Turn Up for Jesus
I missed church last Sunday, but I was feeling like I still wanted to praise Him. So I turned on Kirk Franklin's Greatest Hits Live and started making breakfast. I found my husband, my daughter and myself full on turning up to Franklin's music. I mean we were hitting the "nae nae", "milly rocking", "dabbing" and just having a great time while praising the Lord. This is not usually the kind of dancing that you would see in church, most people are more reserved and stick to the usual 2-step and clapping and occasionally "raising the roof."
Recently at the church I attend Fred Hammond was having a concert and he said,
"I was watching Pitbull perform on TV recently and I saw the audience dancing and having a good time. I thought to myself I want people to dance like that at my shows."
Of course he wasn't talking about gyrating and sexual dancing, but the having a great time "turning up".
So, why don't church-goers, especially churches that play gospel music dance like they are having a great time while worshipping the Lord?
I believe that people are afraid to get judged. But isn't the house of the Lord supposed to be a judgement free zone? Yes it is but that doesn't mean people don't, it's only human nature to judge.
Now you may have seen people catch the Holy Ghost. They may run around the church, jump up and down, holler or any combination of those things, and most times people don't really have a negative reaction.
So my challenge to church goers is the next time you are in church and are really feeling the music, dance like you're having a good time and don't worry about what the person next to you thinks. Y'all are praising and worshipping the same Lord, both children of God.
(Picture: Kirk Franklin and The Family performing at BET's Gospel Celebration, courtesy of BET)