We’re still looking at the rehearsal process for Prayer in Motion and we already know that healthy rock formations include a scriptural foundation as rehearsals progress(look at the blog I wrote in June 2015). The ongoing goal as we meet together is to welcome Jesus into rehearsal for Soul to Sole Dance Ministry and not forget that He should lead it. Here are some more principles that I believe we should include in rehearsal to reflect the heart of Jesus:
1. Go for process-based excellence and not performance-based perfectionism. Look to live according to the Rock and His standards, not the world’s focus on competition and perfectionism. If you or others need correction in a certain area of your program, pray for help, address the issue with God’s heart, and then move forward. The journey of process will mature you and individual dancers as resolution takes place. Everybody can reach the goal of trying their hardest, and everybody can grow in skills. Trust God to work. Relate to dancers as God relates to you, and model growth in a product oriented adult world that needs to see transparency and risk through the process of journeying with the Rock. Increasing skills and exhibiting a spirit of excellence is the goal. Make sure that you understand that a process-based approach is not an excuse to present sloppy, unclear choreography or to not confront relational issues as they come up in your leadership.
2. Stop gossip. Often, neither believers nor non-believers go to the person with whom they are having difficulty. Most of the time, they talk to everyone but that person. That is not scriptural. Matthew 18:15 instructs us, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”
When people come to me with relational trouble, I share this rule: If I am not part of the problem or part of the solution, I challenge people to share the information that they discuss with me with the person who is involved. This should be the first step to resolve any relational issue. I do prayerfully respond to someone who wants godly input, but I keep the information confidential unless I am given permission to share it. Then I agree with that person to love and to pray for the situation and the person(s) involved. This is an example of bearing burdens with fellow Christians, which leads believers to express agape love (Galatians 6:2) in difficult situations.
I encourage you to give thought to how you conduct rehearsals. Don’t react to situations without checking in with the Lord of the Dance. Dance Ministry is a lifestyle of obedience to God’s ways of doing things that goes far past a series of movements that we memorize.
Good luck with your next rehearsal! Let’s continue to think through this important topic and discuss more rehearsal tips next month:)
