In preparing oneself for the ministry of dance, we must first realize that our first call is to Jesus Himself. We first draw close to Him, seek to know Him: seek His face, seek His heart. Our ministry will then be a result of the overflow of having spent time with Him. Only then can we truly answer the call to ministry. He must always be our first love.
The Scriptures tell us that God is seeking worshipers, not dancers. Although ability is necessary, the Scripture does not exhort us to “praise Him in the dance if you have been to ballet class”. Those who will worship in Spirit and in truth are those who God calls.
Because there is no scriptural reference that tells us to “sit and watch while others dance”, our dance must truly be a priestly ministry, bringing Christ to the people, and/ or the people to Christ. We are never to be the focus. Because dance is such a visible ministry, it is imperative for us to endeavor to lay self on the altar and seek to “BE YE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY” 1 Peter 1:16.
God is looking for people who will make time to meet with Him daily. Let us spend time with God until our dances come from Him. God wants dances that are Spirit to spirit: Dances that will bring change in the lives of others. God has dances from His heart and dances from His throne that He wants to pour out through us. Therefore, we must learn to be visual demonstrations of what God is saying and doing in the Sprit. We must empty our own dances and make room for His. We must learn to express the truths of God’s heart.
We must become transparent in our worship. There are no short cuts. We must allow God to break us in worship so we can begin to learn true expression. Let’s yearn for that which is authentic. You cannot fake the anointing. The anointing is not just for your gift – it is for your whole life. Ministry must come from the overflow.
Worshipers who are consumed with a fiery passion for Jesus will win the end time harvest. The ultimate in our worship is not the expression of the worship - it is the knowledge of His presence. Let’s not reduce our expressions of worship to mere fleshly activities. His presence and His anointing are the only things that validate our expressions of worship, not our skill or expressive ability. Let’s learn to hear from God – learn to know what the Spirit is saying to the church.
I challenge you to begin your day with God. If you do not already have a daily time set aside for seeking His face, make it a priority to begin immediately. Each morning, rise earlier than normal. Go into your prayer closet – a place where there will be no distractions. Have a time of worship, bible study and prayer. It is vital for the dancer to minister to God before ministering for God. Then and only then will we truly be a vessel prepared for the Master’s use.
Rev Dr Pamela Rutherford (CDFUSA)
