CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction—Tongues: A Good Gift From the Father of Lights

Chapter 1—My First Experience of Speaking in Tongues

Chapter 2—Tongues in Scripture

1. What happened on the day of Pentecost?

2. Where else in Acts did people speak in tongues?

Chapter 3—Tongues and Spirit Baptism

3. Does the gift of tongues always and invariably follow Spirit baptism as its initial physical evidence?

Chapter 4—Tongues and Foreign Languages

4. Are tongues always human languages previously unlearned by the speaker? If not, what kind of language is speaking in tongues?

Chapter 5—The Purpose of Tongues, Part I

5. Is the gift of tongues primarily designed for the evangelism of unbelievers?

6. Is it OK to seek personal edification by speaking in tongues?

7. What does Paul mean when he says that the person who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues? Is tongues inferior to prophecy?

8. Is tongues-speech an “ecstatic” experience?

Chapter 6—The Purpose of Tongues, Part II

9. Is speaking in tongues a sign of anti-intellectualism or a sign that people are afraid of deep theological thinking?

10. Is tongues-speech primarily directed to men or to God?

11. If tongues is primarily a form of prayer in words we don’t understand, how can it be helpful to us in our relationship with God?

12. Is tongues also a way to worship God?

13. Is it permissible for people to sing in tongues in corporate worship?

Chapter 7—Public Expression of Tongues

14. Does Paul always insist on interpretation if tongues are used in the public gathering of the church, and if so, why?

15. Does Paul teach that tongues may be used in private devotional prayer, or must all tongues-speech take place in the corporate assembly of the church, followed by interpretation?

Chapter 8—Tongues as a Spiritual Gift

16. What is the gift of interpretation of tongues?

17. Why is tongues-speech often so rapid?

18. Why do some say that speaking in tongues is the least important spiritual gift? Is it?

19. Is the fact that tongues is mentioned only in Acts and 1 Corinthians an indication that New Testament authors regarded it as comparatively unimportant in the Christian life?

Chapter 9—Tongues and Prayer

20. What does it mean to “pray in the Spirit”? Is this a reference to speaking in tongues?

21. Does Romans 8:26–27 refer to the gift of tongues?

22. Can we learn anything about tongues from Mark 16:17?

23. Can a person pray for another person in uninterpreted tongues?

24. How might tongues help us in our spiritual battle with Satan and his demonic forces?

Chapter 10—Tongues and Revelation

25. Is tongues revelatory?

26. Is tongues a sign of judgment against unbelieving Jews?

Chapter 11—Tongues and the Believer

27. If I don’t have the gift of tongues but want it, what should I do?

28. Can or should all Christians speak in tongues? Is tongues a gift God intends to supply to every believer, or is it only given to some?

Chapter 12—Tongues in Early Christianity, Part I

29. Do we have good biblical reasons to believe the gift of tongues is still valid for today?

Chapter 13—Tongues in Early Christianity, Part II

30. Did tongues and other miraculous gifts of the Spirit disappear in church history following the death of the apostles, only to reappear in the twentieth century?

Chapter 14—Encouraging Testimonies of Others Who Speak in Tongues

About the Author

Notes