Speaking in Tongues
Praying or speaking in a language the speaker never learned, understood in Pentecostal and charismatic churches as a gift of the Holy Spirit.
What they actually mean
“"Praying out loud in sounds that aren't any language I know — and believing that's the Spirit."”
Heard in the wild
“Some people at our church speak in tongues during worship.”
“I have a prayer language, but I only use it privately.”
The Lighter Side
If you visit a Pentecostal church and hear it, that's normal. If you visit a Presbyterian church and hear it, someone's visiting.
The longer version
What it means
Speaking in tongues is a form of prayer or praise in which the speaker produces fluent speech that isn't any language they know. Those who practice it describe it as the Holy Spirit praying through them — a "prayer language" used privately in devotion and sometimes out loud in worship. In a Pentecostal service you may hear it quietly from many people during singing, or occasionally one person speaking loudly, followed by another person giving an "interpretation" in English. The technical name is glossolalia.
Christians who practice it are not in a trance; they can start and stop at will and are fully aware. It's also not the same as the miracle in Acts 2, where the disciples were understood in real foreign languages — though Pentecostals see the two as connected.
Why people say it
Pentecostals and charismatics point to the New Testament, where tongues appear at the birth of the church and Paul says he speaks in tongues "more than all of you." For them it's a direct, felt experience of God's presence and a sign that the gifts of the Spirit didn't stop in the first century. Many describe it as the most intimate form of prayer they have.
How to respond
If you're in a service and people begin speaking in tongues, nothing is expected of you. Stay quiet, stay seated or standing as others are, and let it pass; it usually lasts a minute or two. If someone offers to pray for you "to receive your prayer language," you can decline politely — "I'm not there yet" is enough. Don't laugh, and don't assume the people around you are performing; to them it's sincere and ordinary.
If you hear it in different churches
Pentecostal denominations (Assemblies of God, Church of God, Foursquare, Apostolic churches) practice it openly; the Assemblies of God teach that it's the "initial physical evidence" of Spirit baptism. Charismatic Christians inside Catholic, Anglican, and mainline churches practice it, usually in prayer meetings rather than Sunday services. Baptist, Reformed, Lutheran, and most non-denominational churches don't, and some teach against it. Orthodox Christians generally see it as an ancient gift not expected today.
Where does “Speaking in Tongues” come from?
Acts 2 describes the disciples speaking in other languages at Pentecost, and Paul discusses "kinds of tongues" as a spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians 12–14, giving rules for its use in worship. The practice appears intermittently in church history but became central to a movement in 1901, when students at Charles Parham's Bible school in Topeka, Kansas, spoke in tongues, and especially in 1906 at the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, led by William Seymour. Pentecostalism spread worldwide from there. The charismatic renewal of the 1960s brought tongues into Catholic and mainline Protestant churches, beginning with an Episcopal congregation in Van Nuys, California, in 1960.
Good to know
This is one of the sharpest dividing lines between Christian traditions. Pentecostals see tongues as normal and, in some churches, as the sign of being filled with the Spirit; many other Christians believe the gift ended with the apostles ("cessationism") or is rare; most fall somewhere in between and simply don't practice it. Visitors are never expected to do it.
You might also hear
Filled with the Spirit
Spiritual Warfare & SupernaturalA deeper experience of God's presence and power in a person's life. Pentecostals see it as a distinct event after conversion, often marked by speaking in tongues; other traditions describe it as ongoing.
“"Full of God — with more of His power and presence in me than before."”
Slain in the Spirit
Spiritual Warfare & SupernaturalFalling backward, usually during prayer with laying on of hands, understood in charismatic churches as being overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit's presence.
“"Someone prayed for me and I fell over — and I believe that was God."”
Pentecost
Holidays & CalendarThe day, fifty days after Easter, when the Holy Spirit came upon the first Christians with wind and fire, and the church began — often called the church's birthday.
“"The church's birthday. Wear red."”
Common questions
Is speaking in tongues a real language?+
In Acts 2 it was. Modern glossolalia, as studied by linguists, doesn't match any known language; practitioners would say it's a spiritual language, not a human one.
Do all Christians speak in tongues?+
No. It's mainly Pentecostal and charismatic. Most Christians worldwide don't practice it, and traditions disagree about whether it's for today.
Will someone try to get me to do it?+
In a Pentecostal church, possibly, and gently. You can decline. Nobody will think less of you.
Further reading
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.