'Tongues are not a ticket to heaven' - Rev Thompson clarifies

A Presbyterian pastor has taken a firm theological stance against the growing pressure on Christians to speak in tongues as proof of their faith, arguing that the practice is neither a requirement for salvation nor something that can be forced from a believer.

Rev Eric Nii-Noi Thompson, Head Pastor of the Okplekuku Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, made the assertion in an interview with MzGee, pushing back against what he described as an imposed standard that risks narrowing a much broader spiritual experience.

“If you don't speak in tongues, it does not mean you will not go to heaven,” he said.

He added that the gift, by its very nature, cannot be manufactured on demand. “It’s not something you force. The Holy Spirit works in its own time.”

His comments come against the backdrop of a wider cultural tension between orthodox churches and charismatic movements, a divide often defined by the question of how faith should be expressed in practice.

Rev Thompson did not dismiss perceptions that the Presbyterian Church has historically occupied a more reserved space. He acknowledged this, but rejected the idea that the tradition is frozen in time.

“We didn’t used to clap… we didn’t have drums,” he said, referring to a past where worship followed a more rigid form.

Today, he noted, elements once associated mainly with charismatic settings, such as livelier music, prayer camps, and prophetic ministry, have found their place within Presbyterian practice.

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However, he stressed that the pace of change is deliberate.

“When change comes, the church takes time to examine it against what the Bible says before adopting it.”

Rev Thompson also addressed issues such as physical appearance, including dreadlocks, piercings, and tattoos.

“God does not love sin, but He loves the sinner,” he said, adding that transformation is a gradual process, not an ultimatum.

He likened the church’s role to that of a caregiver, guiding and nurturing change over time rather than demanding immediate conformity.

According to him, the task of the church is to remain open enough to receive people where they are, while staying grounded enough to preserve its theological foundation.

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