By SUNITTA CHILAKA –
IT was Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe who recently expressed concern over some dances being exhibited among some worshipers in some Pentecostal churches.
In fact, some dances being showcased by men and women during praise and worship in some churches have raised concern not only by Mr Munkombwe, but among leaders, church members and would be members who feel that it was undignified decorum.
Concerns from those who do not support such dances is the inappropriate way of wriggling waists as a form of worship and that activities must be conducted in a fitting and orderly manner.
On the other hand, some of those who perform such dances believe there is nothing wrong in their dancing prowess as it was orderly because they celebrate what the Lord has done in their lives just like King David who danced.
For King David, however, it is said he did not care what others thought even if the disapproval came from his wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.
Some theologians say David had every reason to dance and did not care, yet his wife thought it was undignified to dance like that during public worship.
In the Bible, The Book of 2 Samuel 6 reads; “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.
17They 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. 19Then 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.
20When 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!”
21David 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. 22I 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.”
23And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
From the above text, debate has arisen, some justifying the act, while others harbor deviant views.
Pastor Kennedy Mukuka who is director and senior lecturer at Mapepe Bible College in Lusaka said that there was nothing wrong with dancing during the praise and worship segment but that what mattered was how someone does it.
“Dancing is not wrong at all, the tactful way in which it is done is what becomes inappropriate, the problem is that there is no standard of dance to which everyone has to abide,” said Pastor Mukuka.
“A church service in the village is expected to be cool, when one dances like a rhumba dancing king or queen eyebrows will surely be raised, unlike in towns where many people were exposed to different dances,” Pastor Mukuka said.
He said in situations where church members’ put up questionable dances, it was a duty of ministers of the gospel to counsel and define appropriate dances.
“Pastors should find a polite way of talking to the members who are in the habit of showcasing inappropriate dances so that they are not provoked.
Mainza Mupengu a deacon from Church of Christ in Ndola said inappropriate dancing in some churches can be attributed to members who have chosen to attach human emotions in expressing happiness, rather than adhering to sound Biblical teachings.
“Many church members have the heart and desire to praise and worship God, they are zealous for God but their zeal is not based on Bible knowledge, they may not be knowledgeable about worshiping God, so this has caused them to do things their way,” Deacon Mupengu said.
He explained that Christians needed to remain in the teachings of God in everything they did, so as not to depart from divine ways of expressing joy and happiness.
“I encourage Christians to remain in the teachings of God, follow what the Bible says and not their own activities,” he said.
Deacon Mupengu, however, said that it was sad that other worshipers seemed to be rigid with their way of doing things such that they may not take deviant views.
He cautioned pastors against giving members false doctrines, allowing them to dance inappropriate and leading them blindly saying such approach tarnished the image of even the very genuine true worshipers.
A Ndola based pastor who sought anonymity attributed worshipers inappropriate dances to additional indecency that one puts to it.
“There is nothing wrong in dance, when it comes to dancing for the Lord, it only becomes an issue when you add indecency to your dance even if many Christians use King David as their role model” the Pastor said.
He further explained that emulating what David did was not wrong but it was unfortunate that his dance has been mistaken by some people who have gone beyond and assume that he danced naked yet the fact is that only the outer garment was removed and the loin cloth remained.
“Dancing antics that some worshipers showcase during praise and worship are highly suggestive as they aim at showing off in churches.
Although a lot has been said concerning the dancing antics being showcased in some churches, the New Testament does not contain any “order of worship” but shows an insight of what is involved, among them is singing for mutual edification and praising God.