Southern Baptist Convention No Longer Bars Missionaries from Speaking in "Tongues"

Last week, the Southern Baptist Convention dropped its rule barring “tongues speakers” from being missionaries (Christianity Today, May 14, 2015). Also dropped was the rule barring divorced people to serve as long-term missionaries. The allowance for “tongues” speaking is evidence of the ongoing inroad of the charismatic movement into the SBC. The charismatic practice of a “prayer language” has no support in Scripture and is mystical nonsense. Biblical tongues were earthly languages that were imparted supernaturally as a sign to the Jews of God’s new work of building the Church composed of Jews and Gentiles in one body. Paul made this crystal clear. “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe” (1 Cor. 14:20-22). (See the report “A Private Prayer Language” using the search engine at www.wayoflife.org.)

(Friday Church News Notes, May 22, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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