Congregational question: How about speaking in tongues?

The gift of speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift that is practiced in many churches. The Lutheran church is not necessarily one of them. Does that mean that the Lutheran church somehow condemns speaking in tongues or looks down on those who do? No, not at all. If you read 1st Corinthians 12 & 13, Paul is writing to a church which has asked the question about speaking in tongues. This spiritual gift was practiced in other non-Christian groups in the Corinth area and the new church that Paul had established wanted to be able to demonstrate that they too were a spiritual expression of faith. When Paul lists the gifts of the spirit in Chapter 12, he includes speaking in tongues and the interpretation of speaking in tongues as gifts of the spirit. If you look at the order however, these gifts are the last ones on the list. Then in chapter 13 Paul launches into an editorial on spiritual gifts. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal is how he starts and then goes on to say something similar about the other gifts mentioned in chapter 12.
The potential problem of these outward manifestations of the gifts of the spirit is that they can sometimes lead to one-upsmenship in the family of God. In too many cases, those who speak in tongues can see themselves as being a bit more spiritual than others. Or in the case of some churches, the gift of speaking in tongues is required before one can receive a special baptism. Paul’s response to this kind of thinking is in the second half of chapter 12 where he talks about the body having many parts and each part being as important as any other part.
Speaking in tongues is not bad. When Pastor Odom and I get together for prayer and he prays for me by speaking in tongues, I don’t know what he is saying, but I know it comes from the heart. It is a gift shared in love. It fits into the proper use of the gift of tongues according to Paul in Chapter 13. When I pray for him, it is in English, it also comes from the heart and is shared in love. There is never any thought of one prayer being more spiritual or better than the other.
If you feel compelled to speak in tongues or find yourself speaking in tongues sometime in prayer, remember it is a gift. Also remember that any gift of the spirit is for the blessing of the community. The question is; how will you use your gifts of the spirit, which are many, to help and bless the family of God, and how can these gifts be used in love.