Description of Tongues: The ability to communicate deep spiritual utterances outside the capacity of human language or thought for the purpose of personal worship or edification.  Also a non-“intellectual” manner of communicating needed messages to the community  with the assistance of an interpreter.

Description of Interpretation:  the ability to make known what which is communicated in an unknown manner.

Meaning:  to speak in a foreign language, to interpret a foreign language.

Key Traits: open, humble, willing, sensitive, confident, flexible, prayerful, trusting.

Characteristics of tongues:  This is a person who can…

·        Without training speak a known or a heavenly language

·        Experience an intimacy in worship and expression to God

·        Worship God with all their soul by expressing things too deep for language

                                                                                          …and enjoys doing it.    

Characteristics of interpretation:   This is a person who can…

·        Make known to the community that which is spoken in a way which is not directly accessible.

·        Have a clear understanding of expressions which are not a known or learned language.

·        Make a gift which is private into a tool for edifying the body

                                                                                                       …and enjoys doing it.

Cautions/liabilities:

·        May have pride from having a more “charismatic” gift

·        May confuse their own thoughts/words with what God wants to say.

·        Must learn the proper responses these gift prompts, the Spirit of God is orderly in all things.

·        Best works when confirmed by others with this gift or with discernment.

·        Those with the gift of tongues should stay quiet unless there is a mature interpreter.

·        A true message from God is not an ecstatic event, but can wait for a proper place and time to be expressed.

Scripture:  1 Cor. 12:10; 14:5; 14:26-28.

Examples:  Paul, those in the Corinthian church