(By Mikel French) Anyone who has been in ministry can attest that whenever the subject of the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues or languages comes up in conversation or messages it can cause some people to become pretty awkward. Even when it isn’t brought up, the question still seems to linger in the air. It’s the proverbial elephant in the room. Part of this is because many people have misrepresented the idea of praying in tongues. Hollywood consistently portrays this act of faith in a negative light, making it seem
unnatural or cultlike, and as a result, people’s assumptions and expectations about it have been skewed. I’d even go as far as to say it has become popular nowadays to feel uncomfortable about it. Rather than seeking a biblically rooted understanding of this powerful means of communicating with the Holy Spirit, people shy away, afraid of the unknown or, perhaps more, afraid of how others will perceive them. Instead of asking, “How could speaking in tongues enhance my walk with Christ?” they whisper, “Do I have to?” CONTINUE
