Resurrection Power : The Gift of Tongues

This is our Sunday teaching from Senior Pastor, Lesley Thompson. Given live at our Sunday Service in Harris Academy Purley, Croydon on Sunday 27th April, 2025. 

Below you can listen to a full audio of the teaching, there is also a summary article posted below.

Want to lead a Connect Group session based on this teaching? The notes are here.

Accessing Resurrection Power: The Gift of Tongues

Last Sunday, Leslie continued our series on Resurrection Power by focusing on the gift of tongues — a beautiful, mysterious way we can access the ongoing power of Jesus’s resurrection.

After an incredible Easter weekend where we witnessed physical, emotional, and spiritual healings (and handed out more new believer packs than we had prepared!), Leslie shared how the Holy Spirit equips believers to connect with God directly through the gift of tongues. Rooted in Scripture, tongues is described as a spiritual language — a way for our spirit to pray even when we don't have the words ourselves.

Drawing on personal stories, Leslie described how praying in tongues can strengthen us individually and strengthen the church when used appropriately. From witnessing miraculous healings on the streets of Singapore, to spontaneous moments of prayer where people recognised real-world languages they had never learned, Leslie reminded us that resurrection power is not just something for the past — it's for today.

Hannah then shared her own journey with the gift of tongues: growing up loving language, but realising that control and precision over words sometimes stood in the way of surrendering to God's Spirit. Through small steps of faith she began to experience the Holy Spirit in a deeper, more intimate way. She encouraged us that stepping into the gift might feel vulnerable, but it's a powerful way to connect with God beyond the limits of our earthly language.

We were reminded that the Holy Spirit never forces us but partners with us — inviting us to step out, practice, and trust that He will meet us. Whether it’s praying quietly in personal prayer times or using tongues in corporate worship (with care and interpretation), the gift is a real, tangible expression of God’s power and love.

We finished by praying for those wanting to receive the gift for the first time and for those wanting to stir up what God had already given. It was a powerful and joyful time, as many encountered the Holy Spirit in a fresh way.

Jesus is alive. His resurrection power is real. And it’s available to all who believe.