Speak in Tongues

Break the language barriers to expand your reach.

8/15/20262 min read

It’s difficult to learn a new language. After we’ve been so immersed in our native tongue, it’s hard for our minds to comprehend the foreign sounds, syllables, and phrases of another language. It almost sounds like gibberish and nonsensical sounds.

It can sometimes overwhelm us to learn a distinctive way of communicating and all the specific grammatical rules that go along with it. It’s like we have to train our brain to think differently in order to understand a new foreign language.

But after we expose ourselves in this new language regularly, we can then grasp the basics. We know the fundamental words and sounds and the common phrases to get around. Gradually, we add more words to our vocabulary and apply more of the proper grammatical rules. After being immersed in the new language for an extensive period, it becomes second nature.

Fluency in another language opens so many doors to connect with people. It is rare to speak in two, let alone three or more languages. But when we can understand and communicate with people from different countries, then we can extend our ministry to countless others.

God wants us to minister to the ends of the Earth. But if we do not understand their language, there is a barrier that is difficult to hurdle over. It takes time and energy to learn a new language. But if we put in the effort, we gradually break down those barriers and open the floodgates to connection, ministry, and outreach.

“So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.” 1 Corinthians 14:9-11

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8