Should the Gift of Tongues Be Used in Church?
In the last post, we looked at what the Bible actually says about tongues. We talked about private tongues. The personal, prayerful side of the gift that Paul describes as your spirit communicating with God.
But there's a public side too. And there's a much bigger conversation underneath all of this about what actually marks a mature Christian. Spoiler: it isn't your gifts.
When Tongues Goes Public
Paul writes:
"Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?... Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air." (1 Corinthians 14:6, 9)
His point is simple. Private tongues in a public setting don't help anyone. No one knows what you're saying. It causes more confusion than clarity. More questions than answers. It edifies the individual but does nothing for the rest.
That's why, for the most part, you won't hear tongues from the mic in our church. Tongues isn't a spiritual badge to parade in front of others. It's a private posture in someone's personal connection with God.
Paul keeps going:
"Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church." (1 Corinthians 14:12)
Excel in the gifts that do something for the greater good.
There's one exception to the public tongues rule, and it's an important one. Paul writes:
"For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say." (1 Corinthians 14:13)
Tongues can happen publicly if they are interpreted, because then they communicate God's message to the whole gathering. Otherwise, Paul's instruction is direct: "If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God" (1 Corinthians 14:28).
He even warns about what happens when this gets out of hand:
"So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?" (1 Corinthians 14:23)
If someone is curious about Jesus and walks into a service where everyone is speaking in tongues with no interpretation, they'll think we've lost it. That's not the impression the church should be making.
Paul's own posture is striking. "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:18-19).
Why Order Matters
In Paul's day, the church in Corinth was somewhere between 40 and 150 people. Everyone knew everyone. Authenticity, oversight, and trust were built into the community by default.
Today, in larger churches with multiple campuses and services, the dynamics are different. The bigger the gathering, the more important it becomes that public expressions of the Spirit happen with care and order.
If you sense the Holy Spirit giving you a word, whether in tongues, interpretation, or prophecy, the best thing you can do is bring it to a pastor first. Run it by leadership. Let it be tested. Not because the Spirit needs to be approved, but because Paul tells us this is how the church protects itself from disorder and confusion.
Any prophetic word, including an interpretation of tongues, must "strengthen, encourage and comfort" (1 Corinthians 14:3). It will never cause confusion, dissension, or damage. It will not be a word of judgment. If what's being shared doesn't pass that test, it isn't from the Holy Spirit.
The reason for all this is bigger than rules. One of the reasons the church exists to reach people far from God. Anything that creates chaos in our gatherings makes that mission harder. Order isn't the opposite of the Spirit. Order is what allows the Spirit's work to actually land.
The Bigger Issue
Here's where I want to be careful with you, because this is where a lot of churches have gone sideways.
We don't pursue gifts. We pursue the Holy Spirit.
The goal of your Christian life isn't a spiritual experience. It's becoming more like Jesus. To pursue gifts without developing character is to sabotage the platform the gifts might one day give you. Gifts can give you a position. Character is what keeps you there.
We can't separate the gifts of the Spirit from the fruit of the Spirit. We need both. The gifts give us something beyond our natural ability. They're supernatural. But it's the fruit of the Spirit that shows the life of Jesus is actually present in someone. The gifts continue the ministry of Jesus. The fruit reveals the heart of Jesus.
Your spiritual maturity is not measured by whether you have a gift. I've seen plenty of people with gifts who lack fruit. Your maturity is measured by whether the fruit of the Spirit is showing up in your life:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Jesus didn't say you'll know His followers by their gifts. He said you'll know them by their fruit. That's the standard. That's what reveals what's actually growing inside someone.
If you've got a gift but no fruit, you've got a problem. If you've got fruit but you're not sure about the gifts, keep growing in fruit and ask for the gifts. Both belong together.
What This Means for You
Take an honest look at your life.
Where is the fruit of the Spirit growing? Where is it stalled? Are people around you experiencing love, patience, kindness, and peace from you, or are you trading on a gift while your character is in a deficit?
Eagerly desire spiritual gifts. Paul tells us to. But desire fruit even more. Pursue the Holy Spirit, not the experiences He brings.
We don't want to be a church that's spiritually asleep. An asleep church is one where people are not using the gifts they've been given. We want a church alive with both the gifts and the fruit. Supernatural ministry flowing out of Christlike character.