Tongues A-Waning

by | Oct 9, 2006 | Charismatics

Poll Says Many Pentecostals Don’t Speak in Tongues – Christianity Today Magazine As Evangelicals grow older, Pentecostals seem to be growing quieter – at least in their use of the supposed gift of tongues. That is, the old style Pentecostals who jumped pews, while leaping to the altar, in a desperate attempt to exercise their so-called private, and well-rehearsed signature move: speaking in tongues, are not jumping or jargoning as much any longer. According to a recent poll, Pentecostals and charismatics are less likely to shout their “shanda-la-ha’s” as they are to lay hands on a headache or free someone from the demon of halatosis. Why? Why are tongues ‘a-waning today? I know, I have some good friends whose blood is boiling already. C’mon, you’ve said worse about my lack of tongin’ than I have about your private, yet not-so private prayer shouting. So, since I’ve already crossed the line, let me offer a few sterotypical, off-the-cuff suggestions as to why I think grumbling in gibberish is not quite as popular today as when it began just over a century ago. Reason # 1: Very little long-term life change or spiritually substantive depth has been produced by talking-n-tongues. For all of the appeals to 1 Corinthians 14 and Paul doing it more than the Corinthians, and the supposed “edification” it brings to the speaker (while the listener remains with his head in the “cow-new-gate” position), little real, long-lasting life-change is wrought because one speaks in tongues. One does not learn more of God’s Word while speaking in an unknown tongue; obviously – it’s unknown. Sin is not overcome by...