Speaking and Praying in Tongues

"Utterly amazed, they asked: ' Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?" Acts 2:7-8

In Acts 2 there is the first instance of speaking in tongues, which has become a controversial topic in the modern church. In some churches the practice of speaking in tongues is a regular occurrence and is considered a normal part of worship. At other churches the practice is viewed with skepticism and is not encouraged as a part of the church. There is much that could be said on the topic, but we will focus on what speaking tongues is and what it is for.

In Acts 2 we see speaking tongues referring to someone speaking in their natural language and being understood by others in their natural language. In the inauguration of the church God supernaturally breaks down the language barriers that were present. This opened the door for Peter to preach to a large group representing a good portion of the inhabited world without the barrier of language. This can be seen as a work of the Holy Spirit equipping the early church to begin the mission Jesus had given them to spread the gospel.

However, most often when the idea of "speaking in tongues" is mentioned, we mean praying in a language that no one else (often including yourself ) understands. If you are interested in understanding this form of tongues more thoroughly I recommend reading 1 Corinthians 14 in which Paul gives an extended discourse on the subject. Essentially what he says is that praying in tongues should only be done in public if it will be interpreted. The fundamental concept presented in 1 Corinthians 14 is that we should practice what is most edifying for the church.

The concept of tuning our actions to edify the church is very important. Tongues should not be a source of division or strife within the church. The purpose of tongues in all cases is either to edify an individual in prayer to God or to edify the church as a whole. If we use tongues as a foundation for division we not only undermine its fundamental purpose we also undermine the very existence of the church. This is not to say that we don't come to a conclusion about what we believe about the practice of tongues. We simply must be careful that we use the conclusions we come to edify and not divide the church.