The Serious Business about our tongue

Misuse of the Tongue: A Serious Matter in the Body of Christ

There is a foul, insidious force moving silently throughout the Church—often overlooked, but deeply destructive. It’s not always dressed in rebellion or blatant sin; instead, it wears the disguise of concern, spiritual insight, or “I have something for you to pray about.” But let’s call it what it truly is: religious gossip.

The King James version of the Bible refers to it as “talebearing,” and though the term may sound archaic, its consequences are dangerously real and ever present. Let’s examine some Bible passages on the subject.

“You shall not go about as a talebearer (gossiper) among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.” —Leviticus 19:16 (AMP/parenthesis mine)

“A talebearer (gossiper) reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” —Proverbs 11:13 (KJV/parenthesis mine)

“He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter (gossips) separates close friends.” —Proverbs 17:9 (AMP/parenthesis mine)

God's Word makes it abundantly clear that misusing our tongues can damage relationships, cause discord, and even postpone divine destiny.

A World of Iniquity

The Book of James doesn’t mince words about the subject of a gossiping, backbiting tongue. He says the tongue is a “world of iniquity,” full of deadly poison. Though it’s small, it carries great power—just like the bit in a horse’s mouth or the rudder of a massive ship, it can steer a life toward either blessing or destruction.

“And the tongue is a fire… It defiles the whole body… and it is set on fire of hell. No man can tame it. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:6–8

If our words grieve the heart of God, they should grieve our hearts too.

Words Have Power

Let us never forget the creative force of words.

“In the beginning was the Word…” –John 1:1

“God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” —Genesis 1

“The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” —John 6:63

Words are not casual. They are containers of power—capable of building or destroying, releasing or restraining, blessing or cursing.

 A Real-Life Example: The Blocked Blessing

I had a young, talented drummer in my church who was a gifted musician and an aspiring gospel rapper. Despite his obvious talent and constant productivity, his full-time music endeavor brought in little income.

One day, he pulled me aside with surprising news: he had abruptly married a young woman in the congregation who worked at the hospital. Shocked, I lovingly reminded him that "pimping the bride" wasn’t a biblical principle and if he wanted to support his household, he needed to get a steady-paying job. With moistened eyes, he sadly confessed, “Pastor Toni, I’ve been trying. I just can’t get hired.”

His unemployment status continued for months as before, and I simply prayed for him until one Saturday night I received a call from a former member who had moved out of town but was visiting.

 “Pastor, I have a word for the church. It’ll be brief. Can I share it?” I trusted him and gave him the pulpit.

After taking the microphone, the speaker motioned for the drummer to stand at the altar, facing the congregation. With authority in his voice, he declared, “God’s been dealing with me. Everyone who has been speaking against this brother, I need you to come forward and repent. You see, you guys have been hindering him, and God said that it’s got to stop!” My eyes widened as a line slowly formed, stretching from the altar all the way to the entrance doors. Only a few children and a church mother remained seated. Amid hugs and copious tears, confessions and repentance took place. (The speaker stood in line as well.). The Spirit of God moved in such a strong and unexpected way that it completely smashed the usual order of service—no traditional “two fast songs and a slow worship song” routine. Instead, the tangible presence of God filled the sanctuary, wrapping the room in a sense of holy awe, demanding one thing that particular Sunday morning—reconciliation.

The Breakthrough

Weeks later, I saw the drummer after a long absence. “Where have you been?” I asked.

“Working!” he beamed. “Pastor, I got three jobs now!”

Within just a few weeks, he secured three jobs: a position as a bus assistant for individuals with disabilities, a midnight shift at Shears, a potato chip factory, and a weekend stocker role at Toys R Us. On top of that, his midnight supervisor regularly let him clock out early so he could make it to his day job on time. This wasn’t just a breakthrough—it was divine favor in action.

The blessings stored up for this young man were held up—not through laziness or poor choices—but by the words, judgments, and opinions of his church family. We (and I include myself) had given the enemy legal ground to keep him in a cycle of lack. Our words had cursed him with poverty, even as we lifted our hands to bless God each Sunday.

 “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:9-10).

So, you see, my brethren, how we use our tongue is a serious matter. What  can we take away from this real-life scenario?

·        A tongue not yielded to the Holy Spirit can be a weapon in the enemy’s hand.

·        Our brash opinions and judgments can unintentionally hold others back.

·        If we cannot speak life—words that build and encourage—it is best to say nothing.

·        The tongue is a planet. It will produce iniquity or blessing.

·        Life and death lies not only in the power of a weapon but in the tongue as well (Proverb 18:21).

·        According to the Bible, our testimony as believers is but dust if our words are not governed by the Spirit and Word of God (James 1:26).

 Putting things into practice:

Guard your words like you would your money. The former is eternal; the latter won’t  follow us into heaven.

Be swift to hear, but cautious to speak, as the Bible says (James 1:19).

Never come into agreement with gossip, hearsay, rumors, and idle chatter. Shut it down!

Keep in mind that God has granted the church the power to alter destiny for the good through Kingdom language.

Pray that God will give you the tongue of the learned (Isaiah 50:4).

Meditate daily upon the scriptures that govern the tongue (Joshua 1:8).

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 Let’s explore this subject deeper in our next blog.