Since time immemorial, one of the forms of worship for Christians in the church has been through dancing. Whether through fast or slow movements, a good number of Christians have enjoyed their praise and worship sessions while dancing for God.
Some Christians who have interacted with many Baptists have been perplexed by their different worship approaches. They have been asking the question, do Baptists dance?
Baptists dance, although many of them struggle with dancing. Many Baptists have confessed to having a problem with dancing due to the doctrines they were once taught. Some have claimed that they were taught that dancing is a sin, and this made them shun participating in it in church. However, times and tides have recently changed, and several Baptists are adopting dancing as a way of worship. Some have even been hosting conferences to teach their peers about dancing as a form of worship.
Attending Baptist services or inviting a Baptist to your church might have left you with some questions. Are Baptists allowed to dance?
What is their view on dancing?
What is the biblical perspective on dancing?
These and other questions about the Baptists and dancing are discussed in this article;
keep reading to find out.
Is dancing allowed in the Bible?
Dancing is allowed in the Bible and was used by several characters for different purposes. Some dances were performed because of joyful occasions, others during worship, and others during idol worshipping, among other events.
Despite dancing playing a role in offending God on some occasions, it has been portrayed as an acceptable form of worship to God. These are some instances where dancing was used for the Glory of God in the Bible.
Exodus 15:20 exposes Christians to the first instance of dancing in the Bible as a form of worship. “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.”
This beautiful worship was led by Miriam and performed together with other Israelite women just after they had crossed the red sea from Egypt.
It was a victorious celebration that called for dance as God had delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Egyptians.
In 2nd Samuel 6:16, the scripture says, “As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.”
This dance of victory from David was performed as he celebrated bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to his city. King David was known for how massively he loved doing God’s work, and this feat made him praise God with a dance.
Psalms 30:11 notes that the Lord has turned the wailings of the psalmist into dancing: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”
This is a message that the psalmist was in agony and a state of loss before God delivered him and made him dance to him as a form of worship.
Psalms 149:3 gives Christians a message that they should praise God through dancing: “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.”
This Bible verse openly confirms that dancing is a way of worship fully acceptable in the eyes of the old.
Psalms 150:4 emphasizes what Psalms 149:3 says as it encourages us to worship God with dancing and tambourines: “Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe.”
This is the same kind of dance and worship that Miriam and the Israelite women performed.
These bible verses have shown us that dancing is an excellent form of worship and that God accepts it well. However, some dances were used to mock God and did not sit well with Him.
In Exodus 32:19, Moses comes back from meeting God and finds the Israelites worshipping the golden calf while dancing: “When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.”
This infuriates him, and he smashes the plates on which the Ten Commandments had been written.
In 1st Samuel 30:16, the Amalekites broke into a dance after destroying Judah and Philistia: “He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah.”
This dance was a mockery in the eyes of God, who helped the army of David defeat the men sooner.
These are two instances where dances did not impress God in the Bible. Otherwise, as a Christian, the verses are there in the Bible to support you when you decide to worship God through dance.
It is one of the ways He likes to see us humans worshipping Him.
How do Baptists view dancing?
The Baptists are not your regular dance lovers, and seldom will you find them performing dances. Although they embrace dancing well, they have many reservations about the art of worship.
Some Baptists have claimed to find it difficult to embrace dancing due to the doctrine they were taught in their younger days. Some of them were taught that dancing was a sin.
However, their view against dancing has changed in recent times as there has been something like a paradigm shift experienced in the Baptist church. Some have adopted dancing as a form of worship and have encouraged their congregants to join in.
Some Baptists have come out and said that they had been allowed to dance since their younger days, and never once were they taught that dancing is a sin.
According to this group of Baptists, they are allowed to dance but with some restrictions. As much as dancing is permitted, there are some styles that a Baptist is not allowed to perform as they are regarded as indecent.
Dances that involve people of the opposite sex touching indecently in a manner that suggests sexual attraction are not allowed. Baptist teachings prohibit this because it jeopardizes the purity of the Christians involved.
Dancing with revealing clothes is also considered illicit for the same reason; it mutilates the virtue of the person concerned.
They are also not allowed to dance on some occasions and in places that are not considered ungodly. Dancing at drinking parties or places like nightclubs does not sit well with the Baptists.
Baptists are known to detest drunkenness and activities associated with vice, so dancing under the influence of alcohol is unwelcome to the Baptists.
Although dancing is allowed by the Baptists, it is guided by some principles that should be followed keenly to ensure they do not sin against God.
Why can’t the Baptists dance freely?
The Baptists have a mission of professing the message of Christ to the world and are therefore guided by certain doctrines.
Their doctrines only allow them to dance within some stipulated rules. The congregants are required to always illuminate a good image of the church and Jesus.
Dancing freely is a sign of disorderliness and is not encouraged among Baptists. Any dancing is expected to glorify Christ, meaning it can only be done on specific occasions.
Dancing freely without purpose might be a reason for a Baptist sinning. Since it can be prevented, dancing freely is discouraged among Baptists.
What kind of dancing are Baptists against?
The Baptists are against dancing, which involves touching or holding on to each other in a sexual manner. This kind of dance is discouraged since one is prone to sin and, in the process, messes up with their purity. Baptists must conduct decent dances that won’t jeopardize their purity.
Dancing while drunk is also discouraged. Drunkenness is a vice that Baptists do not tolerate, and one is therefore not allowed to dance while drunk. Dancing while drunk cannot give God the glory He deserves.
Dancing in revealing clothes is also shunned by the Baptists since revealing clothes is a sign of indecency. Dancing in them is considered indecent.
Generally, dances that do not glorify God are the kind of dances that the Baptists discourage. The dance is expected to be decent enough and true to the worship of God.
References
All You Need To Know About the Baptists
Bibles take on dance as a form of worship
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
