Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught?
 

Well?

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

You mean going to, like, the Virgin Islands and running track or something? Or the hula?

:happydance

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

No

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

No.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

Why do I hear entire sermons (live and on-line) devoted to how we respond (in physical demonstration) to the presence of the LORD? What is up wid dat?

Seems truely and inherently counter-productive to focus so much on the by-product and response, rather than preaching the cross and letting happen what will.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I've never run an aisle in all my years attending a UPC church. BUT there were times when the Holy Ghost visited us and my feet took a dance movement all on their own. My feet did not have to be taught to do that. :yahoo

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

If I ever go to an isle, I intend to run on the beach...

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I have run the aisles in church, and do view it as a valid form of worship, but I would advocate caution in some areas. I have heard of some interesting things happening to runners who run with their eyes shut. Did not our Lord Himself command that people should watch and pray? Thus if you run, run with your eyes open and seeing, and your mind in the Spirit. You will then preserve the worship, and your body both. Otherwise, it will be olive oil and possibly a trip to the hospital.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

By the way, I the only isle I have ever run was in New York with Lady Liberty.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

Pentecostals are performance oriented. They have to feel/believe something is happening and so they demonstrate

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

Why is that worship?

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

i love this! lol

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I most certainly believe that dancing before the Lord is a valid form of worship. I don't think many of us even need reminded of David's demonstration. Aisle running is simply a modern adaptation of the same principle. Our church still occassionally does "the victory march". I've seen people seem to get blessed in it, but i don't ever partake. I often dance before the Lord as a form of worship, but there have been a few times that it has went from an act of worship with the flesh to a complete surrender and yielding to the Spirit. I can think of a couple of times that it seemed as if I had completely yielded to the Holy Ghost and it was the Spirit controling my body movements. I was dancing very eratically in a small space, not watching anything, or thinking about anything other than what I was feeling in that moment. I did not hit anything and i suppose those that were around me had enough sense to move out of the way..lol. Some told me afterwards that i looked as if limbs could begin flailing through the air. I don't know why God does that and i can say it's only happened a few times. Sure felt good tho!

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

It's a relationship. When I praise God with dance and lift my voice up to him and tell him I love him, he responds to me by flooding my soul with joy. It's not something you have to do, just like you don't have to tell your spouse how much you love them. It's not something you have to do in church. It's something you can do in the privacy of your own home and God will respond just the same.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I have heard preachers say that running is not a mode of worship expressed in leaping. However, in Acts 3:8 it is stated, "And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."

I have no doubt that this included a bit of running. He went in walking and leaping. You just do not often take a leap from a position of walking, and I have yet to see too many people who have lept not run a little. If walking, dancing, and leaping, are all included in praises to God, then I have no problem with some running either.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I have had incedents like this myself in worship. I have been dancing and been hit, stepped on, tripped and fell, and once was told that I was on top of another individuals head when they were lying out. No harm has ever come to me. I broke glasses (mine) and watches (again mine), but I suffered no harm nor have any others unless they were not truly in the Spirit.

There was one night, I was dancing before the Lord in church, and all of the sudden my voice was doing something it had never, ever done in my life. I had the Holy Ghost, but that night I was half way done before I knew I was giving a message in tongues. It took a few years, and some learning (thank you Lord, for Bro. Verbal Bean, Bro. Bernard, and Bro Stoneking among others), but God started using me more and then He has since given other gifts. But that was a night that changed my life forever.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

No. It should not be "taught." If it's truly of the Spirit of God, it will be done in decency without attention being drawn to that person. I've done the running thing, all under the umbrella of emotionalism. I seriously question the validity of some stories involving aisle-running, and even pew-hoping. Rolling around on the floor is for another thread...

And I'LL say that AISLE is not spelled ISLE in the sense of how it's used in this thread... :heeheehee

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I can't help but wonder why this stuff doesn't (for the most part atleast)happen in our personal day to day life of worship and praise at home, but only in the "right environment" at the "right place".....(at the so called house of God with loud music and loud microphones to get foks "with the program" .

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I hope that my son, as well as the child on the way, will both learn to worship and run/dance in church at some point.

I also intend on teaching them, when they are ready and can understand, that much of what happens in church is emotionalism, hype and mob psychology. Most of it is harmless, but it is still mostly just hyped up emotional response. I don't mind emotionalism. I just wish we would be more interested in deeper word and long term results that come from good teaching, rather than immediate results like full alters and a bunch of crying or shouting. Those tend to wear off quick.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I worship God in church and at home.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

That, my friend, is the truth. It brings up another subject that I have been trying to get the courage to present here. I may have to think more on it.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I think that it is a very real possibility that this, like many other things, has to do with perceived pentecostal culture. Without certain things many seem to feel as though they have lost their identity. It is what they identify themselves by and, therefore, it is very important that they do what is necessary to instill and maintain the importance of these things in the minds of those around them.

Otherwise, without stressing the importance of these things, it might eventually cease to happen.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

Thanks for pointing out the spelling guys! Lol

Just to be clear, it's not that I am particularly opposed to physical demonstration. Just that I find myself growing further and further away from a culture that seems to focus on what we are "feeling" and our obligation to show how we feel via some bizarre physical demonstration.

At least one evidence being offered as "proof" for what is felt, is the physical reaction of
the crowd. The problem is, this physical demonstration can and is easily manipulated and imitated. This is obviously true - that is why there often is an uncanny focus of how people should be acting at church. Clearly, running, whooping, and total abandonment Shockamoo is held at high premium in many gatherings.

Point is, while I would not discount the possibility of these happening as an impromptu reaction in worship, I think if it is manipulated, elicited, or demanded it is cheapened and means little or nothing at all.

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

I think it would be more reasonable and acceptable for the pastor to allow the congregation to respond as they feel necessary, instead of point-blank telling folks to run and shout. From what I've seen in recent years, many have wept, shouted an occasional "Amen!" or "That's right/good," etc. But, I have yet to see one running the aisles as I've seen in previous years. I must also note the difference between a small country church (where I used to attend) vs. a larger, more urban church (where I attend now). Two totally different demographics and spectrums.

If running and dancing is the thing to do for some, I'm fine with it. But, I won't teach or emphasize it to my children as exclusive worship...

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

I agree with Dagwood. It is not something that should be taught or even encouraged. It will happen naturally if it is to happen at all. We have "runners" in our church as well as "dancers". It is not something that one person does and the rest follow suit. Its almost like ones spiritual personality for lack of a better term. For some its just their style of worship. When we have a great move of God while the praise team is singing then there is a good chance Bro Jason is going to run, Sis Jessica will fall to her knees, face to the floor, crying, Sis Makalia will be dancing in place in tears, etc etc. Nobody really "copies" anyone and there is not an emotional wave that rolls through the church and everyone follows suit.

And most of all, its not an every service, every alter call, every move of God, happening.

Reminds me of an old Clint Black song:
It's holding tight, It's lettin go
It's flying high and laying low
It lets your strongest feelings show
And your weakness too

It's a little and a lot to ask
An endless and a welcome task
Love isn't something that we have
It's something that we do

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

I've been a part of services where a brother ran the tops of the pews on occasion.

That's always exciting. :)

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

this one always cracks me up, the guys does a sommersault right into the baptistry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLmjV...layer_embedded

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

What I love to see most of and seem to be blessed by, is when someone or a group of people drop to their knees because the presence of God is so strong.

And, the song you mentioned is one of my favorites by Clint. Thanks for reminding me of it. There's a lot of truth to it on so many levels...

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

I've seen this video a number of times and... surely... this is put on.

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

I think it's for real . . .

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

Amazing.

The guy on the platform (left hand side facing the platform) is just waiting on the first word of the chorus to take off running.

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

If it's fake, I'm gullible then I guess

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

Re: Isle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taught
 

Yepper.

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

Well I sure can't make a call on it. But several things seem "staged" and yet... I might say the same thing about what I see in some known "real" services.

I certainly don't know for sure myself... but it makes me wonder.

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

well, it's goofy regardless.

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

LOL... Agreed. :)

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

I remember the runners when we used to attend. Now, many years later when I occasionally tune to a webcast I see the young men running back and forth at the alter area doing their mating ritual for all the young Sheila's too see, often while the preacher is talking/shouting.

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

I suppose it could have aerobic benefits. :dunno

Re: Aisle Running and Dancing a Virtue to be Taugh
 

From all the crying and spitting I've seen, yeah, there'd be enough water to wade around in and maybe do a little aerobics...