The Beauty of Spiritual Language

Hayford's book on speaking in tongues, first published by Word in 1992 (Thomas Nelson, 1996; new edition 2018) with the subtitle Unveiling the Mystery of Speaking in Tongues. Writing against the stereotypes that surround the practice, he presents spiritual language as God's idea, stressing that it was Jesus who first introduced the subject. The book combines teaching with a personal account of his own spiritual journey, showing how God grew him as a Christian leader, and argues that the spiritual-language experience is intended for all of God's children. It is one of the best-known Pentecostal treatments of tongues for a general readership, and its moderate, pastoral tone reflects Hayford's reputation as a bridge between Pentecostals and other evangelicals.