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Question: I have been to several church services in which many in the congregation would jump during the worship service. I saw this as a response to a feeling of great joy or desire for God. Would you consider this to be a biblically based form of worship? This is not the experience of "dancing in the spirit" that we have seen for years in the Pentecostal movement.Answer: Churches in different areas, even though they belong to the same denomination, often worship differently. The most obvious example would be comparing city churches to rural churches. Those living in the city maintain a hectic lifestyle on a daily basis. When they gather for worship, they desire a calm, peaceful experience. People living in rural areas live at a slower pace, and when they gather, they enjoy a livelier, more robust type of worship. God is a God of infinite variety. Every human is an individual; and to expect everyone to conform to the same mode of worship would be both unfair and impossible.
There are many scriptures in both the Old and New Testament that refer to "rejoicing in the Lord." I will include one of each.
Old Testament Example: "Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him" (Psalms 68: 3-4).
New Testament Example: "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).
The Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary gives the meaning of the word "rejoice" as: "To feel joyful; be glad. To fill with joy; gladden"
Synonyms given were: cheer, delight, enjoy, enrapture, exhilarate, exult, gladden, gratify, joy, please, ravish, triumph
The Lord gave us our emotions and the means of expressing them. I feel He is pleased when we use those emotions to worship Him with all our heart. It is not considered out of order when, during a time of somber repentance, a person sheds tears, or weeps. Why then, should it be considered unacceptable for a person to demonstrate joy and gladness during a time of exuberant singing? Anyone who has seen a happy, joyful, excited child, would realize that the simplest expression of this happiness is clapping and jumping.
There are two instances in the Bible, which directly mention "leaping" (jumping). Interestingly, there is one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament.
2 Samuel chapter 2 tells the story of the ark of the Lord returning to the city of Jerusalem. Saul's daughter, (David's wife) looked through the window and saw him LEAPING and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him because of this. David's reply was: "It was before the Lord, which chose me . . . therefore I will play before the Lord (verse 21). This is referring to an act of the will, performed "in the flesh." It was not a "mystical" demonstration of the power of God that Pentecostal's refer to as "dancing in the spirit."
Acts chapter 3 is the story of the lame man sitting by the temple. When Peter and John said "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk", the man went into the temple walking and LEAPING and praising God. He had just experienced a great miracle, and was rejoicing in the Lord! Again, this was a natural, human emotion being displayed.
In conclusion, I would like to point your attention to two statements made by the Apostle Paul.
1. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints"
(I Corinthians 14:33).2. "Let all things be done decently and in order" (I Corinthians 14:40).
While I fully believe in displaying emotions in worshipping God, allow me to make this caution. All things are to be done for the glory and honor of God, never drawing undue attention to one's self. As a general rule, if you are in a church where it seems to be acceptable to clap, shout, or jump, feel free to join in if you desire. However, if the church seems to be more subdued, and clapping, shouting, or jumping, would be "causing a scene," then it would be wise to refrain. Be sensitive and be a peace MAKER, not a peace BREAKER.
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This page was last updated August 17, 2010.
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