While our church believes in all the gifts of the Spirit, the use of the vocal gifts in services of public worship is not deemed an appropriate expression of those gifts. To avoid confusion and adhere to our particular understanding of I Corinthians 14 only a language readily understood by the congregation is to be used in public worship.

The use of this gift caused such a problem in the Corinthian church that Paul had to write an entire chapter of guidelines (1 Corinthians 14.) He taught:

It confuses unbelievers who are in the service.

If unbelievers or people who don’t understand come into your meeting and hear everyone talking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. (v.23)

Ideally, it is not meant to be used in a worship service.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But, in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. (v.18-19)

Primarily, it is for personal edification, not for the whole church.

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally in the Lord, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. (v.4)

We are to focus on building up others, not ourselves.

If you speak to people in a language they don’t understand you might as well be talking to an empty room, ask God for those (gifts) that will be a real help to the whole church. (v.9&12)