Do Free Methodists believe in speaking in tongues?

Hi everyone. Do Free Methodists believe in speaking in tongues?

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I'm not a church expert, but I would have to say no. In my 15 years of attending Free Methodist churches I have never seen anyone speaking in tongues. I did get to witness it while visiting a Penecostal church several years ago. It kinda scared me.

I think that is mostly just a Pentacostal thing.... but I am not sure...

Here is a link that describes the history of it. http://www.religioustolerance.org/tongues1.htm

From what I have read/understand, generally they may believe it is possible to speak in tongues but it is not really part of their services/core beliefs etc. Methodists believe we may be blessed with a variety of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the speaking in tongues is mostly a practice in Pentacostal denominations....

Hope this helps,
Laura

Thanks everyone.

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they use to...when they started they were penecostal..Wesley was a penecostal..

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The Jesus in me loves the Jesus in you!!
(Eph 2:6) and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,

(Eph 2:7) so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Actually, Wesley was an Anglican priest.

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I don't think Pastor Mike meant in the denominational sense.

As it was possible for Wesley to be both an Anglican priests and organizationally a a Methodist, so it was possible for him to be both an Anglican priest and a pentecostal at heart. There are still plenty of pentecostals (small "p") and quite a few charismatics in the United Methodist Church, but I don't know about the Free Methodist.

Among Methodists, the closest to the idea of speaking in tongues that you'll find is likely the belief in xenoglossia, the speaking of other extant languages for the sole purpose of evangelizing, not the idea of a 'prayer language' that exists in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles.

In terms of Wesleyan history, Pentecostalism was influenced by the Holiness movement, of which Methodism also took influence from and was a part of in many respects. There's a rather wide gap on a number of issues between the two, though - theologically and socio-politically.

EDIT: ok, I was going to much for the denominational sense of the word.

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Yeah, I figured. As to whether Wesley was a pentecostal at heart of not, I don't know for sure. But it wouldn't surprise me.


Agains, as far as Free Methodist goes, I can't say. But I do personally know several United Methodists who have experienced speaking in tongues in exactly the same context as one would in say an Assembly of God church. In fact, in southern Illinois it is almost common.