New Policy: Southern Baptist Missionary Candidates Can't Speak in Tongues

Beliefnet ^ | Nov. 23 2005Beliefnet | Adelle M. Banks

[tutstar]

The Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board has adopted a new policy that forbids missionary candidates from speaking in tongues.

The policy, adopted Nov. 15 during the board's trustee meeting in Huntsville, Ala., reflects ongoing Southern Baptist opposition to charismatic or Pentecostal practices.

[RoadTest]

You are right! Keep speaking the truth. This present darkness needs more of it.

[Ecliptic]

Those who go to another country to represent the SBC are taught the local language, so there is no reason to speak in tongues. Plus, we really know that one reason some speak in tongues is to "prove" they are Christian. That unless they can speak this way, they are not indwelled with the Holy Spirit (so they believe).

So, since the SBC believes that one can be saved and have the Holy Spirit without being able to speak in tongues, those who believe this would be teaching something not inline with SBC beliefs.

[bert]

......a new policy that forbids missionary candidates from speaking in tongues......


How can they help it?

[Always Right]

I am a Baptist and I also serve. If people started speaking in tongues in our services, I would terminate contact with that church if the deacons did not deal with it immediately and effectively.

That is very Christian of you...

[RoadTest]

" I fail to see why so many condemn the practice. There is Biblical support ""

You are absolutely correct. Keep on being clear-eyed fair.

[whispering out loud]

thank you and kudos, I was looking for that.

my point in my statement is simply this, let each man worship God in the way that he would, to exclude someone from a church simple because he worships "worshiping the same God mind you" in a different way is absolutely ludicrous, John the Baptist was looked upon in their time as filthy, simply because he presented himself differently, but Christ said of him, "not a better man has ever walked the face of the earth."

[George W. Bush]

Long time, no see, Race.

Or perhaps I should say "Glehezelpat hegzowskiyeh frocrimptahlaniyah!" so our charismatic contingent can understand.

And, yes, you can quote me on that.

[George W. Bush]

That is very Christian of you...

Good luck with bringing pagan and demonic practices into your church. Really. We Baptists will be here, ready to scoop up the refugees.

[chronic_loser]

All of what you say is true and there is more you didn't post - for example, the VERY SKETCHY (some say "unbiblical" but lets be gracious) doctrine of a "secret rapture" actually originated in an ecstatic utterance by Margaret McDonald, a Scottish milkmaid who was a follower of Edward Irving (whom you mentioned). Darby was very influenced by the Irvingites in the early stages of his split with the Church of England, and was just formulating his radical disjunction between Israel, the Church, and "Israel again" when he attended a "charismatic" meeting of Irvingites. Margaret was "slain in the spirit" and had a "revelation" that the coming of Christ was, in fact, going to be IN SECRET and He would whisk away the true believers and leave the heathen and the apostate church (those not receptive to the more miraculous gifts, according to the Irvingites) to horrible judgment. This was certainly a new doctrine, NEVER heard of before the 1860s. Of course, the reason no one ever heard of it is that it is not derived from a "normal" study of the biblical text at all, but depends on BRINGING a theology of Israel and a hermeneutic to the OT which is refuted by the NT itself as it interprets OT passages ("literal whereever possible"). Historical pre-millinealism (sometimes called "chiliasm") contains none of this "dispensational" crazy stuff so prominent in American Christianity today. Darby incorporated it, (sans tongues and miracles) into his theology, CI Scofield included it in an annotated bible, and the rest is history.

So, in the weird weird weird history of God's church, probably the most anti-charismatic element IN the church (the Plymouth Brethren and their dispensational children) owe one of the lynchpins of their theological system (the secret premillenial rapture of the church) to a charismatic milkmaid.

Finally, lest any of my dispensational brethren think I am taking up the sword against them and feel compelled to hurl invective and opprobrious curses back to me against my "theology from the pit of hell"(as I have heard it called), just know that there is crazy stuff in EVERY branch of Christendom. I know of more skeletons in my own (reformed) branch of the church than I do in yours. It is a good reminder that only King Jesus had his "theology" straight, and we should laugh at ourselves at least as much as we laugh at those who disagree with us. I don't pretend to have a corner on the truth, and in the VERY UNLIKELY event that there really is a "secret rapture" I will very happily accept an "I told you so" from all who feel the need to wag their dispensational charts at me on the way up.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[Eagle Eye]

You do realize that you are in direct opposition to the writings of Paul, don't you?

"I would that you all spake with tongues."

"I thank my God, I speak in tongues more than you all."

It is amazing to see so much study and effort put forth by 'Christians' and others to debunk speaking in tongues, something that is dealt with and promoted to a great extent in the Bible.

[tutstar]

LOL

[BibChr]

Thanks! What would you recommend?

[Luke21]

The SBC may do as they please. If you want to speak in tongues in the presence of unbelievers, join another denomination.

Paul writes that this practice by believers in the presence of non-believers mocks the faith and causes people to think the person is babbling and insane. (First Corinthians 14:23)

I have known many great people from the Assembly of God, great pastors and fine Christians, but they have gifts that I don't possess. Tongues is a large part of their worship. I bless them. They are fine people and a great denomination. We worship differently, period.

So the SBC has the same right to forbid what they believe injures their worship and doctrinal teaching as the assembly does to make tongues the focus of so much seminary doctrine. It's called freedom of religion, folks.

[CA Conservative]

This are the verses people seem to overlook:

1 Cor. 13:9 For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

This chapter talks about the primacy of love, but it does not denigrate the value of spiritual gifts. Neither does it provide "proof" that such gifts were only for the early church, unless you belief the "perfect" has already come.

With regard to the topic of the article, I agree that the SBC has the right to set the rules for its ministers and missionaries, as ridiculous as those rules may seem to others. That does not make the call on the lives of those missionaries any less valid, though. I would recommend that they associate themselves with a church that believes as they do, so that they can continue to serve as God has called them, in the fullness of the spiritual gifts they have been granted.

[zeaal]

Whoa .. I am familiar with many a southern Baptist who have a positive belief about tongues.

[BTHOtu]

Thanks for the link - I'll read the rest later.

[Ecliptic]

There are some who believe that speaking in tongues is a prerequesite to being saved....a proof of someone really having the Holy Spirit....

[Eagle Eye]

Post #50 please.

[elcid1970]

ROLFMAO! Or, in other words,

Gonksawaliya chungmung saltechamdu itta mumkin!

[whispering out loud]

OK here's the thing I am a very conservative Christian, and currently serving in a Baptist church, but I do have some grievances we as a people have become way to legalistic. We are in danger of becoming stale, much like the Sadducee's and Pharisees. I have carried southern baptist teens to youth rallies, and they come back on fire, ready to "save the world". Just as soon as we get back the First Baptist Fire Department is right there to douse the fire these young people bring back. Bare in mind now that these young people weren't speaking in tongues, nor were they swinging from the chandeliers, they were simply worshiping God the best way they could. I think it's appalling that we tell people how to worship, and then expect them to come back next week.