i know you’ve all been waiting to hear something from me that makes me sound like i’m actually at Bible School and not just wasting my time and someday my finances on a year long european experience and here it is. 

this week we’ve touched on the topic that makes me different from 80% of the student population.  they all know that i come from a “charismatic” church and most know that my church believes that the gifts of the Spirit are active today.  i enjoyed having someone share about the Holy Spirit and for them to be for it.  today we touched on the topic of tongues.  i listened to the lecturer, from England, argue that the gift of tongues is not to be used in church without interpretation (as is directed in 1 Corinthians 14:28).  he is a great teacher and when giving his opinion, always explains the other view(s) and i appreciate that.  on this he didn’t really give the other argument.  he went as far as to quote Wayne Grudem, author of “Systematic Theology” has having written that if otherwise done it’s “simply disobedience to Paul’s directive and is not acting in love towards others in the church.”

so my questions are:

what’s the Biblical backing for so many of the churches that i’m familiar with who allow audible speaking in tongues without interpretation?

and

is there an argument for why all may have the capability of recieving the gift of tongues?  why is it that there are some churches filled to the brim with tongue-speaking members and others have none?