Why Dance?

Missions, yes. But why dance? And is that even Biblical? Questions I found myself asking as I prepared to go on the mission field this summer -- and which I still ask myself on a daily basis. It's incredibly important to me to continually ask myself such questions to make certain that my primary focus is on sharing the gospel, even if the vehicle to do that is dance -- not the other way around.

One year ago, I had a phone call with a lady from Mission To The World. I wanted to serve, but I didn't know where or how. I told her, "Here I am, send me!" I wanted to spend my summer serving the Lord and sharing the gospel. I also understood that committing to a summer of missions meant giving up dance altogether (three months off from dance is sabotage to any potential future in ballet). I was about to drop my dance major, quit dancing entirely, and focus instead on becoming a chemist.

However, that is not what God had in store for me at that time.

Over a series of phone calls with MTW, my summer plans changed from street evangelism in England to teaching ballet in Spain (hablo un poquito Español). I was willing to go wherever God could use me, but I was hesitant about teaching ballet because of my intentions to quit dancing! It was then that I had one more phone call. It went something like this:

"Would you consider serving instead in Japan?"

"Sure, I'd love to help out with the City Team!"

"No, we'd like for you to join the Community Arts Team." "Oh, I see. Well, I could teach kids camps and help with the youth group!"

"Actually, you'll be dancing."

"Oh... okay. Wait, WHAT?

..... "but I don't speak Japanese!"

I didn't question their placing me in Japan, but I did question why I needed to be a dancing missionary, not just a missionary. What could dancing possibly do to further my ministry in Japan? I had almost no idea what to expect.

One year later, here's what I've learned:

Art is a powerful bridge to reach Japan for Christ, and vocational ministry requires intentionality and commitment to Christ above all else.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy performing. However, 99% of the time, the most important part of a performance is the conversations I have with people afterward. In Japan, after every single performance, every class I taught, and almost every ballet lesson I took, I was able to have at least one meaningful conversation with a fellow Japanese person about God. The bridge to those conversations was dance!

The arts are capable of bridging the gap between Japan and Christianity.

I would never have been able to make these people enter a church, yet these same people would come to my church to see me dance. I would never have been able to make these people listen to a sermon, yet the same people would discuss for hours the deeper meaning behind my ballet piece about Mary and the story of Christmas.

Often, these conversations would turn into hour-long discussions about the Bible, my faith, the purpose of beauty, or why I dance (which is also my testimony). These conversations led to friendships, Bible studies, and even to my best friend in Japan becoming baptised! (PRAISE THE LORD!)

These conversations didn't occur by accident. They were the result of careful prayers, planning, and preparation beforehand - to make space for intentional conversation. Then, the choice was mine to make those conversations happen - or not. And when I did? Oh, the stories I could tell of God's faithfulness! He truly did provide the words to say when I needed them dearly.

It was around this time last year that I stumbled upon an article about Anna McLendon, only months before I met and served alongside her in Japan. Words she spoke, as well as a few testimonies on this site helped me to see the need for vocational ministry, as well as its potential.

I'm currently preparing to return to Japan in the summer of 2024; I'm studying Japanese, taking as many free online seminary courses online as I can get my hands on, and choreographing new works centered around different themes of Christianity. I'm also dancing and working in Greenville, South Carolina for a semester. I want to be able to support myself financially, even if only partially. It also is a wonderful incentive to steward well the resources that the Lord has given me. This, too, is an integral part of vocational ministry, especially in a place as pricey as Japan. I hope to serve long term (in Japan?), and this is a huge step towards doing so!

"Artists are apologists for beauty"- All beauty is God's beauty. The arts are capable of bridging the gap between Japan and Christianity, if only I am willing to surrender my time and talents wholeheartedly to God and ask that He use them for His everlasting Kingdom.

Please pray with me:

for the 124 million people living in Japan who do not yet know Christ.

for God to raise up more people to share the gospel in Japan.

for God to guide my thoughts and actions as I prepare to return in 2024.

P.S. Something I read today :)

"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." - Mark 16:15