Of all that is controversial about what Christians believe and why they believe it, speaking in tongues is probably the most controversial issue of the Christian faith. It could be said that speaking in tongues is a sort of boundary or threshold that most Christians choose to avoid. Why is this so?

Why is it that something that was so common to our forefathers, the very ones who laid the foundation for our Christian faith, has now become so controversial and, in some circles, even feared? Why is this so?

Let’s look briefly at the historical record as found in the Bible. In the gospel of John we read that Jesus is the one who would baptize with the Holy Ghost. Then, in the Book of Acts we clearly see where this happens. A question to ask here is “Who is this happening to?” These folks who were gathered together in the upper room didn’t just randomly show up on the scene. No, on the contrary, those who were gathered in the upper room were the original followers of Jesus, yes, the original disciples. It is very important to understand this fact.

So, we see the disciples of Jesus in the upper room being filled with the Holy Spirit and fire. They are receiving the power that Jesus spoke to them about just before he left. This was something that Jesus was involved in. As John the Baptist said, it is indeed Jesus who was baptizing them in the Holy Spirit. This is a clearly established fact as found in the Bible.

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Me in Mombasa Kenya

The great commission the Lord gives to His people is to “go”. To go forth throughout the world sharing the gospel. For a Christian, going to people of a different race and different culture in order to minister the gospel is a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. Yet, many Christians have never even remotely considered doing so, particularly Christians in America.

It is time for some straight talk about the general attitude of the Body of Christ toward this matter. In particular, I am speaking about the Body of Christ in the United States of America. Most Christians in America rarely give any thought to their brothers and sisters in the Lord who live in distant lands and other cultures. The idea of “suffering for Christ’s sake” is something that they cannot even imagine, let alone show any empathy for. Instead, many Christians in America are preoccupied with a continuous graduation of and improvement of their standard of living. The reality is that Christians in this frame of mind will never give any thought about the struggles of other fellow Christians in less fortunate circumstances.
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