Sunday, January 27, 2008

May I Take Your Order?

As prayerful and discerning as we may be, we cannot make assumptions when we go out to minister in dance. We must "survey the land," so to speak, and inquire about where we are going, so that we will be effective when we get there. When visiting another church, find out if there are any restrictions on attire, where you can and cannot dance (is the pulpit area off limits?), and what kind of sound system will be in place. Allow the Lord to lead you regarding what you should ask in advance.

We do not want anything to hinder our ability to deliver the Word through movement. It's a good practice to know the order of the house, and sometimes the order of service when we go out. There have been times when I requested not to dance right before offering, because it was a worship piece. Experience has taught me that worship will be quickly doused for the money collection ritual.

This also applies to international travel. Knowing the customs and traditions of a country helps us to not be offensive to the locals. Although we do not adopt the practices of nations that are not Christian, we want to make sure that we have an opportunity to make an impact for the Kingdom.

Proverbs 11:30 (NKJV)
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

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