Why Do Christians Run the Aisles and Shout in Church? Is It Biblical?

Running the aisles, shouting, crying, and dancing are forms of emotional or physical expression sometimes seen in Christian worship. The Bible records occasions when God’s people shouted, sang loudly, danced, and expressed great joy. However, Scripture also teaches that worship should be done “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). The question is therefore not simply whether Christians may express joy physically, but whether the particular expression is biblical and whether it is being done in a proper spirit.

The Bible records shouting, singing, dancing, and other physical expressions of rejoicing. David danced before the LORD, Israel shouted for joy, and the twenty-four elders cast their crowns before Christ. At the same time, the New Testament teaches that church services should be conducted decently and in order. Therefore, running the aisles or shouting should be examined in light of Scripture rather than judged solely by tradition or emotion.

What Does “Running the Aisles” Mean?

“Running the aisles” refers to a person leaving their seat during a church service and running or moving through the aisles as an expression of excitement, joy, worship, or religious emotion.

Why do we run the aisles in church?

Pastor Gene Kim did not defend this running around the room or throwing things in a room behavior fully in a church service. He began by saying that it can be demonic as well.

Is Running the Aisles Just Emotionalism?

There was an Independent Fundamental Baptist revival meeting in the United States where the pastor kept telling the congregation to repeat a song. People were overrun with emotions and they were running to the altars, crying. But that’s demonic because it’s overrun by emotions. A lot of pentecostal churches practice this.

When you focus on the Holy Spirit, the worship service is done decently and in order. If it goes out of hand, it goes however it goes.

Galatians 5:24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

But let’s take a look at a couple of scriptures that showed how “traditional” worship looked like in the bible.

Did David dance before the Lord?

2 Samuel 6:14-16,20,23 “And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord ; and she despised him in her heart. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.”

Michal who despised David’s dancing had no child until the day she died. Those people who criticize the Bible believers for running around and rejoicing should think twice.

 

Is throwing things around biblical?

Revelation 4:10 “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying”

The crowns that God gives to us – aren’t they holy and sacred and righteous? Look at what the elders do in heaven. They threw the crowns at the feet of Jesus. There’s nothing wrong with that form of worship.

If someone gets a million dollars, it’s normal to be dancing around. It’s natural human behavior. When a student graduates, they toss their hats in the air. What’s wrong with that?

 

Why Can Church Shouting Feel Unusual?

You’re so used to see the world shouting at baseball games but you have not seen Christians shouting for the Lord. We are too brainwashed by the world. We think everything needs to be like in a Catholic church.

 

Is crying, singing & shouting in the church biblical?

Ezra 3:11-13 “And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord ; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”

The volume was so high that there was no distinction between shouting and crying. Some people say “Well, it’s too loud for me.” Their singing is their expression of praise.

In the age of the great revival, people were running around the room a lot and shouting. Billy Sunday slid across bases and even broke chairs. It happened a lot at Bob Jones University too. When it is a shout of praise, there is nothing wrong. The important thing is not to do it out of the flesh or “emotions”.