The dance teacher pulled her arm across both shoulders and shifted abruptly to the other side. “Stretch your arm across until you can’t balance anymore, then turn!” She examined us as we tried the move ourselves.
“Good, Krystine!” She encouraged. “Lindsay, try throwing your shoulder into it more.”
Thus began the process of learning contemporary dance together with five other women. One of the reasons I chose the “worship track” of the Center for Global Action (CGA) was to gain more experience in choreography and dance as a form of artistic worship (I am so excited!).
Abigail, our choreographer, began to teach us her moves last week. The song she chose is only three minutes long, but it took an hour and fifteen minutes for us to learn the first 40 seconds.
We watched Abigail closely, imitating the moves she showed us. Some of them were awkward or painful at first – we hadn’t exercised those muscle groups in a while! But I came away exhilarated. Abigail wants us to perform this dance like a prayer. I love to pray… and it’s awesome to do so with my whole mind, heart and strength.
– – – – – – –
In CGA, we’ve been learning – or should I say, re-learning – what discipleship looks like. One of our teachers, Kate, noted that many of us were quicker to share a negative experience surrounding the concept of discipleship than an encouraging one.
“I love re-defining things,” Kate smiled. “When I read something in God’s Word that makes me shrink back, and I know it is meant to be good, life-giving and peaceful, I ask myself: do I have a broken, potentially wounded view of it?”
In the past, for me, the word “discipleship” was supercharged with a whole lot of responsibility, uncertainty and fear of failure. If I disciple someone, what are we supposed do together, and how often? What if I don’t know the answers to their questions? I don’t think I have enough life experience to teach someone else!
Yet in recent months, I’ve been learning that the concept of discipleship is a lot less complicated than I sometimes make it out to be.
When I first began walking with Jesus, some of the moves were unfamiliar, awkward and even painful (similar to contemporary dance).
…Spiritual discipline? What’s that?
…You mean I don’t have to have a perfectly formulated prayer in my mind before I talk to God?
Meditation? Isn’t that where you sit cross-legged and hum?
Yet I watched others who were a little farther down the road, and I learned. Every morning, as I walked groggily down the stairs, I would see my dad sitting on the living room couch reading the Word. Usually, he would smile at me and share from the passage he had just been reading.
When I shut the garage and walked in the house after school, I could count on my mom to ask how my day was… and if there was a struggle, I knew she would pray for me.
When I listened to my youth leader pray, I was astounded that he took time to pause, like he was having a normal conversation with God!
That’s discipleship.
Jesus said He did nothing on His own; He did only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). When Jesus discipled people, sometimes, it was a one-time thing (you can read his encounter with one woman in John 4). And in twelve cases, he spent three years walking alongside someone, re-defining their concept of what it looks like to bring God’s Kingdom to earth.
Discipleship is about following the Father myself, and inviting others into my life.
Over and over, the Apostle Paul writes: “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17, 1 Cor. 4:16). Isn’t that how every child learns? (If you’re not sure, sit down with a parent for five minutes and ask them about it.)
Just like Abigail’s choreography, we invite others into a dance. Watch me. Follow me, as I follow Christ.
We’re not called to know all the answers. We’re called simply to stay in step with the Father. And love others enough to hold out a hand and pull them into the fun.
Kate reminded us this week: human beings are God’s greatest treasure on earth. Discipleship – walking alongside someone who bears the very image of God – is one of the greatest privileges we’ll ever have.
