I'm wondering what people have experienced when talking to youth ministers about including Christian dance music as a part of the lock-ins and other big youth events that they organize. I'm planning to approach some youth ministers from my denomination about doing this. United Methodists tend to be less socially conservative than most denominations so I don't think that dancing in church is taboo to our youth ministers (I might be wrong).

It sounded like people had not had good experiences at all with trying to organize dance events at church. I just thought that if there was an event with other activities already planned like a lock-in and some sort of dance element were added, it might go better than trying to have a dance party as a stand-alone event.

What have folks experienced with this? Does it seem like something that could work at all? Or is it disaster waiting to happen?

I guess I'm pretty invested in trying to put the club in the church rather than the church in the club because I got pretty burned in the secular music world in the past. When I had an indie rock band, I never felt like I could keep up with the 20 year old indie kids who delivered pizzas or bar-tended so they could go to each others' shows every single night of the week. I was doing well to get my band to agree to one or two shows a month. I feel like the level of schmoozing I would have to do to be successful in the very limited dance club scene around here wouldn't work with the time I need for my family and friends. I'm not a clubber and nobody I'm good friends with is; but I really like to make the music. I feel this strong sense of calling around it and that's the only basis I have for thinking that it will ever go anywhere other than my study.

I don't know why I wrote all that. I think just to lay out what's behind the way I want to do things. I know that God would lead me to where he wants me to go and I've just got to keep on praying and typing internet posts and listening for his guidance.

Thanks for any advice or encouragement, Mr. G

what keith said:

i think the wisest way to do it is to have dance music playing as part of the main room, which could also have games,inflatables, et al.  have a dance stage as part of it, not as the main thing.

OR if you do bands, you could have a DJ as either one of the acts or spinning in between the bands OR as part of a worship set.

my  $.0000002