Although dance is not commanded in the New Testament as in the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament confirms its use and place in Christian worship.
Church leaders who oppose dancing in worship frequently say dancing is not mentioned in the New Testament. Such a statement reflects little understanding of the Greek text. Greek scholar Spiros Zodhiates explains that the word chairō, frequently translated “rejoice,” “may also be related to the Hebrew word meaning a young sheep or lamb, indicating the skipping or frisking of a lamb for joy” (S. Zodhiates, The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1985]). Jesus called his people sheep and lambs, and this picture of rejoicing fits with the imagery inherent in chairō. Paul uses this word in its imperative form in his letter to the Philippians when he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). In Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Vol. 9 [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974], pp. 362–363), chairō, which occurs 28 times in the New Testament, is related to the Hebrew words samaḥ, gil, and ‘alatz, discussed earlier. Understanding its Old Testament background, Paul uses the term in commanding the church to participate in a full expression of praise and joy, in the same way, the psalmists instructed God’s people in the Old Testament.
Some other Greek words for dancing are skirtaō (used three times), “leap with joy”; hallomai (used once), “leap”; choros (used once), indicating circle dancing; and agalliaō (used ten times), “leap.” These terms are used to describe dancing that occurred on some forty-three different occasions as recorded in the New Testament. William Morrice discusses the word skirtaō in Luke 6:23, in which Jesus instructs his disciples to rejoice or leap for joy when they are persecuted. He writes, “in the present instance … the ‘dancing for joy is to be done on that day when persecution takes place in anticipation of the reward in heaven” (W. Morrice, Joy in the New Testament [Greenwood, SC: Attic Press, 1982]). The church of the present day is battling opposition and being persecuted by spiritual forces that array themselves against it; therefore, this is the very day in which Jesus taught that Christians are to respond by dancing for joy.
Another significant New Testament use of a word for dancing is found in Luke 15:25 when the Prodigal Son of Jesus’ parable returns home. The text indicates that music and dancing were considered appropriate by the father on this occasion. The Greek word used here is choros, from which the modern word “choir” is derived, and it literally means “circle dancing.” The choir’s original role was to dance in a circle, a practice being restored in some modern churches. One purpose of the parable of the Prodigal Son is to picture the great joy experienced by the heavenly Father when a sinner is restored to fellowship with him. This parable strongly suggests that choros, or circle dancing, takes place in heaven when a prodigal comes home to the Father. As a matter of fact, the Old Testament presents the same picture; Zephaniah says of the Lord, “He will rejoice [gil, “spin around under the influence of violent emotion”] over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17).