I was deeply troubled by an article in the Jan. 19 edition of The Alabama Baptist. It was the article concerning the International Mission Board (IMB) and the member that they were trying to get rid of.
However troubling the article was in general, the thing that concerned me the most was one of the issues that this man had raised, which was explained in the article.
I must confess that I was not previously aware that the Southern Baptist IMB had policies in place against speaking in tongues or the new one that was added in November about the private prayer language.
Prayer is private. It’s when we come before the throne of God in the name of Jesus Christ. It is a pouring out of our spirit to Him.
The Bible says that we are to enter our closet to pray. Even when we might pray in front of others, it is still a conversation between an individual and God.
Why is it then that someone feels they should govern the manner in which an individual speaks with God?
The Bible also says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, for our moanings and groanings when we do not know how to pray.
If, God forbid, we should decide that we are able to determine what God will and will not do and that speaking in tongues or even praying in tongues is wrong, God is in the business of changing lives.
How sad it would be if a person who has ever in their life even so much as prayed in tongues feels led by the Lord to become an international missionary. Based on that fact alone, they would be denied.
If they prayed in tongues after they became a Christian, they are no longer allowed to become an international missionary.
Loucrecia Lee Hollingsworth
Hanceville, Ala.
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