Tongues: Where I Cheer, Where I Push Back - Pt 2

(Part 2 of the Series)

Last time we looked at how Pentecostal theology around tongues developed — from Acts to Azusa Street. Now I want to celebrate what’s good, and be honest about where I think the conversation needs more depth.

Firstly — What I Like

I like the Pentecostal church. I love the passion to experience the real, living, transcendent presence and power of God today. There’s a reason it’s the fastest-growing movement in the global church: Pentecostals are open to God breaking through, hungry for Him to show up in real ways for real problems, and ready to contend for the Kingdom of God to push back the kingdom of darkness.

Pentecostals are faith people, generous people, praying people — and honestly, they’re usually a good time to be around.

Where I Differ (and Why)

1. The “Spirit in You / Spirit on You” Oversimplification

A common way to summarise Pentecostal belief is: “The Spirit is in you at conversion, but on you in the baptism of the Spirit for others or for mission.”

While it’s a memorable line, Scripture doesn’t frame it in those exact terms.

Yes, the early disciples had the Spirit (John 20:22) and were told to wait to receive power when the Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:8). But this summary ignores that the disciples had already ministered to others, done miracles, cast out demons, and healed the sick — all before Pentecost. They already operated in some form of the Spirit’s power.

That makes sense for the first disciples, who lived in the unique overlap between Jesus’ earthly ministry and Pentecost. They received in part during the former and in fullness during the latter. But that’s not the same pattern we see in other converts in Acts, like Paul — and it’s certainly not a pattern we can assume for all believers today. They lived in the overlap; we live in the fullness.

2. Missing Pentecost in the Bigger Story

In the simplified version, Pentecost is treated as something we can personally “have” again — another Pentecost, a personal Pentecost. As sincere and hungry as that desire is, I think it misses the significance of Acts 2 in the whole biblical narrative.

Pentecost is the reversal of Babel. In Genesis 11, humanity’s languages were confused, scattering the nations. At Pentecost, diverse languages were spoken in the power of the Spirit — a supernatural sign of unity and mission among other things within the big story of the bible.

In Acts 2, tongues are real human languages. In later parts of Acts and in Paul’s letters, tongues often appear to be heavenly languages.

When we say we “need another Pentecost,” we’re using language that can blur the unique, unrepeatable event of Acts 2. We don’t need another Pentecost. We already live in the age that Pentecost ushered in. What we do need is more of God’s presence and power in our lives, churches, and world.

3. Picking and Choosing Which Acts Passages Are Normative

The simplified Pentecostal approach often focuses on certain passages in Acts while overlooking the diversity in how the Spirit moves.

Here’s a walk-through of the main ones — and what they actually show:

• Acts 2:4 — A unique, covenant-crossing moment, promised by John the Baptist and Jesus, foretold by Joel. Tongues are clearly other known languages, heard as praise to God in the hearers’ own tongues.
  Takeaway: This is a one-time, history-shaping event.

• Acts 4:31 — The Spirit is poured out again, the place shakes, all are filled — but no tongues are mentioned. Instead, bold preaching follows.
  Takeaway: Tongues aren’t the only sign of being filled with the Spirit.

• Acts 8:15–17 — The Samaritans hadn’t received the Spirit at conversion, so the apostles laid hands on them. They received the Spirit, but no tongues are mentioned.
  Takeaway: Receiving the Spirit doesn’t always come with tongues.

• Acts 9:17–18 — Saul’s conversion includes being filled with the Spirit, but again, no tongues are recorded here.
  Takeaway: The Spirit’s filling isn’t always accompanied by a predictable visible sign.

• Acts 10:44–48 — The first Gentiles receive the Spirit before water baptism, and tongues and praise are both mentioned.
  Takeaway: Sometimes tongues accompany Spirit filling, but they’re not the only evidence.

• Acts 19:1–7 — In Ephesus, people who hadn’t heard the gospel receive the Spirit, and this time there are tongues and prophecy. Luke even notes twelve men, perhaps symbolising the fullness of God’s mission — in a sense, the gospel reaching “the ends of the earth.”
  Takeaway: Tongues often appear alongside other Spirit-given gifts.

Seven Observations from the Acts Narrative

1. God keeps His promise — He empowers His church by His Spirit.

2. Acts is a movement outward fulfilling Jesus' words— Jerusalem (Acts 2), Samaritans (Acts 8), Gentiles (Acts 10), and even “the ends of the earth” (Acts 19, in a symbolic sense).

3. Baptism in the Spirit = Acts 2 — The term is only directly used there. Elsewhere it’s “filled with the Spirit” or “the Spirit came upon them.”

4. Signs vary — Sometimes an outward sign is recorded; sometimes not.

5. Evidence is diverse — When signs are described, they include tongues, prophecy, praise, and preaching.

6. Conversion includes Spirit empowerment — When conversion includes repentance, faith, baptism, and receiving the Spirit, we receive both indwelling and empowering — and can experience subsequent fillings for fresh empowerment, gifts, anointing, or breakthrough.

7. The promise still stands — Acts 2:38–39 is for “you, your children, and all who are far off.”

Why Have There Been So Many “Second Experiences” Since Azusa Street?

This is worth its own deep dive, but here’s my short answer:

In many people’s lives, churches, and even whole movements, the Spirit’s work has been significantly quenched. People have been led into salvation without being led into the fullness of discipleship life in the Spirit.

So when God moves — whether at Azusa Street in the early 1900s, during the Charismatic Renewal, or today — it feels like a “second work” because something long shut off has been reopened.

And that’s exactly where Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts — especially tongues — can help us see what’s possible when we live open to the Spirit.

Next time: we’ll look at what Paul actually says about tongues in his letters, what that means for us, and why I think we should want the gift even if it’s not “proof” of anything.