What does the Bible really teach about speaking in tongues? In this episode, Jonny and Hank dig into the gift of tongues from a biblical perspective — walking through Acts 2, Acts 10, Acts 19, and 1 Corinthians 12–14 to examine whether tongues in Scripture refers to known languages or a private prayer language.
Hank shares a personal story from his college years visiting a charismatic church, then unpacks:
- What tongues meant in Acts 2 (the Day of Pentecost)
- How Luke's authorship and timeline shape the interpretation of Acts
- 1 Corinthians 13 and the "tongues of angels" — literal or rhetorical?
- Whether tongues is a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit
- Paul's instructions for order in the church (1 Corinthians 14:27, 14:23)
- Early church history: Gregory of Nazianzus, Chrysostom, and the origins of the modern private prayer language movement (Charles Fox Parham, Agnes Ozman, 1901)
- Romans 8:26 and the Spirit's intercession in prayer
This is a respectful, Scripture-first conversation for anyone wondering how to think biblically about tongues, the charismatic movement, spiritual gifts, and the sufficiency of God's Word — without dismissing sincere believers who see it differently.
📖 Key passages covered: Acts 2:4-11, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 19, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Romans 8:26, Genesis 11
What is the Gift of Tongues and Is It for Today? Acts 2, 1 Cor. 14, and More | Jonny Ardavanis
Read next
How to Know If Your Repentance Is Real (Psalm 51) with Matt Boswell and Jonny Ardavanis
“How do you know if your repentance is genuine? In this episode, Jonny sits down with pastor and hymn writer
Teach Your Kids to Work (Before It's Too Late) with Joel and Mary Beeke
Are you accidentally raising a lazy adult? In this episode, Jonny sits down with Joel and Mary Beeke (author of
Whatever You Do: Pillars of the Christian Work Ethic
What does the Bible actually say about your 9-to-5? In this episode, Jonny Ardavanis and Hank Bowen dig