Thank you all for your responses to Bennie's questions. He is now going to a church near his home. He found out afterall that the church was not bad. Yesterday he came to tell me how blessed he's been by the gathering and the people he met.
Welcome to a new and blessed week. For the Infant Steps Series, I have a question from Christine about "clubbing".
Is it right or is it wrong? Please read her question below and give your take on it.
Dear Rita,
Some of my Christian friends find it repulsive when I go to clubs. I am a sociable person and I enjoy attending parties. Is it wrong to go to nightclubs? My intentions of going to clubs are to dance and have a good time, not to look for or hang out with men. Most times, I am invited by very close friends whom I do not want to disappoint.I truly appreciate your candid opinion here.
Thank you,
Christine.
*Something I forgot to mention, Christine is a born again Christian.
26 comments:
Touchy subject..... Sounds like she's done a lot of rationalizing around the subject.. Maybe the critical question is if she can honestly answer that when she is getting her groove on in a nightclub, she can do it 'for the glory of God'
I know people who think they do.. and I agree with them..
Apostle Paul said 'all things are lawful but not all things are expedient'...'i will eat meat but if meat will cause my brother to sin, then i will not'.
As christians, sometimes we like to have someone else validate things we're doing that we're not sure are right. If we're absolutely sure we should do that thing, then why let it bother us? Why worry about it in the first place?
If Christine is absolutely sure that she is going to the nightclub for the glory of God and if the following day she is able to witness to someone she met briefly at the club while dancing and having a good time, then why not?
I don't do night clubs, i don't say it's wrong but not all things are expedient.
Since she says her intentions are honourable, I see nothing wrong in her choice of nighttime entertainment. However the temptation to engage in other sinful behaviour might be strong in a place such as this given that other people might not come there with equally innocent notions as hers.
My advice? Keeping this particular brand of fun-seeking to the barest minimum and devising other daytime, less secular means of socializing.
But then, I'm rather old-fashioned myself...
Gosh clubbing!After i got saved i really did miss it.I tried it once after and it took a week maybe more to expunge the cleavages and legs out of my mind.Really it does come with alot of baggage. I know this group 'flames' the go into clubs solely to tell people about Jesus and i hear its been effective.Like everyone before me has said if you can go in and come out untainted, then no biggie.
Clubbing is not bad as long as you dont go scantily dressed and for the wrong reasons.
hmm good question..cuz i have asked myself this before as well.
i wasnt brought up the clubbing way so clubbing has never been my thing. i think i have been to a club few times in my life- with friends, and one time was for a friend's birthday party. there was also a time i went clubbing with a guy, this was before i was married..and that once i knew in my spirit, it was totally not right.
Most times in clubs u find people drinking, smoking, people dancing erotically, people dressed up provocatively and all sorts. I dont think it is an ideal place to find a christian but i also think it depends on your motive.
You mentioned that it was your christian friends that find it replusive. are you a christian yourself? am sure the holyspirit will minister to you on this matter, if you are, as you walk in your christian journey.
ok o...well my take on this is that if people wont be able to see christ thru you, i.e is to differentiate u from the unsaved ones in this life...den as a christian u r soo not doing a gud job...nd lets face it today people dont see christ in u wen they see a "saved" girl at the club..so tho intentions may not be devilish bad...its not good either cuz it makes it harder for pple to see the glory of God in..the word say, let ur light so shine dat men may see...in d club it aint shinin.
@ akabagucci...to the glory of God...how is dancin to a song like.."lollipop" or "birthday sex" be done to the glory of God???
TO club or not to club for a christian is a sensitive issue, Cultures differ and we have different societal perspective of what clubbing is all about.
People say they go there for different reason
I've never been the clubbing type, in fact I was in a club for the first time some months ago( the adventurous side of me just wanted to know what happens in-there)
and like Aloted said, I knew I didn't belong there; People were drinking, there were some ladies half-nude dancing seductively and allowing any man that wanted to to caress/touch them, it was dark inside, all sorts were happening etc. What on earth would I enjoy doing there ( that I cannot get outside.
In as much as it's a personal thing, as a Christian, we try to live as Christ did, and we can ask, if Christ was living here would HE be found in night clubs? I know people could argue that Jesus turned water into wine and that Jesus was found atimes in the homes of unbelievers, but we know He went there to bring them good news, so If a christian feels that going to club would witness to unbelievers and bring them salvation, fine, ..she can continue.
Secondly if one wants to be a successful Entrepreneur /Actor/singer etc the wise thing to do is to look at the lifestyles of those who had been successful at it before and learn form them, so if Christine desires to be successful as a christian, if she looks at the lifestyle of the great men and women of God that have lived, I doubt one would find clubbing on their list of pastimes
We could go on arguing for or against clubbing for a christian, the truth is that if the Holy Spirit/her conscience agrees with her to keep on clubbing , she could go on.
God has the final say.
Dear Christine,
Thank you for your honesty about your concern as a growing Christian. I used to go to night clubs without giving it a thought but now I can’t. I don’t know how and when the change happened but I believe it must have been the power of God working in me.
Let me share my thoughts on the subject by looking at the following areas:
1. Your Christian Growth: -As a growing Christian, you need things that would build you up spiritually rather than pull you down or keep you where you were trying to walk away from in the first instance. Going to a club, a night club, will not help your growth as a Christian in any way.
2. The Basic "Calling": - God sees our hearts and HE knows our motives. Is going to club what God wants you to be doing with your time? I doubt. We are taught that whatever we do, we should do it to the glory of God [1 Cor. 10:13]. It is a basic "calling" for all children of God. Going to a club simply to dance and socialize does not glorify God. Why? You may ask. The music you will be listening and dancing to do not glorify God. The atmosphere of smoke, alcohol, nudity, probably people in the act, they do not glorify God. There are other ways and avenues to dance and socialize.
3. Who you are in Christ: - once you have given your life to Christ, you are a new creature. Old things have passed away, behold, all things are new. You are no longer of the world. Clubbing is of the world.
4. Temptation: - We are also instructed to “Abstain from all APPEARANCES of evil”. You may go to the club with innocent intentions but it is a place noted for ungodly activities. You will subconsciously be picking some activities, and accepting them as normal, that you will not know when you subtly fall into temptation. Also, you do not want to find yourself in a situation where, as a born again Christian, you cannot explain yourself.
I tell you, if you are rocking away with someone at the club and you say “would you like to give your life to Christ?” the person will look at you strangely and will most likely not give their life to Christ. However, if your purpose and calling is to minister to people in clubs, God will prepare you and equip you with the wisdom and resources to do that job.
Letting go of what you are used to is not an automatic process. As you spend more time with God and His word, you will begin to realize that your heart will pant after Him. You will want to use your time and energy to do things that please Him. One day you will realize that you are not interested in going to clubs. The Holy Spirit in you will help.
Can you tell a best friend or sibling “No” in response to an invitation to a club? Yes, you can. The Bible teaches us that it is profitable for you that a part of you should perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell [Matt. 5:29-30]. Permit me to use this scripture in this situation. It would most likely be hard and difficult to say no, but your walk with God is personal and you should put pleasing Him ahead of pleasing anyone else. Somehow your friend or sibling will come around understanding you and if the person cannot accept you for the new you, the person has to be cut off (Can I do that? Hmmm).
Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty [2 Cor. 6:17-18].
You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven [Matt. 5:13-16].
*All references are taken and paraphrased from the Bible.
I would say that nothing at the club glorifies the name of the Lord. Not the music nor the people there. It isn't a place for someone who is building their faith.
LOL @ Gee...but true its really hard to justify club going sha. in my situation although i didn't go there to dance or wateva, i usually would stand in the corner and shake my head and judge the "worldly people" so in the end i was no better than the chick grinding on the random guy.
NO! The question should be "is it wrong to go to Church?"
My Answer apparently is YES!
Very interesting responses. I must admit I chuckled at the concept of people going to the club for the glory of God, how is this even possible?
I guess ultimately it is a personal choice and we should approach it with a WWJD mentality...yeah?
Interesting!
Also, some of the responses do seem a little rigid. i.e what is the difference between going clubbing and going to your friend's birthday party that is being held in a house. Odds are, you will probably see people dancing provocatively, people will stand outside to smoke and there will be drinks. The music will also be secular.
As born again christians, are we to totally remove the fun aspect from our lives? What can we do to have a good time then?
Just some questions. Rita, i really enjoy this your sessions. Thank you so much!
First of all, Rita...I love how I've thought about all these questions before...It's like they're taking them right out of my head, I love love love your blog :)
Now back to the point...
Christine,
I'm naturally not really a clubbing person but sometimes if my friends ask me I'll go with them just to hang out or have a good time or take pictures because I'm into photography...I don't think anyone can say what the right or wrong thing for you to do is because you're the only person that knows what is in your heart...But like Writefreak said, if it's causing you to sin then don't go if you're trying to avoid that...If it's causing you to meditate on vulgar songs or make you want to do things you feel you shouldn't then you can avoid putting yourself in such a position by not going...But if you go and you feel it's okay and you're not overcome by guilt for any reason then I think you're fine. Some of my friends would say otherwise...But I, think you're fine.
Hope this helps and good luck figuring everything out :)
xxx
"And everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, [do] all things in [the] name of [the] Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him."
And remember too - that he is to be our model.
Now, I would say, ‘there are clubs and there are clubs’…But one needs to ask themselves some questions as to the reasons behind one’s choice such as: ‘why does one go clubbing? ’, ‘what does one generally derive from going to clubbing? ’, and ‘what are one’s motive for going there: to get away from certain problems, or simply to go there, in order to solve a burning concern/desire or is it just a form of relaxation for you? ’
For me, am like Olufunke…I am definitely not the clubbing type. And from personal experience, the only reason I would never go back within the four walls of a club is because I got so bored to death with the activities there and besides, if it disturbs my ability to go to Church the next day (since ‘the roof is always on fire’ on most Saturday night) then please delete me from the guest list.
But we have to be wary of falling into the fallacy of generalizing about all clubs because if you have not been inside one or experienced activities in one then one should not conclude that they are evil. “The Clubs are not bad, but it is the people in them that make them bad.” Just like we can say that, “Churches are not bad, but it is people in them that actually are bad.”
Remember you may have to work amongst this clubbing people to lead them back to God, and in order to do that, you will need to research about the environment, know the things that are common with that environment and lastly, know how to be in the club and not let the club be part of you or your personal life.
Ok, you don’t need to tell me…I definitely know I have gone off-topic…LOL
Erolyrics, loving the new style of blogging...
i dont think its wrong to go to night clubs hoo haa...i dont drink,i dont smoke,i love God but i still go to night clubs to dance and steam off!!
romans 12:1-2 in the message translation is hot and soo relevant
here it is
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
so my response
there is no way u can live Christ and be comfortable in a club,
This is a sensitive topic. However:
As bagucci said, it's a touchy subject and like his line says: "...is getting her groove on in a niteclub..for the glory of God"?
Writefreak: "..if meat that i eat will cause my brother to sin, i will not eat"
I agree with these two points.
Find out what is going on around you. As far back as 5yrs ago i know we had a christian night club on the island. There was a christian dj playing any kind of music from hip hop to rap to highlife..... We'd chat and dance until we were ready to drop. It was so much fun.
It was like a regular nightclub without the smoke, alcohol and excessive sexual tension.
Ask around there might be one near you.
Though we are in the world we are not to be off the world. By the way there is no such thing as a christian night club. A night club is a night club...how i wish "christians" would stop sugar-coating things just to suit them. I hear your intentions but it sounds like a matter of wanting to please the flesh. Theres a scripture in the Bible that tells us to examine our spirits to know whether or not we're really in the faith. If Christ abides in you and in Him, then you will hate the things that God hates and love the things that God loves.
Stepping into a night-club is not sin but its what goes on in a night club that is wrong. Secular songs that talk glorify sex, money and power...all the things that Christ had to die for, its the lust of the heart...people dressing in provocative ways that yes do cause others to stumble (your not exactly going to walk into a club wearing a tracksuit are you now?), even if your not deliberately dressing to catch someone's eye, you are still causing someone else to stumble undeliberately. Its also the drinking, the type of dancing which i'm sure no one can argue against that has the ability to excite others...again causing someone else to stumble. I can go on and on but i hope you get my drift?
Going to nightclubs in itself is not wrong. People have to be careful not to judge other people.
Really touchy topic. I am one who likes to go to the club and shake my body occassionaly. However, as I have recently considered making my walk with God solid,I find myself struggling with it. I'v discovered that I can deal with stopping every other ungodly activity except clubbing. Yes, clubbing IS ungodly. Every place has a certain spirit; the club is filled with all sorts of people with different spirits. Imagining being a Holy Spirit filled person and contaminating that with the "spirits" gotten from the club. I wonder if I make any sense, I'm pretty new to this...However, I do know it's wrong..my problem is STOPPING it..
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