In a few days I will be braving the freezing cold of Minneapollis (or more likely sheltering inside all week!) to attend the Desiring God conference where my pastor, Tope Koleoso will be one of the main preachers. I hope to meet some of you there. Piper has released some video of him speaking about spiritual gifts. The first is on tongues, here are some extracts of what he says:
“If you don’t talk about these things they tend to fade into the background . . . I don’t buy the pentecostal historical teaching that you must speak in tongues in order to signify that you are filled with the Spirit or even that you are a Christian . . . I see no reason for arguing that anything has changed between the age of the apostles and our age that that gift has disappeared . . .I don’t believe that I have ever authentically spoken in tongues . . . I don’t feel guilt for not having it, I feel like I am submitting to my father in heaven.”
You have to respect and admire a pastor who after decades of ministry still from time to time asks God to give him a gift that he believes he has yet to receive. Watch the video here:
I have written previously about my own view of the gift of tongues, and have interviewed Jack Hayford on the subject.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In