Many churches today avoid teaching on speaking in tongues, but Pastor Otha Turnbough believes the issue is not so much rejection as misunderstanding.
Appearing alongside his wife, LaRonna Turnbough, on the Rebecca Lamb Weiss podcast, Otha addressed one of the most debated topics in the church and explained why he believes praying in tongues remains a vital part of a believer’s spiritual life.
“One, in most cases, it’s just a lack of understanding,” Turnbough said when asked why some Christians oppose the practice.
According to Turnbough, much of the confusion stems from believers failing to distinguish between different expressions of tongues found in Scripture. He pointed to 1 Corinthians 14, emphasizing what he described as a private prayer language between a believer and God.
“He that speaks in tongues does not speak unto men. He only speaks unto God,” he said. “Well, if you don’t speak unto men, you don’t need an interpreter.”
The Turnboughs lead a church where praying in tongues is incorporated into corporate worship before services. Otha said they dedicate an hour to prayer before preaching and regularly provide opportunities for people to receive the gift.
“When we’re done with the hour, we give people an opportunity to receive it,” he said. “The people receive the gift of tongues 100% of the time before I’m done with the sermon.”
While some pastors worry that such practices might make visitors uncomfortable, Turnbough believes the opposite often occurs.
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“The first-time visitors, they stay because even though they don’t understand the language, they can’t deny that there’s a mysterious power in the room,” he said.
Throughout the conversation, Otha repeatedly connected praying in tongues with spiritual empowerment. Referencing the book of Acts, he distinguished between what he called the Holy Spirit “within” and the Holy Spirit “upon.”
“The Holy Spirit within is for salvation. When you give your life to Christ, He moves in,” Otha said. “The Holy Spirit is upon us for power. That’s why in Acts it says, ‘You shall receive power.'”
He also challenged believers to pursue a deeper prayer life, citing Jesus’ words in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“When I asked the Lord, ‘How would You pastor the church if You sat me down for a whole year?'” Otha recalled. “The first thing He said was, ‘Could you not pray with Me for an hour?'”
LaRonna echoed the importance of cultivating a personal relationship with God through prayer, fasting and time in Scripture. She shared how seeking the Lord consistently transformed her own spiritual walk.
“My biggest prayer was, ‘God, I want to experience the supernatural,'” she said. “I desire a supernatural encounter with You, Your Word, heaven.”
The couple also emphasized Using the analogy of a store filled with resources for believers, Otha said that many Christians fail to access what God has provided simply because they never seek it.
“If you really, really, really desire something in your heart, God is going to make sure you get it,” he said.
For the Turnboughs, the conversation ultimately came back to a simple question every believer must answer for themselves.
“It really comes down to what do you want?” Otha said. “If you want more, then you’ve got to search. You’ve got to ask. You’ve got to seek.”
The Turnboughs’ message was clear: a vibrant prayer life remains essential for believers who desire to grow deeper in their relationship with God and experience the fullness of His presence.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
