Shannon Rose: Choice 2

The following is a snippet of a journal entry that I started writing on my own time. I completely rewrote it and added a few sources for the sake of this assignment. :)

The topic of the gift of tongues has been debated since the very beginning of Pentecostalism. Through its strange beginnings and subtle adaptations to the modern world, the denomination continues to receive the harsh criticisms of other sects. The Pentecostal church’s emphasis on speaking tongues has proven to be incredibly controversial and has experienced much criticism and conviction. One conviction of the present day existence of the gift of tongues stems from the specific mention of the idea in select parts of the Bible. Some argue that God intended all prophecy to be compiled for scripture-the Holy Bible- and once the scripture was finished, there would be no need for prophecy henceforth. 

According to the Bible, the gift of tongues was a miracle of God. This term is not to be taken lightly; miracles are a huge deal and they certainly don’t happen often. God strategically performs amazing miracles to win the hearts of unbelievers. The miraculous nature of tongues was emphasized mainly in the Biblical account of the Pentecost. This was the event that marked the fiftieth day after Easter. On this day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and they spoke in tongues. This account of the gift of tongues is clearly stated as a miraculous account, for the Apostles were not speaking in tongues as an act of worship. Instead, they were preaching in every language at once. “When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken…we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:6-11). Some may argue that tongues in the form of worship is a Biblical idea taken out of context; in the Bible, it is described as a miraculous tool that God uses to communicate prophecy and preach to the masses of unbelievers.