Frank,

Thank you for sharing.

In many ways, it is true.  We “dance” to our own world.

We entertain rather than minister.  Many times we prefer to be entertained than to pray or seek God.

To whom do we place our worth or our worthship?

When I was young, “dancing” was sinful, and I was bothered to see fellow Christian participate in it.  So I also understand that fellow believers have even opposing views as to whether dancing is right or wrong even in the context of a Christian setting.

It is obvious that a lamb and a wolf should not be dancing together.  The wolf will be “thinking” lamb chops.

My question is… what would Jesus do?

Would you find Jesus in a bar, or would he be in the First Frigidaire Church? 

I see Jesus in a bar among the smoke and drinking to heal the hearts of people that have been driven there by their hurts.  He is not afraid to rescue the precious gems from the miry pits.  Jesus would leave the 99 in their frigid church to find the one whose heart longs to be found.

The people in bars are hungering and thirsting, but have had no true water to drink and no idea where to find it.  They can’t find it in their local church.  But Jesus would let them drink freely of the water in Him, and they realize that He has the water that they are longing for.

Jesus would not go to a bar in search for water.  He would go to be the water people are searching for.

I can see Jesus going into a bar where there is dancing, pick out the prostitute, and dance with her.  He would tell her she is valuable, worth dying for, and show her that true love adds value to her.  It does not “use” her and throw her away.  In the dance, He transforms her with the truth, washing away the darkness, and setting her free.  He will tell her she is priceless, someone to be treasured, someone he has searched the ends of the earth to find.

As you can see, that is the gospel in action.

But churches forget their first love, and set their affection toward their own pleasure.  If you would find a Christian in a bar, it is usually because they are hiding the gospel for pleasure sake.  They forget they are not wolves looking for lamb chops, and they will take on pleasure at the expense of the lambs.

I am not saying that we need to go to bars where temptations can abound to the thirsty.  Many under watered brothers and sisters would fall into temptation.  But those who are a well watered garden, strong in their faith, and mature in their compassion for the lost, God could use them to rescue those lambs that have no shepherd.
 

Blessings,

Wade Balzer
wbalzer@newjerusalem.org