It's Just the Prom

For weeks, we have heard talk of the "crowning moment" of one's high school experience and the "once in a lifetime" night for teenagers. The Prom. For weeks, there has been debate after debate on Facebook and Twitter amongst the anti-prom people and the pro-prom people. For weeks I have observed, with heartbreaking disgust, the immodest Prom gowns proudly displayed on profile pictures and photos of Church kids "getting down" on the dimly lit dance floor. For weeks, I have been praying about actually writing a blog on the subject. Should I? Should I not? And after much prayer and remembering that I had no reserve in tackling the various ways people try to raise breast cancer awareness back in October, I have decided to hold nothing back on THIS subject which, I believe, is just as harmful to a Christian's testimony.

Let me start with the most common question: “Is dancing wrong?”

I have to say, "No, it's not." Dancing is not an intrinsic evil. There is no sin in moving one’s feet to the rhythm of music. The Bible records instances when righteous men danced as an expression of their joy (1 Chronicles 15:25-29; Luke 15:11-32) and countless times in the Psalms, it tells us to dance in worship, praising and glorifying the LORD. (Psalm 149:3; Psalm 150:4) BUT is this the same type of dancing as done at the High School Prom? Should Christians have anything to do with the Prom?

For years, there have been Godly men and preachers of the Gospel who have stood up to declare truth. Once, long ago, their warnings were heard and people adhered to wisdom. Now? Far from it. The proclaimers of truth are ignored, mocked, and even attacked - by who? The Church people. What has changed? The truth? Or the people? I believe what has changed are the attitudes and respect (or lack of) God’s people have for His will and His Word. Some apparently seem to be more willing to justify their “pet” sins than they are willing to justify God’s high moral standard.


Our ungodly world puts tremendous pressure on God’s people to join with them in worldly recreation. It is for this reason that sin needs to be defined and lines drawn so that we, as Christians, can know what is right and what is wrong. So, with that in mind, what does the Bible say about the Prom?

The primary focus of the Prom is the dance. In listing the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, dancing is condemned three times: as lasciviousness, reveling, and “such like.” Lasciviousness is “indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females”

Hmmmmm....

Some teens have actually asked me, “What if I go to the Prom and don't dance?”

Well, Paul warned Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:22 to, “...neither be partakers of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”

Ephesians 5:11 says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

If you were honest, you would admit that the Prom is not clean nor wholesome. And furthermore, the modern dance of today - dancing that involves indecent and suggestive bodily movements, and that calls for close bodily contact between unmarried males and females - is most definitely not clean nor wholesome. Its appeal is sex. The whole thing is inherently sexual, therefore, it incites lust. Paul admonished Timothy (as well as ALL of us) to “flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22) There is no worshipping of God at the Prom. There is no atmosphere for an alter call. There is nothing that invites the Holy Spirit of God in. So....why are the Christians defending it? Why are they desperate to go? Fighting to support it?

I have been so bothered and burdened seeing pictures of “dirty dancing” (and that’s the way I’ll describe it. To get specific would probably be offensive) performed on the “chaperoned” dance floor broad casted all over Facebook. Some of the most ungodly dress and actions were from some of the very teenagers who are looked up to by the younger children; who lead in their youth groups; who go on mission trips. If this is the way that disciples of Jesus conduct themselves, then how do you suppose the world acts? No wonder our school system typically mails out a letter to area churches asking for their help and support in keeping, what they describe as “one of the most dangerous nights of the year for our young people” as safe as possible.

Young people, keep the commitment that you made to the Lord. Guard your heart and mind from the fleshly lusts that "war against your soul.”

And parents, help your son or daughter in making decisions that affect their testimony. Sometimes, because of the tremendous peer pressure they are under, your children need you to say “no” for them. Help them make Christ-focused decisions that will bring honor to our God.
You know what I think? I think we need a good dose of discipleship! I think we need to quit acting and thinking carnally. I think God's people need to stop immersing themselves in such a worldly event, and to develop some backbone. And I think we need to be honest with ourselves and quit trying to defend what is indefensible. What do you think?

Galatians 5:19-21 -
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

1 Peter 2:11 -
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."

1 Thessalonians 5:22 -
"Abstain from all appearance of evil."