Speaking in Tongues: A Spiritual Gift or Something to be Learned?

In Christian churches today, especially the Pentecostal churches, speaking in tongues has become a culture, a means of identification, and generally, a point of emphasis among the congregation. It is not prominent in orthodox churches, although it exists. The orthodox churches do not lay much weight to it, as do the new generation churches.

When Christ was ascending into heaven, he said to his apostles, “ You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witness…” (Acts 1:8 RSV) This promise was manifested on the Pentecost, the day on which the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire in Mat 3:11 was fulfilled. On that day, the “Apostles were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4)

In most Pentecostal churches today, speaking in tongues has turned to a compulsory thing for the members. They are demanded to learn how to speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is no longer done under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Pastors require that everyone that is born again must always speak in tongues. This goes in contrary to what the bible says about speaking in tongues as a gift of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist made us to know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which we Christians see as speaking in tongues but he did not say that Christians should learn it.

To buttress this argument, a pastor in Togo, came to our house for ministration. In the process, he asked if we speak in tongues and we said no. He told us that we are living in bondage and are still in darkness if we do not speak in tongues. When it was time to pray, he asked us to start speaking in tongues. We told him that we did not know how and he asked us to speak whatever that comes to our mouth. There and then, we started making different animal and funny noises until he asked us to stop. It was really a funny experience. The day I attended the church, the same thing happened. At a point in the service, he asked all present to start speaking in tongues.

What am I trying to say? Speaking in tongues actually is a good thing for Christians but we have turned it to a dramatic thing. It is true that it is the only language that the devil does not understand but the Bible in some places emphasized that people spoke in tongues when the Holy Spirit fell on them. There was no place that the disciples taught people to speak in tongues. (Acts 10:46, 19:6 RSV). This is very much contrary to what we experience now in Pentecostal churches. If you do not speak in tongues, the Holy Spirit is not on you and you are not born again. The whole idea of speaking in tongues has been converted to something artificial and mechanical. Pastors, and no longer the Holy Spirit induce members to speak in tongues. Congregation will be asked to confess their sins and they will enter speaking in tongues, which is out of place.

St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians 12:4-11, makes us to understand that there are different gifts of the Holy Spirit, which he “ Apportions to each one individually as he calls.”(12:11RSV) To some he gave the gift of healing, others, prophesy, ability to distinguish between spirits, speaking in various tongues and the interpretation of tongues. This portion of the bible makes it very lucid that speaking in tongues and others are gifts from the Holy Spirit and not something to be learned. Asking members to learn it is to me, a derision of the Holy Spirit that gives such gift.

Furthermore, St Paul asked in the same chapter, 29-30, “ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” Sometimes, I do wonder how we interpret the bible. The bible makes so many things clear to us but we always want to add our own. The bible encourages Christians to speak in tongues. It never asked us to learn it when the power to speak it has not come upon us from the Holy Spirit. How can the Holy Spirit interpret tongues not inspired by the Holy Spirit?

In as much as speaking in tongues is a wonderful thing, pastors should allow the holy spirit to take control and have his way in the life of members and use them according to his will and to the Glory of God. They should desist from making themselves Holy Spirit. I too speak in tongues but under the inspiration and influence of the Holy Spirit and He also stops it when He wants.

Therefore, the biblical fact the Holy spirit gives the utterance should not be neglected. Also, Christians should not forget that “It is not by might, nor by power but my spirit says the Lord of Host (Zech 4:6)