Speaking in Tongues

Are you relating to people in their own languages?

Are you praying for insight about how your church can impact the unchurched? I remember thinking: If our church ever becomes popular among the unchurched, we'll sure be able to do lots of good. After all, there are lots of people needing redemption in our community.

Think about this: Do you remember who led you to faith in Christ? Numerous surveys say it was probably a relative, friend or co-worker. One survey even claims that 97 percent of people who come to Christ do so through an existing relationship.

I think that's why the church had such a strange but revealing experience on the day of Pentecost, the day the New Testament church began (see Acts 2). Each believer saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that came to rest on them. When this happened, they were enabled to speak the redemptive message in a language somebody in their community understood (v. 4).

In one day 3,000 people were added to the church. What an amazing time that must have been. But I believe God made the reason for their effectiveness clear: People are reached when someone speaks their language well. We ask how big our churches can grow; maybe the better question is, "How many languages can our church effectively speak in our community?"

For instance, my athletic background makes it easy for me to get into the world of athletes and speak their language. Businesspeople know how to speak the language of other businesspeople. Young moms can easily relate to other young moms. I don't personally know what it's like to gaze at unwanted stretch marks or to lock myself in a bathroom for five minutes of peace. But I do know that relational evangelism is essential for churches that want to reach the unchurched.

So how can we help our members better connect within their relational worlds? Jesus shows us in His parable of the great banquet (see Luke 14:16-24). First, He enlightens us about the part each of us plays. As a pastor, I work hard to prepare relevant messages, and my people have to work hard to bring the people who need to hear my messages. If I'm teaching on relationships, I want them to find the woman out there who's been married five times and has given up on trying again. If I have a message about purpose, I want them to invite the person who is moving in the wrong direction. We have to work together as a team to reach those who are outside the walls of our church.

Second, Jesus shows us that our life experiences can help make us effective witnesses. We can see this in the life of Gideon, who grew up in one of Israel's most decadent times. His people had turned from God to worshiping Baal with orgies and drunkenness—even in Gideon's own backyard. Amid all this, God saw Gideon as a hopeful candidate to lead Israel back to Himself. Our experiences can birth in us a confidence in God's ability and a compassion for others in need.

Last, Jesus conveys that to reach the unchurched we must remove the excuses that keep us from making God's work a priority. Certainly we all have business to tend to, but are we putting God's business first? We all have houses and families to care for, but doesn't God want us to care about His house and His family too?

Nothing is more valuable than people—and nothing is more fulfilling than working together to see hearts opened and lives changed around us. Know that God appreciates your efforts to love and influence the unchurched in the community where He has placed you!

JIM GRAFF is the senior pastor of Faith Family Church in Victoria, Texas, and founder of Significant Church Network .

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Comments

+1 #3 Rev. William Sandste 2010-07-14 20:51

This message about "speaking in Tongues" grieves me and the Spirit of G-D that dwells within me ! Why ? Because Brother Graff has most certainly distorted the text in Acts 2. Look at the text- what really happened at Pentecost ! The 120 weren't giving a Salvation or Redemptive message here. The miracle of the event is that the Spirit allowed other Jewish people here about the Wonderful Works of G-D in thier own language. The Spirit allowed them to understand what the 120 were speaking, not the 120 speaking directly to them. Look at the text !!!! Why were they confused ? What was going on that they thought that the 120 were Drunkerds ? What happens when the Spirit of G-d comes upon people ? I suggest one looks up some scriptures in the Old Covenant to see what happened. Numbers 11:25-29,1Samuel 10:6,7 10,11 1Sam. 19:20-24. Look up the word Prophesy and prophesied in the Hebrew ! Quote

0 #2 Jeffery W. Hughes 2009-04-09 05:04 In today's world we are bombarded by so many images and spiritual attacks as the coming of the Lord advances. I am truly greatful for a ministry that declares the Word of God as the answer for todays most difficult problems. Ministry today is one of the resources that makes being a Christian in todays world meaningful and in perspective. Thank you! Quote

-1 #1 Al Silvestri, III 2009-03-24 08:36 Just before the author ends up the article, he says,"Certainly we all have business to tend to, but are we putting God's business first? We all have houses and families to care for, but doesn't God want us to care about His house and His family too?"
I think these questions are well intentioned, yet slightly askew. Jesus is to be all in all, and therefore every aspect of my life is not in addition to aspects of the life God is calling me t, yet every aspect of my life is part intregal to it.
I would suggest the question to be posed would be better stated, "Does Jesus pervade every aspect of our lives? Is following Him evident in every relationship we are a part of, and every action we take shinng Jesus as He works in and through us? Or, do we simply have some nice ideas of about Jesus being in our lives and think of those ideas as being realities.
Faith is substantive and has evidence only when it is a real trust, and not only a thought or idea.
If a man says He loves God whom he cannot see, but does not love his brother who he can see… This goes to show that the actions we take show the reality of the extent that we truly love God; the reality of our faith. Quote

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