A reverend found himself censored after he revealed a secret while speaking at a religious gathering in Fort Worth.

Rev. Dwight McKissic, of the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, struggled with a secret years ago, which involved something some Christians condemn.

Tuesday, Rev. McKissic spoke out to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary students about speaking in tongues during his prayers.

"I was telling them how I struggled with the matter for years, getting a handle on it," he said.

Facing the student, he made what some ministers would see as a theological confession.

"I pray in tongues in my private life," he said. "I'm not ashamed. I'm thankful for that."

But Rev. McKissic's confession involved a controversial subject among Christians that involves whether the practice of praying or speaking in tongues is genuine.

Praying or speaking in tongues refers to speaking almost unintelligibly while spiritually overcome.

"[It is] rapturous religious expression, unintelligible to the speaker or the hearer except through divine intervention," Rev. McKissic said.

Rev. McKissic's sermon was yanked from the seminary's website because they questioned whether the views were inline with the seminary's Southern Baptist faculty.

"We reserve the right not to disseminate openly views, which we fear may be harmful to the churches," the seminary said in a statement.

Watching a copy of the sermon Wednesday, Rev. McKissic said he was surprised by the controversy his words caused and said he's afraid the controversy could alienate African American Christians

"The vast majority of black believers have no problem with what people do in their private prayer time," he said.

Rev. McKissic is a trustee at the seminary and said he still supports the school's president. The reverend's congregation prayed for his support as he confronts this issue.

E-mail chawes@wfaa.com