LifeWay Research Studies the Use of Private Prayer Language

The survey asked SBC pastors, Protestant pastors and laity their beliefs about private prayer language using this wording: "Do you believe that the Holy Spirit gives some people the gift of a special language to pray to God privately? Some people refer to this as a Private Prayer Language or the 'private use of tongues.'"

You may view a longer article on lifeway.com here but I was especially interested in the responses from pastors ...
Fifty percent of Southern Baptist pastors answered "Yes," 43 percent said "No," and 7 percent responded "Don't know."

Non-SBC pastors are more likely to believe that the Holy Spirit gives some people a private prayer language than Southern Baptist pastors. Sixty-six percent of non-SBC pastors responded "Yes," 32 percent responded "No," and 3 percent responded "Don't know."

Protestant pastors (Southern Baptists and non-SBC) are more likely to believe the Holy Spirit gives some people a private prayer language (63 percent) than Protestant laity (51 percent).

Of the Protestant laity surveyed, 15 percent responded "Don't know" when asked if they believe in the gift of private prayer language. Of the Protestant pastors, only 3 percent are unsure.
Again, you may view a fuller treatment of the survey here on lifeway.com... and be sure to listen to the Inside LifeWay podcast.

You may also see a PowerPoint presentation with results from the survey at www.lifeway.com/research

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