My Message to Anti-Tongues Christians
By Mel C. Montgomery
First of all, I love you.
If you have placed your full trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, then you are as legitimate a part of the Body of Christ as I am. You're washed in the blood. Your testimony is just as valid as mine. You are just as saved as I am, and you already have the Holy Spirit's presence residing in you in the same way that I do. And if you never speak in tongues, that's ok by me. Let's both stay true to Christ and we'll see each other in Glory someday. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
Second, I want to ask your forgiveness.
Too many times Charismatics have acted superior to those who do not speak in tongues. This is wrong, and it is sin. And for anytime you have been slighted or offended by some Charismatic somewhere, I am genuinely sorry.
Third, I ask you to give me a fair chance.
Approach what I teach on this blog with an open mind. The Word of God is as precious to me as it is to you. Everything I share with you will be clearly backed up by Scripture.
Fourth, Be willing to learn something new.
I was in your position some years ago. I belonged to a church that preached 50 sermons a year on salvation, and 2 sermons a year on tithing. I loved my church, my pastor, my Savior, and was content. I heard about speaking in tongues, and didn't believe for a minute that it was real. I could see no purpose in it. It seemed absolutely weird to me. But I began studying the Scriptures, and came to the conclusion that speaking in tongues is for Christians today. Believers laid hands on me. I spoke in tongues, and the experience has become richer with each passing year.
I have continued to study the subject of speaking in tongues for the last quarter of a century. I've read all the arguments put forth against tongues Truthfully, I've not found a single anti-tongues argument yet that held together when compared to Scripture.
The similarities between you and I are:
- We both believe the foundational doctrines of Christ--see my "Statement of Beliefs."
- We're both born-again, and have the Holy Spirit residing within us.
- We're both concerned about a lost and dying world.
- We both believe in the inerrancy of Scripture.
- We're both looking forward to the return of our King.
The differences between you and I are:
- Speaking in tongues is a theory to you. It is not to me. Speaking in tongues is to me a fact. I've spoken in tongues for over 25 years, and I've interpreted publicly for over 20 years.
- Speaking in tongues seems strange to you. But when we first came to Chirst, water baptism, communion, ordination, and altar calls, also seemed strange didn't they? But as we experienced them, the foreign became the familiar. So it is with speaking in tongues.
- Speaking in tongues seems irrelevant to you. It is not. Nothing God does is irrelevant.
- Speaking in tongues seems isolated to you. It is not. Currently over 537 million Christians speak in tongues.
Every anti-tongues argument I've ever encountered rested entirely on not seeing various Scriptures in their actual context.
So to understand the context of what the Scriptures reveal about speaking in tongues, I would encourage you to read all of the articles on this site. Then if you are persuaded, you can receive the experience. If not, you can go on with my best wishes and remain my brother or sister in Christ. And I hope you will consider me to be yours also.
Kind Regards,
Rev. Mel C. Montgomery
Copyright 2006 Mel C. Montgomery. All rights reserved. Material may be copied and shared with others if done so in entirety, without charge, and if attribution is given.