Do Free Methodists believe in speaking in tongues?

[banthis]

Or can someone explain why the Giver would stop giving gifts, if it is in his nature to give?

of course, how much does the church resemble the original church in Acts 2? Perhaps the Spirit only gives his gifts to churches that are acting in accordance with His wishes.

note that the gift is to you "and your children", implying a continual gifting to future generations:

Acts2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
Acts2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Acts2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Acts2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Acts2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Acts2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Acts2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

note also the things that you don't do that the church then Did do: 1) unity of purpose/belief in a single truth, not in multiple relative truths 2) selling all, giving to poor 3) deep humility, minimal pride 4) sharing of possessions 5) fear of God

Just look at how your church differs from God's church in acts 2 and you may understand why the gifts are withheld from certain congregations which do not believe.

 

[banthis]

I mean, you've actually got people out there """"practicing"""" tongues -- that's not right. Tongues is something that should fall upon you, that just HAPPENS TO you, like it did to those in the upper room, or to Cornelius. Its not something like you just keep babbling til you feel good about it, its something that OCCURS TO you.

Another point, note who the gift was given to:

Acts10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Acts10:31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

a devout man, a man who fears God, who had been fasting and praying for days in a row. does that describe your level of devoutness? and if not, does it surprise you that the gifts have not come your way?

Zec1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

But the gospel message has been so weakened by certain preachers that the sheep are confused and think that following Jesus is some sort of a free ride that requires no commitment or allows for any doubt in the gospel message.

Luke14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Luke14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

 

[MoeSzyslak]

Or can someone explain why the Giver would stop giving gifts

I certainly believe that the gifts of tongues can still be bestowed by God to his folllowers. But we are also told that the gifts of tongues would cease.
I Corinthians 13:8 - Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
We can sit here and try to theorize why? But at the end of the day it's just a theory. My two cents, tongues we're used in the early church to spread the Gospel across the nations of different people who spoke different languages. This was a time different than ours. If I want to say get the Gospel to Kenya. I pick up the phone, order some Kenyan bibles and have them sent to a missionary there. The gospel couldn't be spread like that in the early first century. No compiled bible as of yet. Nevermind bibles in thousands of langauages. I think God used it in the early church to spread the Gospel. The need for tongues has dimished over the centuries, as the need has dimished so the gift has been 'ceased.' Just my two cents why tongues should cease.

Just look at how your church differs from God's church in acts 2 and you may understand why the gifts are withheld from certain congregations which do not believe

I think this statement is broad enough to cover all congregations. 'Selling everything and living in common.' Unless one lives in a religious compound or monastery. From first -hand experience of selling everything I own and living in common, I can ensure it's still not a gaurantee of getting the gift of tongues. It's still a gift.

You also see the early Church in Acts going to the temple regularly. Using the same logic, one could argue the gifts are being withheld because we don't go to the Jewish temple. (obviously I don't believe that.)

I don't feel that the gift of tongues is a neccessarily a sign of one's level of holiness either. God spoke through Balaam's ass. If he can speak through a dirty animal, he can definately speak through a luke warm Christian.

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

That's only because not all of them believe the Giver exists. If they believed in the Giver, they would have no choice but to believe in the gifts.

Christians by definition believe in God. And, again, just because one believes in the gifts does not mean that they believe that the gifts are still active today. I may not agree with that position, but I personally am not comfortable with asserting that these folks are not Christian. Not my place.

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

I mean, you've actually got people out there """"practicing"""" tongues -- that's not right. Tongues is something that should fall upon you, that just HAPPENS TO you, like it did to those in the upper room, or to Cornelius. Its not something like you just keep babbling til you feel good about it, its something that OCCURS TO you.

Agree with this.

 

[Kalista]

As a lifelong PK of a Free Methodist Minister I can say that the majority of Free Methodists, if not all, believe tongues was a gift for a time. However my Dad also says who is he to say that something is not from God.

 

[Ivy]

The way that people go on about this gift in some circles makes me think they've forgotten that it's one of the lesser gifts. It's largely just for personal edification, anyway.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

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