Actions for Everyone
We are regularly asked ‘Do we have to do actions?’ Well, the answer is that sometimes there’s no need for actions, but that as a general rule they are an essential part of Worship for Everyone.
Actions are unifying. You don’t have to be able to read to do actions. You don’t have to know the song to be able to copy an action leader. If they are modelled well from the front, everyone can participate in worshipping God through actions.
Actions teach a physical expression of worship. Worship is offering ALL of ourselves to our Father and Creator. We want to model to our children from the earliest age that our bodies as well as our voices are sacrifices for God.
Actions signify freedom. Just as David danced undignified before the ark, we need to recover a freedom and abandonment in our worship. If we- or others- feel uncomfortable or ‘silly’ doing actions perhaps we need to challenge ourselves to push into them further rather than running away from them! Actions can open the door to more freedom, more joy, more openness in worship if we go with it!
Actions can be powerful. When created with a little thought and dedication, actions don’t have to be cringey and childish. They can be beautiful. They can be prophetic. One of our songs ‘My God is everywhere’ uses sign language to express the omnipresence of God. It is wonderful to participate in and to watch. Another song ‘God is love’ uses arms wide open in the chorus to express ‘God we love you’- a set of actions which reflect the words and allow the whole church to open their hearts together to God.
Finally actions are fun! Don’t most churches need a bit more fun?! Watch the faces of children doing actions. They can’t help but smile! If they’re done right, actions can have the whole church beaming together- not a bad reason for including them as part of our worship time!
For more actions including first track God is Love from UNIQUE see youtube.com/WorshipForEveryone