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The Bible commands God’s children to praise Him. We must praise God for what He does, what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do. The book of Psalms, in particular, is filled with calls to praise the Maker of the world.
“Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud crashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD.” (Psalm 150:1-6).
In obedience to the inspired words of David, most churches, especially Pentecostals and Charismatics, devote time to praise God during church services, using musical instruments.
As the instruments are played, most believers dance to thank, appreciate and celebrate the goodness of God. We dance to express our gratitude to God for His protection, salvation, guidance and mercies.
However, some Christians do not understand the purpose of praises and dancing at church services. Therefore, they dance to tease, dance to insult and dance to cast insinuations at people they perceive to be their enemies, including rivals.
Others shamelessly dance to please their boyfriends and girlfriends. They boldly rush to the isle to show their dancing skills to their sweethearts as if to celebrate them.
This act of idolatry is what I call dancing before the ‘calf’. It is the same thing the congregation of Israel did in the wilderness against the commandments of God? They sang and danced to appreciate an idol instead of the God who saved them.
“When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of crying of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:17–19).
A pure Christian praise should not entertain people and just move them to dance to show off. Church music should not lead Christians’ into temptation. A praise is to God alone and not to man or woman.
Moreover, some church leaders think getting some young men to play their musical instruments for their members to dance, jump and throw their hands into the air aggressively is spiritual. It is not spiritual and since it is not spiritual it does not please God. And we must not be silent about these things.
Just as Moses got angry at how his ‘church members’ profaned the commandments of God, today’s church leadership must confront the sensuality of praise and worship in our churches and restore spirituality, purity and holiness in our acts of worship to God.
Christ-conscious ministers must lead the crusade to correct the error so as to ensure that we praise our Lord for what He has done, what is doing and what He will do. His banner must be raised high because He is worthy.
By James Quansah
