Let me start by saying that I grew up in a Pentecostal ministry where they taught speaking in tongues as an additional gift you receive from God that is separate from your salvation. The gift of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues was well explained and was not glossed over or thrown in your face.
I attended the last 2 nights of the Jesus Tent revival hosted by this church. The first night was great, a lot of water baptisms, great worship music, testimonies and teaching and an opportunity to move forward to receive whatever was needed in your life - repentance, deliverance, healing...
We went again last night and it started off the same. After a short testimony and message by a young man, they brought an older gentleman to the platform. He told us his name but never identified what position he held at the church. He went right into telling everyone to move forward then stated we all need the Holy Spirit and needed to speak in tongues.
I have been saved for 45 years and filled with the Spirit and when I looked around the tent, I saw many people who came in off the street, maybe first time "church" attendees and some who probably never heard of speaking in tongues. This man gave no direction at all, never explained what it meant to receive the gift of the Spirit. Just told everyone to lift up their hands and start praising God and He will fill you with the Spirit and you will speak in tongues. Many of the church members gathered by the guests and started to encourage them to say certain praises and really reach out to God. So many people looked confused and had no idea what they were doing.
The church I came out of ended up doing this same thing to our congregation. So many people were destroyed because they never received the gift of tongues and felt ashamed or embarrassed by this. I also spoke to many others who "faked it" because they wanted to fit in and never received the gift either.
There is nowhere in the bible that states you must have the gift of tongues to be saved or enter heaven, yet churches like this place so much emphasis on this that it outweighs all the other gifts that God has promised believers.
If you're going to "force" this on attendees, at least have the courtesy to explain what the purpose of tongues are and let them know that it is an additional gift that God offers and is not required to be a Christian.
I had 2 church members praying with me and when there was a pause in this segment, I explained to them that I was saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and this felt out of order.
My daughter and I left their shaking our heads and hope that people did not leave their more confused than when they came in. You wonder why church attendance is down in this country, actions like this drive people away. read more
