The Church Can’t Dance

Last updated on: April 7, 2017 at 4:34 pm by John O'Keefe

The Church Can’t Dance 2017-04-07T16:34:54-05:00 John O'Keefe

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I’m your average nerdy white guy; I dance like your average nerdy white guy. Given that, guess what, I still give it my best shot. I’m willing to get on the dance floor, flailing my arms around, jumping around like a crazy man, even if I’m dancing off beat, I dance. I don’t care if people make fun of me, because I’m having fun. The music moves me; I feel it, I embrace it. I listen to the words that echo my feelings, and I express my dance with the rhythm that move my spirit. To me, there is nothing better than to be in a place where others are listening to the music, and are willing to dance. The problem is, too many people who claim to be followers of the teachings of Jesus don’t hear the music; too many people who claim to be followers of the teachings of Jesus are unwilling to dance, because they can’t feel the rhythms of the Divine in their lives, and that breaks my heart.

Now, some will say, ‘We all dance to a different rhythm,’ and I would agree. But, that statement assumes one very important reality, ‘We all dance.’ It is when we refuse to dance, when we refuse to open-up to the rhythms of our City, we miss out on the expression of the dance the Divine desires from us. Too many people of faith hear only one note [or worse, they are tone deaf to the hurts of others], and there is no way to dance to one note, at best you’re pretending to dance. If all we do is play the one note that ‘Salvation is found in Christ’ we miss the orchestrated symphony of the dance. We miss the opportunity to dance in community; to feel the rhythms found in the wonderful life of our walk with Christ. We surrender the dance to a hurt filled world. If all you’re hearing is the one note of your personal salvation, all you’re doing is expressing your selfish heart. You see, if all you’re worried about is your salvation, you’ve made the dance about you, not others.

So, what makes up the rhythm of our faith journey? How do we feel, and embrace, the music the Divine is sharing with us – by lifting-up the poor, by feeding the hungry, by embracing those who weep, by stand for those being abused, harmed, ignored, or marginalized; by doing, not just talking. It’s only when we learn to dance with others, that we truly learn to dance.

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