David Being Despised For Dancing Before The Lord Is Not Unusual
If some of you have felt negative reactions from other Christians in your attempt to bring praise dancing into the worship service of your church, you can gain comfort from the experience of King David who was despised by a daughter of Israel for praise dancing. You can also adopt the same attitude that David had who said it was before the Lord he was dancing and so he could care less what people think. Look at 2 Samuel 6: 14 - 23.
14) Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15) while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16) As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
17) They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18) After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19) Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
20) 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, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
21) 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. 22) 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.”
23) And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. ( 2 Samuel 6: 14-23 New International Version )
These scriptures provide comfort for those of you who may despised by some in your congregations for praise dancing. May God have mercy on these people who despise praise movement dancing and I pray their end will not be the same as Michal who had no children to the day of her death. This also should shake up any Pastor who desires not to rock the boat in his congregation by restricting praise dancing to the bear minimum or not having it at all.
Those pastors who feel that having praise dancers involved in the worship ministry, may turn new comers away from the church, should take verse twenty three above to heart. It could be that the opposite occurs. It could be that these pastors will bring judgment on their church by rejecting praise dancers from the worship ministry and thus despise praise dancing in this way. The judgement will come via people withholding support to this church.
Bill Johnson who is pastor of Bethel church in Redding, California said on one of the YouTube videos: "Every move of God has something in it that is offensive. He (God) adds an offensive element to every new out pouring there is. But I do know this. If we remain presence centered it will not bother us. If looking good matters to you, you are about to hit a speed bump." You do not have to worry about worship that offends. < Click on red words.
14) Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15) while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16) As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
17) They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18) After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19) Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
20) 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, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
21) 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. 22) 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.”
23) And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. ( 2 Samuel 6: 14-23 New International Version )
These scriptures provide comfort for those of you who may despised by some in your congregations for praise dancing. May God have mercy on these people who despise praise movement dancing and I pray their end will not be the same as Michal who had no children to the day of her death. This also should shake up any Pastor who desires not to rock the boat in his congregation by restricting praise dancing to the bear minimum or not having it at all.
Those pastors who feel that having praise dancers involved in the worship ministry, may turn new comers away from the church, should take verse twenty three above to heart. It could be that the opposite occurs. It could be that these pastors will bring judgment on their church by rejecting praise dancers from the worship ministry and thus despise praise dancing in this way. The judgement will come via people withholding support to this church.
Bill Johnson who is pastor of Bethel church in Redding, California said on one of the YouTube videos: "Every move of God has something in it that is offensive. He (God) adds an offensive element to every new out pouring there is. But I do know this. If we remain presence centered it will not bother us. If looking good matters to you, you are about to hit a speed bump." You do not have to worry about worship that offends. < Click on red words.