing, our selections may receive standing ovations, our presentations may be flawless, and still not get God's attention because He is looking at something else: The condition of our hearts. If we are envious, prideful, unforgiving, rude, boastful, greedy, arrogant, cliquish, or competitive, it taints our worship and God will not accept our offerings. It doesn't matter how many complements we receive from others when God knows the "real deal". The big question in all of this is: Do we have His attention?
We are living in a time where worship arts are becoming more focused on outward appearances than inward commitment. Some of us with knowledge have made up our own" rules of the trade" to alienate or make a profit off of others, or make them beholden to us. Competitiveness and the drive to please the crowd can easily take the place of seeking to please God, but we don't have to follow this trend. In Part II, we will learn how to stay focused on the Lord, and not get caught in the many snares that the enemy has set for us.
With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgement. Always let him lead you,and He will clear the road for you to follow.
~ Proverbs 3: 5-6 (CEV)
New Year's Eve/Old Year's Night and a New Year is quickly approaching...with new opportunities to learn about ourselves, our God and following His will. We can make the choice to continue in the direction we are going if it's a good, one, or make changes that will benefit us all. What have you learned this year? What mistakes have you made, and what would you change, if you could? Who is it that you need to forgive, release, or reconnect with? Many times we sing and dance about moving forward, but are hindered because of small things that get in our way...think for a minute and some faces and situations will come to mind. When they do, ask God for wisdom in how to handle each one, wait for His answer, and be open and willing to do whatever He directs you to do.
This doesn't mean that we are not supposed to think for ourselves, but whenever we ask God for guidance, we have to allow Him to lead us when we don't know what to do. Don't be afraid to ask!
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.
He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.
~James 1: 5-6 (NLT)
Are you being led to start/join a new ministry, or take your ministry in another direction? Have you felt God leading you to become more creative in your presentations? He has already provided you with the means and the way to get it done. He is waiting...
I would like to thank everyone who has been following my blog for the past two years. We are now up to 25 subscribers! I hope that you have read something that has been helpful and encouraging to you. All the best for the New Year, and keep worshiping Christ!
Come show me your mercy,
as you do for all who love Your Name.
Guide my steps by your word,
so I will not be overcome with evil.
Ransom me from the oppression of evil people;
then I can obey your commandments.~ Psalm 119:132-134 (NLT)
There are many in-depth discussions everywhere about how dancers should dress, how they should move, how many classes and conferences they should attend, whether or not technique is important, and what kind of music they should dance to. All these things matter, but has anyone considered the most important element of sacred dance, which is...the heart? How many beautiful dancers have we seen with impeccable garments and flawless skills, only to later overhear their conversations, seen their actions, experienced their un-Christlike attitudes or read some of their social networking posts that reveal their true heart towards others? Although we are in no position to judge the condition of anyone's relationship with God, the Word does tell us that we will know people by the their fruit, which is what we see and hear (and then pray for them):
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. ~ Matt. 7: 17-20 (NLT)
So, the question is, what does the heart of a sacred dancer look like, and if a dancer doesn't yet have the the heart of Christ, how do they receive it? Here are some things to seek after...
The Heart of a Sacred Dancer is:*
Diligent ~ Proverbs 4:23-27
God- Fearing ~ Psalm 128:1; Hebrews 12: 1-12
Forgiving ~ Matthew 18: 21-35; Luke 6: 35-37
Filled with the Fruit of the Spirit ~ Galatians 5: 22-26
All of these qualities make up the heart of a sacred dancer...we can study these and make sure that before we put on our beautiful garments and present that polished routine, that our hearts are completely dressed in God's character. Time-out for outward beauty without an inward witness from the Holy Spirit! When we have the true heart of a dancer, people will see Christ in us, and join us in real worship.
Blessings...and keep dancing for Christ!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*The Heart of a Dancer - Written and compiled by Sekettia Brantley for Dancers Array "N" Christian Evangelism Dance Company Ministries
Thanks to Jeneen Harris, Director of Great Jubilee Dance Company and Ministries in San Antonio TX for providing us with this beautiful photograph that radiates the heart of a sacred dancer.
.
...Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
~ Col. 3: 12-15 NLT
We have so much to be thankful for every day. In spite of the many historical controversies surrounding Thanksgiving Day, thankfulness should be a part of every day if we have life. Even if everything around us is going completely wrong, we can still give thanks and praise to God:
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
~Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT)
Being thankful doesn't mean that we are in denial about our situation, it is really about humbling ourselves and trusting God to work things out for us in His way. We give thanks in the midst of the situation, (not for it) and believe by faith that He will give us wisdom, guidance, and peace until we get through it, knowing that He always has our best intrests at heart.
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
~1 Thess. 5:18 (NLT)
There are many who will say that they have absolutely nothing to be grateful for, and are angry at God for the way their lives are going. The Word says that people would be increasingly ungrateful in the last days..
...in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
~1 Tim 3:1-3
Don't be counted among the ungrateful ones! Give thanks and praise to God at all times. He's done so much for us that we can never thank Him enough. Have a Happy Thanksgiving today, and every day.
I recently attended a stage production for a Christian theatre company. All of the presentations were unique and fun to watch, but there were a couple of dancers in the company who had every one's attention, not because of their skill alone, but because of their ability to engage the audience in what they were doing onstage, better known as stage presence. Somehow in the sacred arts community, stage presence is something that is frequently overlooked, or even seen as being prideful. But...the truth is, without it, no one will pay attention to what you have to offer, no matter how anointed or it may be, how much time you put into your presentation, or how beautiful your garments are.
Stage presence is the ability to command an audience with an impressive style or manner. It has very little to do with skill or knowledge, and everything to do with how you feel about yourself and what you are doing. It's not about trying to impress or entertain, but is about presenting the message that you have with confidence, believing that what God has given you to say through your ministry is good enough to offer.
How many times have your heard someone say any of these things before they sing, speak, dance or read in front of an audience:
"Please pray for me as I attempt to sing this song"
"I'm really not prepared...so pray my strength"
"I'm really nervous"
"I didn't know I was going to be called on so I don't know how this will go"
...And the list goes on. Sometimes people make these statements because they don't want to appear prideful, but in reality there is either a false humility that is behind what they are saying, or they may actually be unprepared. BUT---in either case it's never appropriate to say anything that will cause people to not want to hear or see what you are doing before you even get started. If your song or dance is so bad, why are you doing it? When you say these things, you are giving people permission to walk out on your performance/ministry because it's not worth their time. And what about dancers who have absolutely no facial expression at all when they dance? There is an erroneous teaching going around the dance ministry community stating that you should never smile when you dance unless you are in the spirit, but we could take that a step further and say, that since ministry starts long before you step in front of a group. If you are prepared to minister, you will have a full emotional range that will show on your face. Jocelyn Richard, Director and Owner of Visual Praise Dance Studio in Augusta, GA, says this about facial expressions in dance ministry:
"When you dance, your face must say the same thing as your movement and music. Your face should express the glory of God. It is important that the face reflect what the choreography is saying. God’s presence should be shown on your face. Facial expressions can show reverence for God and adoration inviting others to join in worshiping and praising the King of Kings." *
Sometimes dancers lack expression because of self-consciousness, shyness, insecurity or stage fright. There are many ways to solve this, such as relaxing, practicing facial expressions in the mirror, feeling comfortable enough with the dance or drama to enjoy doing it as if no one is watching, and just be a worshiper! In theatre, it's always taught that the way to overcome nervousness on stage is to focus on the task at hand and not the action of doing the task, becoming so at-one with the character that all people see is the character. We can turn this around and say: Become so Christ-focused that you are so completely absorbed in Him that His glory radiates from your face! When you focus on Christ, there is no room for nervousness, insecurity, or excuses. You have a message to deliver to someone who needs it, and it needs to be clear.
Other tips for powerful stage presence include:
Commanding your space in the room, entering and exiting with confidence
Project your performance beyond the room that you are in. Make your presentation mentally extend past the four walls of the building. Don't just "sell it to the front row".
Practice "over the top", in other words, practice your dance/drama to the fullest, even to the extreme. When you get in front of a group, it will be exactly where it needs to be because performances always lose a small amount of drive when they get onstage.
Keep your eyes up, focus on a spot just above the heads of the people. It will look like you are looking straight ahead. People will look where you are looking and if you look down, they will, too.
Be aware of habits like lip-folding or fidgeting while you are waiting for the music to start. Relax...inhale through your nose and out through your mouth. Don't withdraw! You have something to offer.
Find time to invest in dance or acting classes to work on these areas. If God has called you to present His Word through dance or drama, then it's worth investing in your ministry to present the best that you can offer at your highest level of excellence. He gave His Best for us, shouldn't we do the same for Him?
Hi! Thanks for visiting my pages today. Please click on the links under "My Blogs" for Poetry of Motion!, a Worship Arts Blog where we will learn how to communicate fully through the arts; MindScape Poetry, my poetry blog; and UrbanArtsLive!(TM), my Children's Creative Arts website featuring a slideshow of creative projects I have worked on with children in the public schools.(If you are on UrbanArtsLive, please scroll to the bottom of the page to view the slide show). You can e-mail me at: Urbanartz212@gmail.com. Tel: 347.841.6790. I hope to meet you soon!
