Correction appended
A group of Southern Baptists are revisiting a controversy by calling their international missions agency to remove restrictions from candidates who speak privately in tongues and have been baptized by immersion following conversion, but was not baptized by a proper administrator or another Baptist who believes in eternal security.
Thirty-seven former Southern Baptist missionaries, former International Mission Board trustees and Southern Baptist pastors have signed a statement expressing their "strong" disagreement with a 2005 decision by the IMB trustees that ruled out the appointment of missionary candidates who practice speaking in tongues in public or a "prayer language" in private and who have not been baptized properly, according to the new guidelines.
"We are alarmed at the reports of the rejection of otherwise worthy candidates and reports of individuals who will now not even bother to apply to their own denomination’s missions organization, lest these guidelines disqualify them," the statement, which was released Monday, says. "We are dismayed that one of the results of the implementation of these guidelines is the loss of valuable, faithful IMB personnel."
"Let us as Southern Baptists not purposefully turn away any qualified worker who has heard and obeyed the call to 'Go,'" the statement reads.
The signatories argue that the International Mission Board's guidelines for candidacy stray "far beyond the parameters" set by the Southern Baptist Convention's statement of faith - the Baptist Faith and Message.
In 2005, the International Mission Board stirred debate when it adopted a policy that barred missionaries who practice private prayer language. The agency already had policies in place barring missionary candidates who practice public glossolalia (speaking in tongues) but went further to ban those who practice it in private. The adopted baptism guideline stated candidates must have been baptized in a Southern Baptist church or in a church of another denomination that practices believer's baptism by immersion alone and the administrator of the baptism must believe in eternal security.
Amid ongoing debates, IMB trustees revised the mission board's policy in May 2007, terming it "guidelines" rather than "policies." But the agency retained much of the original wording and reaffirmed the main provisions of the "guidelines."
Paul Chitwood of Kentucky, chairman of the trustees' mission personnel committee, said "the rapid spread of neo-Pentecostalism and its pressure exacted on new churches in various regions of the world warrants a concern for the clear Baptist identity of our missionary candidates."
"Furthermore, the diversity of denominational backgrounds among missionary candidates requires a clear baptism guideline to guide the work of our candidate consultants as they consider the qualification of candidates," he said at the time of the revision.
The revisions, which came after a year of review, were not made to create further controversy but rather to bring the study on the matters "to completion" and allow the agency to focus on its world mission task, Chitwood also noted.
But many Southern Baptists do not feel the matters are settled and remain concerned over the restrictions.
Signatories of the statement calling for a reversal say they are "disturbed" that the guidelines have led to "the intrusive scrutiny into the sanctity of the personal prayer closet." Continue >>
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Many southern baptist missionaries have agreed on speaking in tongues . This is a natural process . Once a person speaks he/she knows it comes from the Holy Spirit . Speaking in tongues becomes more and more prominent in the life of missionaries in the pacific rim due to the acceptance of the culture there . The first thing missionaries have to learn is the culture . Even though speaking in tongues begins in the western culture it is practicing in the pacific rim in Asia .
I believe in speaking in tongues because of what the Bible says and not of any denomination say . As a Southern Baptist we respect the right of an individual to read the Bible and voice his or her learning from the Bible guided by the Holy Spirit . The moment that we do not respect the individual to express his or her understanding of the Bible turns us into one side mind . God gives each of us the freedom to express what we think . I like the first miracle when Jesus turns water into delicious wine . Let all who can speak in tongues speak .
Most of what Pariah states is correct, however, the statement "This would also mean no more continual filling of the Spirit for we are filled and thus sealed as His" is not Biblically accurate. Believers are most definitely commanded to "be being filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18, translated from the original Greek). If believers are sealed and filled as a one-time act, then why would Paul command believers (that he has already stated as having been sealed in an earlier chapter) to also be filled? Thus it is possible for a believer to be sealed by, but not filled with, the Holy Spirit. Sealed speaks to position in Christ, filled speaks to condition in walk.
I agree with Bill Wagner that there are too much political reasoning involve . The International Mission Board has new direction and new strategy . It is no longer a missionary sending agency as it should be . It is a company . It used to be like a family when everyone related to each other as uncle and aunt . The mission family is a thing of the past . Now it is a company with big boss and small bosses. Pray that God will move the Southern Baptists to become a sending tools for the family of God .
On the subject of tongues, believers are misled into thinking that there is a private prayer language when there is no interpretation. This is a rationalization when those that sought tongues by seeking another baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes with evidnce of tongues, received tongues with no interpretations. This seeking a sign that a believer has the Holy Spirit is not of the faith in Jesus Christ, meaning, looking for outward proof that one has the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that an adulterous generation seeks after a sign, so one has to wonder if believers are being adulterous by relating to God by seeking another spirit to receive, calling for the Holy Spirit to come when He is already in them as promised by coming to Jesus. This is hwat Paul says tongues serve as a sign for: 1 Corinthians 14:22"Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe." One has to heed the words of Jesus when He says,"John 14: 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." If not, then believers are seeking outward signs that they are saved as if faith in Jesus is not enough. There are tongues in the world that is nothing but gibberish as they seek after other spirits. If God wants us to stand apart from the world, He would not have any practise that mimicks the world where the world would fit right in, bringing in their spirits by the same rudiment of calling forth the spirit. That is why there is no invitation to come to the Spirit as there are many invitations given out, but all pointing to the Son, Jesus Christ, our hope of salvation. Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen... 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." That is why there is a rest in Jesus, for by Him we receive the promise of the Spirit by faith. Galatians 3: 14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
Since the article is on our identity as a believer in Christ by being associated with a church's mainline beliefs, it stands to reason to look at how God sees us as identified as His. Galatians 3:26"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." How did we receive the Holy Spirit? Galatians 3:14"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Ephesians 1:12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,"
Many that look to another baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues should know that as a departure from the faith. Ephesians 4:4"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
This would also mean no more continual filling of the Spirit for we are filled and thus sealed as His. Matthew 9: 17"Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."
Thus we have a rest when we come to Christ Jesus by faith as His promise is we are His. Anything else is a distraction that takes our eyes off of Jesus and away from our rest in Him.