1Cor. 14:13  ¶     For this reason those who speak in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.
1Cor. 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
1Cor. 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
1Cor. 14:16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can the others, who are now put in the same situation as an inquirer,a say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying?
1Cor. 14:17 You are giving thanks well enough, but the others are not edified.
1Cor. 14:18  ¶     I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Many people hesitate to discuss speaking in tongues because of its controversial baggage. Though I speak in tongues – I honestly find it weird. Anything that makes my mind unfruitful I find it weird. Anything I can’t explain is weird.

1Cor. 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

I remember when I was in high school I would go to my room, turn the worship music real high, lock the door and speak in tongues. One night I forgot to lock the door and was in the middle of an intense speaking in tongues moment when my mom came in the room. My mom is a Christian but attends a church that does not practice speaking in tongues so when I saw her and she heard me speaking in tongues we both froze and she just blurted out ” What in the world are you doing?” then she bolted out of my room.

It still makes me laugh up until today. But that experience taught me some valuable lessons about the gift of tongues.

1. Not speaking in tongues won’t make you less of a Christian.

I know a lot of spirit filled beleivers who dont speak in tongues and they are Christians that live holy lives pleasing to God.

2. Watch out for spiritual pride.

There were times that I felt supeiror because I speak in tongues while some of my Christian friends don’t. In my zealous, stupid, hyper-tongue days I would usually scoff spiritually on churches who don’t speak in tongues. The gift of tongues is supposed to be a gift but it became more of a curse for me because of my pride.

3. Respect churches that don’t speak in tongues.

If you are invited to preach or minister to churches that don’t speak in tongues don’t go up and speak in tongues for the whole church to hear. Respect! Spiritual fruits always outweighs spiritual gifts.

4. Tongues is to Strengthen YOU not the people around you unless interpreted.

When I speak in tongues I almost always do it privately. Nobody hears me except me (0r my wife). Publicly or in church i speak in tongues under my breath. To be biblically sound if I have the mic and I speak in tongues I expect somebody to interpret it.

1Cor. 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
1Cor. 14:28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church; let them speak to themselves and to God.
1Cor. 14:29  ¶     Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

5. Tongues can be controlled unlike demon possession.

The fun part with tongues is that when I want to speak in tongues I could do it instantly and when I want to stop speaking in tongues I can do it instantly as well. Tongues might be weird but it is not that weird as how it is portrayed or practiced by some people.

6. I would love everybody to speak in tongues but….

some won’t.

1Cor. 14:39  ¶     Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
1Cor. 14:40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Cor. 12:7  ¶     Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
1Cor. 12:8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
1Cor. 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
1Cor. 12:10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,a and to still another the interpretation of tongues.a
1Cor. 12:11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Most of the time tongues manifest during the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some gets it instantly, some waits. I waited for a month before the gift of tongues manifested. For some – it won’t but as what i have said it won’t make you less of a Christian.

For more on this subject – read 1 cor 12-15