Assembly of God/speaking in tongues

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Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 8/24/2010


Question
It is my understanding that a tongue is a language that someone besides yourself understands. If you speak in tongues then you can communicate with other people which is proof that you are not making it up. A tongue can be Spanish, French, English, and other languages. It is understandable to those who are able to understand it. It is not a secret that only you know. A lot of people fall out in the isles at church and babble nonsense. This is fake. Why do people pretend to speak in tongues? Do you think that there is another language that comes to your head that you have not been taught?

Answer

Pentecost
Trissi,

Thank you for your question, and the opportunity to help.

Speaking in tongues as the present Pentecostal/Spirit-filled Churches experience it, is ecstatic inspired speech in a language or languages that one does not know and it takes two forms. Sometimes such languages exist but the person who receives them is not able to speak them in the natural, such as what happened to the apostles at Pentecost – They started speaking languages, given to them supernaturally by the Holy Spirit, which were not known to them but were known to others.

Other times, believers start breaking out in non-existing languages that take the name of “heteroglossa”, which are not known on the earth and have no specific translation. They can be interpreted, but they can’t be translated. It is a language given to the believer, which he has no previous knowledge of.

The gift of tongues is supernatural and cannot be learned by our own means. Missionaries traveling to foreign remote countries may experience such gift when requested to preach in existing languages unknown to them. Suddenly they may become empowered by the Holy Ghost and they would start speaking that language fluently.

Sometimes, the unknown glossa of a message sound like known languages, such as Japanese or Arabic, or some African dialects. But most of the times, the messages will be in “heteroglossa” – or different tongues. These are referred to in the New Testament by Paul as “the tongues of angels” or heavenly languages (“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels…” - I Corinthians 13:1) which can only be interpreted, not translated. Messages in tongues are direct witnesses of and to God’s presence and work in the midst of a gathering of believers.

Hope this helps.

Elder Greg Madden

Elder Greg Madden

Expertise

As a born again, Holy Ghost filled minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I am available to answer questions concerning most all Biblical doctrines, the gifts and fruit of the Spirit, "Pentecostal/Apostolic" issues, and the history of the Pentecostal movement. For more info check out our web site at...
http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1

Experience

I gave my heart to the Lord a few months after being married during a revival meeting. A few weeks later I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and I have not been the same since! In those twenty five years we have only attended one church (Harvest Church), and there I have served there as an Elder for fourteen years. We minister in song with the choir and worship team. I am also the new member’s class coordinator, men's ministry director, and the Harvest Riders motorcycle ministry president. In 1993 the Lord called me to "...preach the Gospel where ever I open the door..." I have had the privilege of ministering God's Word to churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. In those meetings we have seen the Lord save, heal, deliver, and fill people will His Spirit.

Organizations
I am ordained through Harvest Church, and with the World Harvest Ministerial Fellowship. I also am a licensed minister with the State of Oklahoma.

Education/Credentials
I am currantly enrolled with the Ames Bible College.

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