In college I used to be a large group leader of 80 new freshman for orientation called Welcome Week. In the sessions at the large arena where all the freshman would be gathered there'd be a spirit competition. Each day one large group would be announced the winner of the spirit flag. My group was always one of the winners. I think this is because one year I was the only leader with a bull horn. Yes, I was fun. I was SO fun that my senior year after Welcome Week I was walking to class and this freshman guy came up to me and said, "Weren't you the leader of the group with the booty cheer?" I proudly replied, "Why yes, I was." He admiringly said, "Oh I wished I was in your group!" I nodded and thought to myself, "I bet they ALL want to by in my group."
But I am on a mission to be fun again. I have found myself laughing with the couple I'm staying with and that is a start. I'm telling stories again, and trying to not be so weighed down by life. Even so, I still need help. My friend told me that Georgian Banov, a man that I know to be a spirit-filled worship leader and joy carrier, was going to be in town about an hour away. I knew I needed to go.
So I set off to a charismatic church I had never been to, and realized this seems to be a season of encountering different churches with different forms of worship. I went in with an open mind. I arrived to find Georgian in a jam session with the church's worship team.
Georgian was born into communism in Bulgaria and encountered God because members of the Jesus movement fed him when he came to America. He now travels around, but focuses his outreach to the gypsies. He plays the drums, guitar, and the fiddle and he just worships with abandon. His joy is contagious.
He invited everyone to get out of their chairs and come worship at the front. I found myself near a mother twirling her daughter around and an older black woman skipping about like a newborn calf out of the stall. I thought, I can either be serious up here surrounded by people really enjoying themselves in the Lord or I can let go and just have fun. I decided to have fun and before I knew it I was locking arms and swinging around with the older black woman like we were dance partners at a square dance. I jumped. I danced. I had FUN.
I suddenly found myself laughing and smiling. I didn't know the people around me, but I felt like one of them. I remembered the days of church youth camp where we didn't think anything of cheering and clapping and jumping up and down. We had that youthful zeal for God. And somewhere along the way I lost it.
But I got it back! I engaged in the atmosphere of freedom and joy. I soaked it up even when I felt a little silly. But I looked at those girls dancing with their mothers and how happy they were. They weren't embarrassed. And I wanted to be like them.
By the end of the night I was full of joy. I was so full of joy that God tested me by having me turn on the mainstream contemporary radio station. Normally I loathe most of the contemporary Christian radio. And the first song that came on was Casting Crowns- the pro-type of what I see wrong with mainstream Christian song writing. But God said, "Can you worship to this?" And lo and behold, I was so full of joy I sang along to Casting Crowns- and sort of enjoyed it. I was transformed!
Some of you who know me may be shaking your head saying, "Oh poor Liz, she's going off the Holy Spirit deep end. What will become of her?" Or if you knew someone who used to go to your church and found out they were dancing around with the tongue-speakers you might think they had gone soft on doctrine and were just after some emotional experience. But remember David when the ark returned to Jerusalem. He stripped down and danced before servant girls in unabashed worship to God. His wife despised him for it. When she confronted him about it he replied, "I will become EVEN MORE undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But," he said, "to the slave girls, I'll be held in honor." (2 Samuel 6)
There's a lot of people from certain denominations or even within charismatic churches that despise it when people start to have too much fun in worship. It's not serious or reverent. Christians are supposed to be straight-faced and solemn to show how great God is. Well, if that is how you feel, you go right ahead, but see how joyful you feel after service. Not everyone has to join the Holy Spirit hoe down at the front. Just don't despise those of us who don't mind humiliating ourselves!
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