Dancing on Mt Sion

Dancing on Mt Sion A Biblical Mandate for Expressive Worship First Harvest Ministries International Apostolic Overseer: John Shane Vaughn www.HisComingKingdom.com Freedom of Worship: What Does It Really Mean? We all claim to believe in “freedom of worship” in America. It’s a cherished constitutional right, a fundamental liberty we hold dear. But somewhere along the way, we’ve allowed that freedom to become shackled by tradition, bound by denom- inational preference, and limited to our particular STYLE of quiet reverence. When you visit with us at First Harvest Ministries Internation- al, we want you to be fully aware that our congregation truly believes in DAVIDIC STYLE FREEDOM OF WORSHIP. You will find a BIBLICAL FORM of worship during your time with us, and we want you to fully understand why we be- lieve that any other form of worship besides what is outlined in this booklet is simply not BIBLICAL. Let me be abundantly clear: We do NOT find “quiet rever- ence” anywhere in Torah. In fact, we find quite the opposite. The worship of ancient Israel—the worship that Yahweh Himself commanded and David established—was loud, ex- pressive, emotional, and physically demonstrative. It involved shouting, dancing, leaping, lifting hands, falling prostrate, weeping, groaning, clapping, and making joyful noise. This wasn’t chaos. This wasn’t emotionalism run amok. This was commanded worship. When we look at the Tabernacle of David, we see a prophet- ic picture of New Covenant worship—worship in Spirit and in truth, worship without the veil, worship with uninhibited access to the Father. David’s tabernacle had no veil. It had praise, celebration, and the manifest presence of Yahweh dwelling in the midst of His people. The early believers understood this. The Book of Acts re- cords a church that worshipped with uplifted hands, fell under the power of the Spirit, prayed with groaning and travailing, shouted in triumph, and spoke in tongues. They didn’t sit quietly in pews with hands folded. They danced. They leaped. They wept. They praised with their whole being. This is the worship that Scripture commands. This is the worship we practice at FHMI. If you’re visiting us for the first time and this style of worship makes you uncomfortable, we understand. Religious tradition has trained many to believe that “reverence” equals “silence” and that “order” means “stillness.” But Scripture tells a differ- ent story. Come with an open heart. Come willing to let the Holy Spirit move. Come ready to encounter Yahweh in the same way His people have encountered Him for thousands of years—with exuberant, demonstrative, wholehearted worship. Let’s examine what the Word actually says about how we are to worship the Most High. I. The Command to Lift Holy Hands “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” (I Timothy 2:8) The word “will” in this Scripture refers to Yahweh’s purposive will for mankind—His master plan. It is the divine intention that His people lift up holy, pure hands before Him when they pray. With uplifted hands, we demonstrate several profound truths: 1. We show our surrender and submission to His lord- ship. Uplifted hands are the universal posture of surren- der. We are saying, “I yield. I submit. I have nothing to hide.” 2. We reach toward Heaven, acknowledging our depen- dence on the Father and our longing for His presence. 3. We fulfill the ancient pattern established in Torah, where Aaron and the priests would lift their hands to bless the people (Numbers 6:22-27). 4. We demonstrate our priestly role as part of the royal priesthood, blessing and worshipping the Most High. There is no other name but the Name of Yahshua whereby souls can be saved and diseased bodies can be healed (Acts 4:12). Since we have received His eternal salvation, we should demonstrate grateful homage by lifting hands that have been made pure and holy by His shed blood. At FHMI, you will see hands lifted throughout our wor- ship—during prayer, during praise, during the preaching of the Word. This is not optional. This is commanded. II. The Command to Clap and Shout in Triumph “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto Yahweh with the voice of triumph. For Yahweh most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.” (Psalm 47:1-2) The awareness of Yahweh’s sovereignty over us and all His universe should inspire our hearts to welcome our King by clapping our hands as a joyful token of our sincere satisfaction for all He has done. We clap to: 1. Celebrate victory over the world, the flesh, and the forces of evil 2. Welcome our King to the throne of our hearts 3. Express joy at His presence among us 4. Demonstrate our agreement with His Word and His purposes We also accompany our clapping with shouting in triumph. Not timid whispers. Not polite applause. But loud, exuberant shouting! To some unenlightened individuals, these expressions of love, joy, and victory may seem chaotic and imprudent. They may censure, condemn, and ridicule such “noise-making.” Never- theless, we remain eternally true and determinedly faithful to clap our hands and shout for Yahweh, our Sovereign King. The Hebrew worship pattern established in Scripture is LOUD. Get used to it. Better yet—join in! III. The Command to Make Joyful Noise “Make a joyful noise unto Yahweh, all ye lands.” (Psalm 100:1) It is Yahweh’s purposive will for us to make a joyful, glad, and happy NOISE as we confess our gratitude with thanksgiv- ing for His eternal salvation. Notice the Scripture doesn’t say, “Make a quiet meditation unto the LORD.” It says NOISE. Yahweh desires His believers to be noisy, cheerful worship- pers with exceeding great joy for the salvation they have re- ceived from His Son. Our Master Himself is noisy—He is the Divine Deity with a voice like many waters and great thunder: “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.” (Revelation 14:2) The Father desires for the whole world to hear the joyful nois- es of His salvation that has been brought to penitent sinners by His Holy Son. At FHMI, we are LOUD. We make joyful noise. We shout. We sing with volume. We praise with our voices raised. If you’re looking for a quiet, contemplative service, you’ve come to the wrong place. We’re following the biblical mod- el—and it’s anything but quiet! IV. Dancing and Running: Praising with Our Whole Body “Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him: let the children of Sion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the tim- brel and harp.” (Psalm 149:2-3) “The name of Yahweh is a strong tower: the righteous run- neth into it, and is safe.” (Proverbs 18:10) When the exiles returned from Babylon and rebuilt the Tem- ple, they held a great celebration. The saints were filled with triumphant joy that caused them to praise Yahweh their King with new songs and jubilant feet that praised Him in the dance. The Prophetic Meaning of Dance We are commanded to praise Yahweh’s name in the dance because wherever two or three believers gather together, Yahs- hua promised, “There am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The Hebrew word for “dance” (לוֹחָמ - machol) means a circle that encloses. When we dance in worship, we are forming a prophetic circle around the presence of Yahshua in our midst. This dancing on earth is a mirror of the Messiah being in the midst of His Bride in the New Jerusalem. Dancing is a demonstration of: • Joy in His presence • Happiness in His salvation • Satisfaction in His covenant • Freedom from religious bondage • Celebration of victory Running in Worship The righteous don’t walk sedately into Yahweh’s presence— they RUN! Running demonstrates: • Eagerness to be in His presence • Urgency in seeking Him • Passion for His kingdom • Childlike enthusiasm before the Father At FHMI, you will see people dance. You will see people run. You will see physical expressions of joy. This is not disorder—this is biblical worship. V. Falling Under the Spirit’s Power “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jeru- salem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy tes- timony concerning me.” (Acts 22:17-18) When the Apostle Paul prayed in the Temple, he fell into a trance—a state resembling sleep where one remains conscious but voluntary movement is temporarily lost. Paul lost control of himself because Yahshua came and took control of him. The Pattern: When the Glory Appears, People Cannot Stand This experience is not unusual in Scripture. In fact, there is a consistent pattern throughout the Word: EVERY TIME THE GLORY OF YAHWEH APPEARS AMONG THE ASSEMBLY, THE PEOPLE COULD NOT STAND IN ITS PRESENCE. In the Tabernacle of Moses “It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised Yahweh, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Yahweh; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of Yahweh had filled the house of Elohim.” (2 Chronicles 5:13-14) The priests—men consecrated and anointed for service— COULD NOT STAND when the glory filled the house. They fell. Not because they were weak. Not because they lacked faith. But because the manifest presence of Yahweh is too overwhelming for human flesh to bear. In Solomon’s Temple “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Yahweh, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of Yahweh had filled the house of Yahweh.” (1 Kings 8:10-11) Again, the same pattern: Glory appears, priests fall. They COULD NOT STAND to minister. The glory was too great. The presence too powerful. In Isaiah’s Vision “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:3-5) Isaiah encountered the glory and cried, “I am undone!” The Hebrew word means to be destroyed, to be cut off, to perish. He was completely undone in the presence of the Holy One. In Ezekiel’s Encounters “And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.” (Ezekiel 1:28) “And the glory of Yahweh stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.” (Ezekiel 3:23) “Then the glory of Yahweh went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the bright- ness of Yahweh’s glory.” (Ezekiel 10:4) Repeatedly, Ezekiel fell on his face when the glory appeared. This wasn’t a polite bow. This was being completely over- come by the manifest presence. In Daniel’s Vision “Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.” (Daniel 10:8-9) Daniel—a man of great faith and spiritual discipline—had NO STRENGTH left. He fell into a deep sleep on his face. The glory drained every ounce of natural strength from his body. At the Mount of Transfiguration “And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.” (Matthew 17:6) Peter, James, and John—three of Yahshua’s closest disci- ples—fell on their faces in terror when they heard the Father’s voice from the cloud of glory. At the Tomb of Yahshua “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the an- gel of the Master descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and be- came as dead men.” (Matthew 28:2-4) The guards fell AS DEAD MEN when the angel appeared. Just one angel. Just a messenger. And hardened Roman sol- diers fell like corpses. Abraham’s Covenant “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.” (Genesis 15:12) When Yahweh came to cut covenant with Abraham, a deep sleep fell upon him. He lost consciousness. He could not re- main standing or alert in the presence of the covenant-making God. John on Patmos “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.” (Revelation 1:17) John—the beloved disciple who laid his head on Yahshua’s breast—fell AS DEAD when he saw Him in His glorified state. This is the same John who walked with Him for three years. Yet when he saw Him in glory, he fell as though dead. The Undeniable Pattern Look at the pattern: • Consecrated priests fall and cannot stand • Prophets fall on their faces • Men of faith lose all strength • Disciples fall in terror • Hardened soldiers fall as dead men • The beloved apostle falls as though dead When the glory of Yahweh manifests, human flesh CAN- NOT STAND. This is not: • Emotionalism • Hype • Manipulation • Theatrics • Psychological suggestion This is the biblical response to encountering the manifest glory of the Almighty. Why We Fall We fall because: 1. His glory is too great for mortal flesh to bear 2. His holiness exposes our unworthiness 3. His power overwhelms our natural strength 4. Our spirit responds to His presence before our mind can process it 5. He takes control and we lose control When you fall under the Spirit’s power, you’re experiencing what: • Abraham experienced • The priests experienced • Isaiah experienced • Ezekiel experienced • Daniel experienced • The disciples experienced • John experienced You’re in good biblical company. At FHMI At FHMI, you WILL see people fall under the power of the Spirit. You will see: • People falling during worship • People falling during prayer • People falling when hands are laid on them • People falling when the glory manifests • People unable to stand when His presence comes This is not manufactured. This is not worked up. This is not psychological manipulation. This is scriptural. This is normal. This is what happens when the Holy Spirit moves in power and the glory of Yah- weh manifests. A Question for Dead Churches We would dare say: If you are NOT seeing this in your as- sembly, you might want to question - WHY NOT? If the biblical pattern is that people CANNOT STAND when the glory appears... If priests, prophets, and apostles ALL fell in His presence... If this happened consistently throughout Scripture whenever Yahweh manifested His glory... Then why isn’t it happening in your church? Could it be that: • The glory is not present? • The Spirit is being quenched? • Religion has replaced relationship? • Order has replaced anointing? • Control has replaced surrender? • Form has replaced power? Paul asked the Galatians: “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:5) He didn’t ask IF miracles were happening. He assumed they were. The question was HOW they were happening. If your church has no manifestations of the Spirit’s power... If no one ever falls under the glory... If everything is neat, order- ly, controlled, and predictable... You don’t have a better way. You have a dead way. The issue isn’t with those who fall under the power. The issue is with those who never do—because it means the power isn’t present. Don’t Judge What You Haven’t Experienced If you’ve never experienced this, don’t be afraid. When you fall, you’re not losing control—you’re yielding control. You’re experiencing what every prophet, priest, and apostle experienced when they encountered His glory. If you’re a visitor and you see this happening, don’t be alarmed. Don’t judge. Don’t assume it’s fake. Remember: The priests could not stand. The prophets fell on their faces. The apostles fell as dead. When the glory appears, people cannot stand. It’s that simple. It’s that biblical. It’s that real. And if it’s NOT happening in your assembly, that should concern you far more than if it is. VI. Leaping for Joy “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23) The Hebrew word for “leap” (דַקָר - raqad) means: • To jump • To skip • To spring about wildly for joy • To remove oneself suddenly from the ground • To shake and dance with exuberance This isn’t a casual hop. This is wild, uninhibited, childlike leaping! The Pattern in Scripture Yahweh measures out for us: 1. Appointed suffering for His name’s sake 2. Appointed leaping joy for His name’s sake The diagram of Luke 6:22-23 shows us: SUFFERING FOR HIS NAME • Men shall hate you (Wisdom) • Men shall separate you (Understanding) • Men shall reproach you (Knowledge) • Men shall cast out your name as evil (Prudence) LEAPING JOY FOR HIS NAME • Rejoice with gladness (Wisdom) • Fellowship joy with suffering prophets (Understanding) • Leap for joy (Knowledge) • Great eternal reward in Heaven (Prudence) Temporal suffering from wicked people cannot be compared to eternal, pleasurable rejoicing and leaping joy in Heaven in the presence of Yahweh and His faithful prophets. At FHMI, when the Spirit moves, you will see people leap. Not because they’re told to. But because the joy of Yahweh erupts from within and must be expressed physically. VII. Groaning in Intercession “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of Yah- weh.” (Romans 8:26-27) The Holy Spirit prays through a surrendered heart, expressing: • Pain over those who are lost • Grief over those who have gone astray • Deep suffering for those separated from Yahweh We lack knowledge of other people’s needs—even our own needs. Yet the Holy Spirit can make deep groanings through us to address these needs, for words cannot express such depth of feeling. This isn’t theatrical. This isn’t manufactured emotion. This is the Spirit of Yahweh interceding through yielded vessels with groanings too deep for words. The Answer for a Cold Church This expression of prayer is Yahweh’s answer for today’s church world that has become: • Lethargic • Powerless • Cold • Dead in religious formalism Let us return to the simplicity and humility of the early church. Let us humble ourselves before Almighty Yahweh and demonstrate that we are surrendered to His will and Word. To do so, we must reinstate the Holy Spirit to His rightful place of directing and controlling our worship—both private and public. At FHMI, you may hear groaning in prayer. You may hear travailing. You may hear intercession that sounds unlike anything you’ve heard in traditional churches. This is the Holy Spirit praying through His people. VIII. Weeping Before Him “Serving Yahweh with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews.” (Acts 20:19) Yahshua is our perfect example. When Lazarus died, Scripture records the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Weeping is the result of strong emotions that bring tears to our eyes. It is: • Mourning over sin • Sorrow over lost souls • Lamentation over the condition of the world • Grief that leads to repentance Tears are Yahweh’s wailing water that He collects in His bottle and records in His book: “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (Psalm 56:8) The Promise of Harvest If we go out weeping for lost souls, we shall come back sing- ing, bringing fruitful sheaves: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6) Yahweh commands and controls situations in life to bring His people to weeping at His feet. This brokenness, this contrition, this weeping—it softens our hearts and prepares us for His word. What you are beholding is the present earthly ministry of the Melchizedek priesthood weeping between the porch and the altar for all men and their ultimate restoration. “Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Yahweh, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their Elohim?” (Joel 2:17) We are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), ordained after the order of Melchizedek—a priesthood that never ends, a priest- hood that intercedes not just for Israel, but for all mankind. When you see believers weeping at our altars, you are wit- nessing: • Priestly intercession for the lost • Travailing prayer for restoration • The ministry of reconciliation in action • Tears that water the harvest yet to come This weeping is not mere emotion. This is priestly ministry. This is the work of reconciliation. This is standing in the gap between a holy God and fallen humanity, crying out for mer- cy, pleading for restoration, interceding for the ultimate re- demption of all creation. When you see someone broken and weeping before Yahweh at FHMI, you are seeing a priest after the order of Melchizedek fulfilling their calling—weeping between the porch and the altar for the salvation and restoration of all men. IX. Praying Together in One Accord “And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to Yahweh with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art Yah- weh, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.” (Acts 4:23-24) After hearing of Peter and John’s courage in obeying Yahweh despite the malice of the Jewish priests and elders, the disci- ples joined in one accord to thank and praise their King. One accord (ὁμοθυμαδόν - homothumadon) means: • With one mind • With one passion • Unanimously • In unity of purpose and spirit They lifted up their voices (plural) in unified praise. Not silent prayer. Not individual meditation. But CORPORATE, VO- CAL, UNIFIED WORSHIP. The Power of Unity and Flowing Together “Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Yahweh, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.” (Jere- miah 31:12) “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aar- on’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Sion: for there Yahweh command- ed the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3) “And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith Yahweh, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.” (Hosea 2:21-22) “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, accord- ing to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16) One of the great secrets to the manifest presence of angels is COMPLETE UNITY in our corporate gatherings. There is a divine mystery in FLOWING TOGETHER as one body. When we flow together in unity: • The oil flows from the Head (Yahshua) down to the entire body • The wine of joy is released • Heaven hears our unified cry • The earth responds with blessing • Angels are drawn to the atmosphere of unity We SOW TO THE HEAVENS together, and THE HEAV- ENS SOW TO THE EARTH. This is why at FHMI you will notice there is NO INDIVID- UAL PRAISE in our assembly. We don’t have people doing their own thing, lost in private worship while the body is mov- ing in a different direction. As a congregation, we all join and flow together unto THE OIL AND THE WINE. When one person lifts their hands, we ALL lift our hands. When one begins to dance, we ALL begin to move. When one shouts, we ALL shout together. When the Spirit leads into prayer, we ALL pray in unity. This is not religious performance or mindless conformity. This is flowing together like the oil that ran down Aaron’s beard— from the Head to the entire body, covering everything in its path. Where there is unity, Yahweh commands the blessing. Where brethren flow together, there the Spirit moves with power. Where the congregation moves as one, Heaven opens and pours out. When believers come together in this kind of unity: • The Spirit moves with greater power • Prayer is amplified • Faith is strengthened • The enemy is defeated • Heaven responds • Angels minister in the midst • The oil flows freely • The wine of joy overflows This is why at FHMI we pray together, worship together, and lift our voices together. We’re not an audience watching a performance. We’re a congregation participating in corporate worship—flowing together as one body under one Head. At FHMI, you will be expected to participate. We don’t do individual worship while the body is moving corporately. We flow together. We move together. We sow to the heav- ens together. X. Trembling Under His Power “And he trembling and astonished said, Master, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Master said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:6) When Yahshua appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, he fell trembling to the ground. The Holy Spirit causes the submissive body to: • Tremble • Shake • Quake with excitement under His divine strength and power The saint’s body trembles when soul and spirit are stimulated with the emotions of Yahweh’s love, light, and life. The Holy Spirit: • Heats our spirit • Inflames our passion • Stirs up our zeal • Calls us into actions of praise and worship This physical response is not manufactured. It’s not worked up. It’s the natural response of a finite, physical body encoun- tering the infinite power of the Almighty. Other Examples in Scripture • Moses trembled at Mount Sinai when Yahweh descend- ed (Hebrews 12:21) • The guards at Yahshua’s tomb trembled and became as dead men (Matthew 28:4) • Felix trembled when Paul preached about righteousness and judgment (Acts 24:25) • The Philippian jailer came trembling before Paul and Silas (Acts 16:29) At FHMI, you may see people trembling under the power of the Spirit. This is a physical manifestation of spiritual power. Do not be afraid. Do not judge. This is scriptural. XI. Falling Prostrate in Worship “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.” (Revelation 1:17) To fall prostrate before Yahweh is to bow in: • The deepest humility • The most profound adoration • The greatest reverence • Complete surrender When John saw Yahshua the Messiah in the grandeur of His resurrected glory, he fell at His feet as a dead man—overcome by His glorious, resurrected holiness. True Humility Falls True humility falls to the ground to lift up Yahshua the Messi- ah and His resurrected glory and light. When we humbly bow before Him, we are joined to His eternal love, light, and life. This posture demonstrates: • Total submission to His lordship • Complete humility before His majesty • Absolute worship of His worthiness • Full surrender to His will At FHMI, you may see people fall prostrate in worship. You may see them lie face down before Yahweh. This is not theatrics. This is the biblical response to encountering His glory. The Pattern of Hebrew Worship Let’s be absolutely clear about something: The worship pat- tern we follow at FHMI is not our invention. It’s not our preference. It’s the biblical pattern established in Torah and demonstrated throughout Scripture. In the Tabernacle of Moses The worship in Moses’ tabernacle was: • Structured around sacrifice • Separated by veils • Limited to priests • Focused on ritual purity In the Tabernacle of David But the worship in David’s tabernacle was radically different: • No veil separating worshippers from the Ark (2 Samuel 6:17) • Constant praise day and night (1 Chronicles 16:37) • Music and instruments of every kind (1 Chronicles 15:16) • Dancing and celebration in Yahweh’s presence (2 Samuel 6:14) • Prophetic worship led by appointed ministers (1 Chronicles 25:1-3) This is the pattern that Amos prophesied would be restored: “In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.” (Amos 9:11) This is the pattern James referenced at the Jerusalem Council: “And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is writ- ten, After this I will return, and will build again the taber- nacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.” (Acts 15:15-16) The tabernacle of David—with its expressive, uninhibited, passionate worship—is the pattern for New Covenant wor- ship. This is what we practice at FHMI. What You’ll Experience at FHMI When you visit First Harvest Ministries International, here’s what you can expect: Before the Service Arrive early. You’ll likely hear music already playing and people already praying. We don’t wait until the “official” start time to begin worshipping. Worship begins when Yahweh’s people gather. During Worship You will witness: • Hands lifted throughout the sanctuary • Voices raised in praise and singing • People dancing in the aisles and at the front • Clapping and shouting in triumph • Some running in celebration • Others weeping in repentance or intercession • Groaning in prayer • Speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance • Prophetic utterances as the Spirit moves • People falling under the power of the Spirit • Trembling and shaking in His presence • Lying prostrate in worship During the Message Even during the preaching: • People may shout “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!” • There may be prophetic responses to the Word • The Spirit may interrupt with a word of knowledge or prophecy • People may be slain in the Spirit during ministry time Duration Our services don’t run by a clock. We don’t stop because it’s “noon” or because there’s another service scheduled. We worship until the Spirit is finished moving. Services may be two hours. They may be four hours. They may go even longer during special times of visitation. We follow the Spirit, not the clock. A Word to First-Time Visitors If you’re visiting FHMI for the first time, this style of worship may be completely foreign to you. It may even make you un- comfortable. That’s okay. We understand. What We Ask of You 1. Be respectful. Just because our worship is loud and demonstrative doesn’t mean it’s chaos. There is divine order in our services. Please don’t treat it as an opportu- nity to chat with your neighbor or check your phone. If you’re not ready to participate, sit quietly and observe with respect. 2. Keep an open heart. Don’t let religious tradition keep you from experiencing Yahweh in a fresh way. Remem- ber, the worship you’re witnessing is biblical worship. It may not be traditional, but it is scriptural. 3. Don’t judge. You may see things you’ve never seen before. You may witness manifestations of the Spirit that challenge your theology. Before you dismiss it as emotionalism or disorder, ask yourself: “Is this in Scrip- ture?” The answer will consistently be yes. 4. Participate if you feel led. You’re not required to dance, shout, or lift your hands. But if the Spirit moves you to worship, don’t hold back because of self-con- sciousness or fear of what others might think. Let your- self worship freely. 5. Expect an encounter. When you come to FHMI, come expecting to encounter the living Yahweh. Come ex- pecting the Spirit to move. Come expecting your life to be changed. A Challenge to the Religious Spirit If you visit our services and find yourself offended, critical, or judgmental of our worship, I would ask you to examine your heart. Are you offended because what you’re witnessing is unbiblical? Or are you offended because it violates your reli- gious traditions? The Pharisees were offended by Yahshua because He didn’t fit their religious mold. They criticized Him for: • Eating with sinners • Healing on the Sabbath • Not washing His hands according to tradition • Allowing His disciples to eat grain on the Sabbath • Claiming equality with Yahweh In every case, they were defending their traditions rather than honoring Scripture. Don’t make the same mistake. Don’t reject biblical worship simply because it doesn’t fit your religious upbringing. Our Theological Foundation At FHMI, our worship flows from our theology. We are a He- brew Roots congregation that embraces: The Sacred Names We honor the sacred names revealed in Scripture: • Yahweh - the personal name of the Father • Yahshua - the name of the Messiah (meaning “Yahweh saves”) We do not use substitute titles like “the LORD” (which replac- es the name with a title) or anglicized versions that obscure the Hebrew meanings. Names matter in Hebrew culture, and the names of the Father and Son carry deep significance. The Appointed Times We observe the biblical feast days commanded in Torah: • Passover (Pesach) • Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) • First Fruits (Yom HaBikkurim) • Pentecost (Shavuot) • Trumpets (Yom Teruah) • Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) • Tabernacles (Sukkot) • The Last Great Day (Shemini Atzeret) We do NOT celebrate: • Christmas (a pagan holiday with no biblical basis) • Easter (another pagan holiday masquerading as Chris- tian) • Halloween (obviously demonic) • And a myriad of other pagan-based holidays that have infiltrated the church For a comprehensive examination of the pagan origins of these holidays and how they entered Christianity, see Pas- tor Vaughn’s book “The Story You Were Never Supposed to Know” These appointed times are rehearsals (the meaning of the Hebrew word mo’ed) of prophetic events. They are not “Jew- ish holidays” - they are Yahweh’s appointed times for all His people. Two-House Restoration We believe in the restoration of both houses of Israel: • The House of Judah (the Jewish people) • The House of Ephraim (the scattered northern tribes) We reject replacement theology that claims the church has re- placed Israel. Instead, we believe grafted-in Gentiles become part of the commonwealth of Israel through faith in Messiah. Unitarian Theology We are unitarian in our understanding of the nature of Yah- weh and Yahshua: • Yahweh is the Father - the only true Deity • Yahshua is the Son - fully human, the Messiah, but NOT deity Himself • Yahweh did NOT die (He cannot die) • Only Yahshua the man died and was resurrected We reject Trinitarian formulations that make Yahshua “God the Son” or speak of His “divine blood” or describe Him as “God Became Flesh.” These are later theological constructs not found in Scripture. Covenant Continuity We believe in covenant continuity rather than dispensational discontinuity. The New Covenant does not abolish the Old— it fulfills and internalizes it. The Torah was not “done away with” but rather written on our hearts. We keep the seventh-day Sabbath (Friday evening through Saturday evening) as commanded in the Ten Commandments. We eat clean according to Leviticus 11. We observe the bibli- cal calendar. All of This Shapes Our Worship Our theology directly impacts our worship because: 1. Hebrew worship is our model - We look to Torah and the Prophets to understand how Yahweh wants to be worshipped, not to church tradition or denominational preference. 2. We worship in Spirit and Truth - Truth means align- ment with Scripture, not alignment with religious tra- dition. The Spirit leads us into worship that honors the biblical pattern. 3. We celebrate covenant - Our expressive worship cel- ebrates our covenant relationship with Yahweh through Messiah Yahshua. It’s personal, intimate, and passion- ate. 4. We reject dead religion - Religious formalism that quenches the Spirit has no place in our assemblies. We want the living presence of Yahweh, not lifeless ritual. The Early Church Pattern Let’s examine what worship looked like in the early church: After Peter and John’s Release (Acts 4) “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to Yahweh with one accord... And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spa- ke the word of Yahweh with boldness.” (Acts 4:24, 31) They lifted up their voice - loud, vocal prayer. The result? The building shook. The Spirit moved with such power that the physical structure trembled. IF THE BUILDING ISN’T SHAKING, IT’S NOT BIBLI- CAL WORSHIP. That’s not hyperbole. That’s not exaggeration. That’s the New Testament standard. When the early church prayed in one accord, the place where they were assembled was physically shaken. If your worship services never produce this kind of power, you don’t have a better way—you have a powerless way. In Philip’s Ministry (Acts 8) “And there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:8) Not polite satisfaction. Not quiet contentment. Great joy - exuberant, expressive, demonstrative joy. In the Philippian Jail (Acts 16) “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto Yahweh: and the prisoners heard them.” (Acts 16:25) They sang so loudly that the other prisoners could hear them. This wasn’t humming under their breath. This was loud, joy- ful worship - even in prison, even with bleeding backs. The result? An earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and opened every door. The Pattern Is Clear Early church worship was: • Loud (lifted voices, singing that could be heard) • Physical (dancing, lifting hands, falling under power) • Emotional (great joy, weeping, groaning) • Supernatural (tongues, prophecy, miracles, buildings shaking) • Corporate (with one accord, together) • Extended (not watching a clock) This is the pattern we follow at FHMI. We’re not making this up. We’re returning to the biblical model. Why Dead Religion Hates Expressive Worship Let’s be honest about why many churches and Christians are uncomfortable with expressive worship: it threatens religious control. Religion Wants Predictability Dead religion wants: • Services that start and end on time • Worship that doesn’t get messy • Emotions kept in check • Everything orderly and controlled • No surprises from the Spirit But the Spirit is unpredictable. He moves when He wants, how He wants, through whom He wants. You can’t control Him. You can’t schedule Him. You can’t contain Him in a one-hour service slot. Religion Fears Emotion Dead religion teaches that: • Emotion is inferior to intellect • Feeling is less spiritual than thinking • Passion is suspicious and probably fleshly • Real worship is quiet and contemplative But this is Greek philosophy, not Hebrew truth! In Hebrew thought, the heart (בֵל - lev) includes: • Mind • Will • Emotion • Desire • Passion You cannot separate emotion from genuine worship. You can- not love Yahweh with all your heart and remain emotionally detached. Religion Demands Conformity Dead religion says: • “Everyone sit quietly” • “Don’t make a scene” • “What will people think?” • “We’ve never done it that way before” But the Spirit demands freedom, not conformity. Where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17). Religion Exalts Man’s Wisdom Dead religion elevates: • Eloquent preaching • Theological precision • Intellectual discourse • Academic credentials But Paul said: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with ex- cellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Yahweh... And my speech and my preach- ing was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of Yahweh.” (1 Corinthians 2:1, 4-5) At FHMI, we’d rather have: • One demonstration of the Spirit • Than a hundred eloquent sermons We’d rather see: • One person touched by Yahweh’s power • Than impress a thousand with our oratory We’re not interested in dead religion. We want the living presence of the Most High. Addressing Common Objections Let’s deal with some common objections to expressive wor- ship: “But 1 Corinthians 14:40 says everything should be done decently and in order!” Yes, it does. But look at the context. Paul is addressing the abuse of spiritual gifts in Corinth, where people were speak- ing in tongues without interpretation and prophesying out of turn. He’s not saying worship should be quiet and controlled. In fact, in the same chapter he says: • “I would that ye all spake with tongues” (v. 5) • “I thank my Elohim, I speak with tongues more than ye all” (v. 18) • “Forbid not to speak with tongues” (v. 39) Order doesn’t mean silence. Order means: • Tongues with interpretation • Prophets speaking in turn • Everything done to edify the body Our services at FHMI ARE orderly. We have appointed lead- ership. We have structure. We don’t allow chaos or confusion. But we also don’t quench the Spirit in the name of “order.” “But that kind of worship is too emotional and carnal!” Tell that to: • David, who danced before the Ark with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14) • Miriam, who took a timbrel and led the women in dance (Exodus 15:20) • The Levites, who praised Yahweh with loud instru- ments (2 Chronicles 5:12-13) • The 120 on Pentecost who appeared drunk (Acts 2:13) • Paul and Silas, who sang so loudly the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25) If our worship is “too emotional,” then biblical worship was too emotional. If our worship is “carnal,” then David’s danc- ing was carnal. If our expressions are excessive, then Pente- cost was excessive. We reject the false dichotomy between “spiritual” and “emo- tional.” The Holy Spirit works through our emotions, not in spite of them. “But doesn’t Yahweh want us to worship in Spirit and in truth? That means quiet, internal worship.” No, it doesn’t. When Yahshua told the Samaritan woman we must worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:23-24), He meant: • In Spirit: Empowered by the Holy Spirit, not in our own strength • In truth: According to biblical truth, not according to human tradition or false doctrine This verse says NOTHING about the volume or expressive- ness of worship. In fact, everywhere we see Spirit-filled wor- ship in Scripture, it is: • Loud • Physical • Demonstrative • Emotional “But I’m just not comfortable with that kind of worship.” Then I would gently suggest your comfort isn’t the issue. The question is not “What makes me comfortable?” but “What does Scripture command?” If your discomfort comes from: • Religious tradition • Fear of what others think • Pride • Cultural conditioning • Past negative experiences ...then those are issues to work through, not reasons to reject biblical worship. Yahweh is not calling us to be comfortable. He’s calling us to be obedient. “But that looks like emotionalism and hype!” There’s a difference between: Emotionalism - Working up feelings through manipulation and hype Spiritual emotion - Genuine response to encountering the presence of Yahweh We don’t manufacture emotion at FHMI. We don’t use emo- tional manipulation tactics. We don’t create false experiences. But when the Spirit moves, there WILL be emotion. There WILL be physical responses. There WILL be demonstrations of His power. If you encountered: • The Creator of the universe • The Holy One of Israel • The King of Kings • The Consuming Fire ...would you sit there stone-faced and unmoved? Or would you respond with your whole being? An Invitation and a Warning To Those Seeking Truth If you’re tired of dead, dry, religious services where the Spirit is quenched... If you’re hungry for genuine encounters with the living Yah- weh... If you want to experience the kind of worship described in Scripture... Come visit us at FHMI. Come with an open heart. Come ready to worship. Come ex- pecting to encounter Him in power. We’re not perfect. We’re still growing. But we’re pursuing the biblical pattern with all our hearts. To the Religious and Critical If you’re going to visit our services with a critical spirit... If you’re coming to judge, mock, or ridicule... If you’re offended by expressive, demonstrative, passionate worship... Please don’t bother coming. We’re not interested in defending our worship to religious Pharisees. We’re not going to tone it down to make you com- fortable. We’re not going to apologize for following the bibli- cal pattern. If you come with a religious, critical spirit, you’ll miss what Yahweh is doing because you’ll be too busy judging what you see. A Sobering Warning Remember that Michal, David’s wife, criticized him for danc- ing “undignified” before the Ark: “And as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart... Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:16, 23) Michal’s criticism of David’s worship resulted in barrenness. She had no children. No fruit. No legacy. When you criticize genuine, biblical worship, you risk spiritu- al barrenness. You risk cutting yourself off from the very thing that brings life, joy, and fruitfulness. Don’t make Michal’s mistake. Our Commitment at FHMI We are committed to: 1. Biblical Worship We will continue to worship according to the pattern revealed in Scripture, regardless of: • Cultural trends • Denominational preferences • Religious criticism • What’s popular or acceptable 2. Spirit-Led Services We will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our gather- ings, even when: • It disrupts our plans • It makes us uncomfortable • It extends beyond our scheduled time • It challenges our expectations 3. Freedom of Expression We will maintain an atmosphere where believers are free to: • Express worship in biblical ways • Respond to the Spirit’s moving • Dance, shout, weep, or fall under His power • Worship without self-consciousness or shame 4. No Compromise We will not compromise biblical worship to accommodate: • Religious tradition • Cultural sensibilities • Seeker-sensitive models • Contemporary church growth strategies 5. Teaching and Mentoring We will continue to teach and mentor believers in: • The biblical pattern of worship • The Hebrew roots of our faith • Freedom from religious bondage • How to flow with the Spirit Conclusion: Dancing on Mt Sion The prophet Joel spoke of a day when Yahweh would pour out His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-29). Peter declared that this prophecy was fulfilled on Pentecost (Acts 2:16-17). But there’s a greater fulfillment yet to come—when all of Yahweh’s people worship Him in Spirit and in truth on Mount Sion. “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living Elohim, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innu- merable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to Yahweh the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Yahshua the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22-24) We are already citizens of that heavenly Sion. We are already part of that festal gathering. And the worship we practice here on earth is a rehearsal for the eternal worship we’ll experience there. On that mountain, there will be: • Dancing without weariness • Shouting without restraint • Celebration without end • Joy without sorrow • Freedom without bondage Why wait until then? Why not begin now to worship as we will worship for all eternity? This is why we’re “Dancing on Mt Sion.” Not because we’re caught up in emotion or hype. Not because we’re trying to work ourselves into a frenzy. But because we’ve tasted the powers of the age to come. We’ve experienced the joy of His presence. We’ve encoun- tered the living Yahweh. And we cannot help but respond with our whole being—spir- it, soul, and body—in exuberant, demonstrative, passionate, biblical worship. Come Dance With Us At First Harvest Ministries International, we invite you to: Come as you are But expect to be changed Come with your burdens And find them lifted in worship Come with your questions And discover the One who is the Answer Come with religious baggage And experience freedom in His presence Come ready to encounter The living Yahweh who still moves in power We’re not for everyone. If you’re satisfied with dead religion, you’ll hate it here. If you’re comfortable in your religious tra- dition, we’ll make you uncomfortable. But if you’re hungry for more... If you’re tired of playing church... If you want to experience the kind of worship described in Scripture... Come dance with us on Mount Sion. First Harvest Ministries International Apostolic Overseer: John Shane Vaughn Locations: Find our congregations throughout North America Online: www.HisComingKingdom.com www.TheTruthTv.tv For more teaching on Hebrew roots, covenant theology, and biblical worship, visit our websites or contact us di- rectly. “Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. For Yahweh taketh plea- sure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.” (Psalm 149:3-5) © 2025 First Harvest Ministries International All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, with sacred names restored.