are Baptists against speaking in tongues?

[alilsa]

My sister visited a Baptist church a few days ago to their revival. It had a new pastor and the service was more pentecostal than Baptist. People were speaking in tongues and slain in the Spirit and shouting. The pastor of the Baptist church down the road where she usually went to told his congregation that he definitely was against the speaking in tongues and it wouldn't happen at his church. Do Baptist have some sort of guidelines as to what can be taught or done in their particular churches or have to stick to basic Baptist beliefs? Are they against speaking in tongues and mixing with Pentecostal beliefs, too. Another sister goes to a so called Freewill Baptist church that is more pentecostal though but has the Freewill Baptist covenant on the wall. Don't know what Freewill Baptist teach or Primitive Baptist either for that matter.

 

[jbaker]

interesting. did he give a reason why he didnt want people doing it?

 

[JacobHall86]

Its pretty unbiblical so thats usually why most Baptists are opposed to it.

 

[sageoffools]

As Jacob said, most Baptist (myself included) believe that tongues is not a gift that is given to people anymore. They also believe that the kind of tongues that is used in pentecostal churches is not the tongues of the Bible.
The tongues that the Bible talks about was other languages, languages not known to the person that was speaking them, but known to at least some of the people listening. (This is not something I am making up, thats what the word tongues means).
The tongues that pentecostal churches use is a kind of gibberish, they get it from Romans 8:26 that says that the Spirit prays for us with "groanings that cannot be uttered". They think that if the Spirit is praying them, and they are filled with the Spirit, they will be praying them too...although it does say they cannot be uttered. Go figure.

So, obviously, if they think that speaking in tongues is a show of some kind, they would no be too keen on having it in their services.

 

[JacobHall86]

Win.

 

[alilsa]

No, I was asking,"Do Baptist have some sort of guidelines as to what can be taught or done in their particular churches or have to stick to basic Baptist beliefs. I know that Baptist don't believe in speaking in tongues in most of their churches. But this wasn't a debate over if speaking in tongues is right or wrong since pentecostal churches commonly believe in it. But do the Baptist churches have guidelines. Otherwise maybe that church should have changed their name and joined the pentecostal denomination. I go to a pentecostal church and I wouldn't like for my church to turn Baptist. I would expect them to go by our Church of God teachings. The church my sister visited was a small family type church that seemed fine with a pentecostal type services. Just didn't know if the denomination had guidelines on who can be in their den. if they don't follow their basic teachings.

 

[sageoffools]

Oh...gotcha, sorry.

Um, well it depends on what type of Baptist you are.
Unfortunately, Baptist are some of the most nit-picky people on the planet. There are like 37 different kind of Baptists: Southern Baptist, American Baptist, Mountain Baptist, Independent Baptist, Northeastern Baptist, ad infinitum ad naseum .
For people that are part of a convention (Southern Baptists, American Baptist, etc.) typically they are not controlled by the convention per se, but they do agree to follow by the convention guidelines. For other Baptist (Independent Baptist, etc) we pretty much decide what we want to do all on our own. There are some Independent Baptist churches that won't allow women into the sanctuary with pants on, others don't care, others require their female teachers and leaders, or the wives of teachers and leaders, to wear skirts or dresses, while visitors are not.
I guess the short answer is, usually no.

 

[sageoffools]

As a followup, you would typically expect your pentecostal church to follow your Church of God guidelines and we typically expect a Baptist church to at least moderately follow the commonly accepted Baptist beliefs. However, that is the one downside to the autonomous local church, when each church decides for itself what it is going to do, things can vary a great deal, even within a denomination, and there is nothing stopping a Catholic priest from starting a church and calling it Independent Baptist, but teaching Catholic beliefs. (Although, I do believe the Bible teaches the autonomy of the local church, that each church should not be run by a large organization, only by Christ)

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Was there someone who understood his toungues? I've read that people should keep that to themselves unless there is a translator.

 

[JacobHall86]

The whole thing about being Baptist is that we are anti-creeds. That is basically our only creed, is that we do not have creeds, apart from Immersion for Baptism.

Thats why you can have so many differant types of Baptists who are still baptist.

 

[Ringo84]

I don't know.

After having seen so many crooked televangelists pretend to speak in tongues only to "convince" their followers to send more money, I am quite skeptical about speaking in tongues - how do we differentiate between "true" tongues and someone just pretending to speak in tongues? On the other hand, it could happen to those who are having a deep personal religious experience.

I don't feel comfortable being the moral judge over what others call holy.
Ringo

 

[eldermike]

From an historic perspective Baptist's followed scripture only. Scripture tells us to speak what can be understood. Tongues played no part in the reformation. That fact is important. There is no historical baptists tongues speaking churches. 19'th century to date, marks this movement.

 

[RED that's ME]

Baptists also don't see the need to push speaking in tongues over any other spiritual gifts. I believe that God gave the gift of *languages* not what is known today *tongues* to help reach more people to Christ in their own *language* in Acts so the church could grow faster. God can understand any language and we don't need to speak another language we don't know to converse with God. A lot of Baptist feels the same.

The 9 Spiritual gifts/Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is a great group to work on for all believers. They are more important for a person to have and use than a *tongue* gifts. 1 Corinthians 13.

 

[jive4005]

I'm a Spirit-filled, tongue-talkin' Baptist Minister.

All kinds of Baptists... all kinds of beliefs and differences. I imagine all this disunity displeases God.

His,
Rev J

ps: wondering why people get so upset when somebody else gets something special from God. Jealousy?

 

[DesertScroll]

Many different gifts, for many different purposes, one body, Christ's body.

I'm stuffy. I prefer a good bible study and I like singing with a hymnal. My church uses an overhead for hymns and that is kind of pushing it for me heh.

But not everyone is like me, and if speaking in tongues edifies that part of the body of Christ then I can say Amen!

But, if someone tries to say that a particular gift is necessary for all and you aren't part of the body of Christ without it, I say absolutely not! Not everyone has every gift and that is ok. It is up to the Spirit to decide.

Pentecost of course was the coming of the promise made by Jesus, to receive baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). When They spoke in tongues it wasn't just to edify the Christians and confirm a promise, it was for the Jews around them as well. Some scoffed, but others (3000) intrigued became believers after Peter proclaimed the message of Jesus (Acts 2:41).

The Gentile's Pentecost as I like to call it (Acts 10:17-48) had a different purpose. Before even being baptized (which broke the pattern that they had known Acts 8:15-17) the Gentiles started speaking in tongues and extolling God. Which allowed Peter to say to the rest of the circumcised believers with him "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?". This baptism of the Spirit seemed to be more of a confirmation of Peter's vision from God and a sign to the Jewish believers that yes, the Gentiles are in as well.

Two very special events where the Spirit was given to believers, but with different purposes.

Speaking in tongues, by the time Paul was setting up churches by the power of Christ, was a gift to eddify the personal believer (1 Cor 14:4) unless someone was there to interpret, then it was to eddify that person and the believers around them (1 Cor 14:5). Very different purposes from the original giving of the Spirit, to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. But still part of the gifts given to the church by the Spirit and so a neccessary part of the body. But just like all the gifts some have some of one type and others have some of a different type, but one body and one Spirit (1 Cor 12).

So all I can say is Amen. Its Christ's body and just as Peter and the rest of the circumcised believers found out, the Spirit gives his gifts how he wants. Not in the manner we think is right, but how God knows is right. All for the glory of Christ.

 

[jive4005]

Amen DS

 

[IisJustMe]

Do Baptist have some sort of guidelines as to what can be taught or done in their particular churches or have to stick to basic Baptist beliefs?

Southern Baptists are guided, but not absolutely beholden to. the Southern Baptist Convention Faith and Message and its letters of clarification and addendums. Each SBC church is autonomous, and can choose to engage in practices not necesarily endorsed, or those strictly forbidden, under the F&M. In one of those letters two years ago, the International Missions Board (IMB) issued an opinion that tongues are not valid today, and instructed missionaries that if they believed in the gift of tongues, that they were no longer going to be able to serve in that capacity, at least not under the auspices of the SBC IMB. I happen to agree with that viewpoint, though I do not believe we can regard those who believe in tongues as being outside the tenets of faith. To dictate such a thing is within the rights of IMB in regards to those whom they support monetarily. However, to separate ourselves from those who practice tongues is against the precepts of unity in the body of Christ, and I feel that way even though I believe those who practice tongues are in error regarding biblical principle. That's my opinion, however, and is, as most opinions, subject to error in itself.

Are they against speaking in tongues and mixing with Pentecostal beliefs, too.

For the most part, "yes" to the former, and should be "no" to the latter. There are Baptist associations, and individual congregations, that profess tongues as valid worship, but most Baptists don't agree with them. However, that does not mean that we should disassociate ourselves from them because of their practices. Unfortunately, we do. It is because we fail to understand that, while their practices are foreign or unusual to us, their Savior is not. That alone should be enough for us to put aside our irrational fears and be able to fellowship with anyone who preaches Christ and Him crucified.

 

[GodsChild07]

As Jacob said, most Baptist (myself included) believe that tongues is not a gift that is given to people anymore. They also believe that the kind of tongues that is used in pentecostal churches is not the tongues of the Bible.
The tongues that the Bible talks about was other languages, languages not known to the person that was speaking them, but known to at least some of the people listening. (This is not something I am making up, thats what the word tongues means).
The tongues that pentecostal churches use is a kind of gibberish, they get it from Romans 8:26 that says that the Spirit prays for us with "groanings that cannot be uttered". They think that if the Spirit is praying them, and they are filled with the Spirit, they will be praying them too...although it does say they cannot be uttered. Go figure.

So, obviously, if they think that speaking in tongues is a show of some kind, they would no be too keen on having it in their services.

When i speak in tongues, I am speaking in Aramaic. When my pastor speaks in tongues, he is speaking in Greek. I've even heard some speak in latin and others in an unknown tongue. There is a "heavenly language" that is not known on this planet, and it might be that.

 

[sageoffools]

When i speak in tongues, I am speaking in Aramaic. When my pastor speaks in tongues, he is speaking in Greek. I've even heard some speak in latin and others in an unknown tongue. There is a "heavenly language" that is not known on this planet, and it might be that.

GC, not dismissing your claim, just curious. How do you know that you speak in Aramaic and your pastor speaks in Greek?

 

[Epiphoskei]

From an historic perspective Baptist's followed scripture only. Scripture tells us to speak what can be understood.

Agreed, this is the critical part that keeps most baptists from agreeing with tongues, at least as they are practiced today. I Corinthians says that, when assembled together, untranslated tongues are not to be uttered publically.

I have several friends who have prayed in tongues to themselves, quietly, so as not to make a show about it, and I can't say that I mind that, but if the Spirt comes and causes you to speak in another language publically, let the one who speaks pray that he might interpret, for the one who prays in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who interprets edifies the body. And he who prays in a "private prayer language" had better pray privatly with it.

It's not so much the tongues, it's the fact that many charismatics have no interest in seeking interpretation and only use tongues for show that makes baptists get hung up. If those two things were not the case, it would be an entierly different story.