Were There People in the New Testament Who Did Not Have a Formal Church Ordination, Yet Preached the Gospel?
Yes. The New Testament shows many who preached by the call and anointing of the Holy Ghost without a formal church ordination.
Scriptural Explanation
- The man casting out devils in Jesus’ Name who didn’t follow the apostles (Mark 9:38–40; Luke 9:49–50). Jesus said, “Forbid him not.”
- The seventy were sent by the Lord Himself, not by a council (Luke 10:1, 9).
- The delivered man of Gadara was told, “Go home…and tell,” and he published Christ in Decapolis (Mark 5:19–20).
- Persecuted believers “went everywhere preaching the word,” not just ordained officers (Acts 8:1, 4).
- Philip, originally chosen as a deacon, preached Christ in Samaria with signs following (Acts 6:5; 8:5–8, 12).
- Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, preached with wisdom and power (Acts 6:8–10; ch. 7).
- Apollos preached Christ powerfully before any recorded formal ordination; Aquila and Priscilla instructed him more perfectly (Acts 18:24–28).
- Saul/Paul preached Christ “straightway” after his conversion, before consulting men (Acts 9:20; Galatians 1:15–17, 23).
- Men of Cyprus and Cyrene preached the Lord Jesus at Antioch, and “a great number believed” (Acts 11:19–21).
- The promise is broad: “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17–18). The Great Commission is to all believers (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19–20).
Simple Clarifying Logic
Now notice, the Bible shows a clear pattern: God calls and fills; the Church recognizes and sends. Laying on of hands in Acts 13:2–3 confirmed those whom the Holy Ghost had already separated. Authority to preach the gospel comes from the Word and the Spirit, not from human papers. If God vindicates the message with Scripture and the fruit, that is Heaven’s endorsement.
Final Word
So yes—there were many who preached without formal ordination. The New Testament puts the emphasis on the Holy Ghost calling and the Scriptures being proclaimed.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 10:E-20
Now watch this doctrine of Balaam most carefully. Notice above all, that it is the deliberate maneuver of a corrupt clergy to bind the people to them, by leading the people deliberately into the sin of unbelief. The Nicolaitane doctrine was the corruption of the clergy as they sought political power amongst themselves, while Balaamism is the subjection of the people to their system of creed and worship in order to hold them. Now watch this carefully. What was it that bound the people to the nominal church and there...
Hebrews, Chapter 1
57-0821 §28
God would send His prophet like Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah. And if you'll notice, never in all the history of the world, did ever the church produce a prophet. Search it in the Old Testament, New Testament, or in this day---in the latter day. Show me any prophet was ever raised out of the church in the last day. Show me one that ever come up out. And show me one time that a prophet, a real servant of God, that the ecclesiastical system of the world didn't condemn him. Just think of it. Jeremiah, Isaiah, all down thro...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
55-0603 §12
Now, we would have to go back then to the beginning of the New Testament. For they were called saints in the New Testament. And the first opening of the New Testament was John the Baptist. And he preached the message saying only this: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." So repentance would be part of the faith that was delivered to the saints. But John spoke, saying that there's coming One who will be the instructor. And when Jesus came to John after His baptism, then the disciples and all began to foll...
The Second Coming
55-0220A §57
Oh my, look on the street, the poor old women, babies, laying there, dying and everything else, a man couldn't even get through it. The next day when we started leaving, there no way of ever ducking, no way around it. They said, "Reverend Branham, the best thing you could do is leave at present time, and we'll straighten up. And New Delhi is where we'll have an amphitheater up there that holds a million people." I'm going back, God willing. Thousands coming to the Lord Jesus. What is it? You could... As good as it...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 10:E-18
This second step was the doctrine of Balaam, (described in Revelation 2:14) wherein Balaam taught Balak to stumble the children of Israel by a 'united meeting.' There the guests would do two more things contrary to the Word of God. You will recall that Balak needed help to keep his kingdom. He called on the most dominant spiritual figure of his day, Balaam. Balaam gave the advice that trapped and destroyed Israel. It was, first of all, to suggest that they all get together and talk things over, and eat together and...