The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has signalled an end to years of hostility towards the practice of speaking in tongues in new guidelines for missionary candidates.
The SBC’s International Mission Board (IMB) has introduced standard qualifications for its missionaries, replacing different criteria for different “pathways” of service. Among other changes, the IMB has also relaxed its rules on baptism. In another shift, divorced people – who have previously been accepted for short-term assignments – will no longer be automatically disqualified from long-term missionary service.
The lifting of the prohibition on speaking in tongues represents a reversal of a policy agreed 10 years ago. A question on the IMB application form asked whether a candidate used a “private prayer language” and an affirmative answer meant automatic disqualification. While the question remains, the IMB says that a candidate could still be accepted.
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