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 9:E-78
"You are blind and naked." Now this is really desperate. How can anyone be blind and naked and not know it? Yet it says that they are blind and naked and can't perceive it. The answer is, they are spiritually blind, and spiritually naked. Do you remember when Elisha and Gehazi were surrounded by the army of the Syrians? You recall that Elisha smote them blind by the power of God. Yet their eyes were wide open and they could see where they were going. The blindness was peculiar in that they could see certain things,...
Adoption, part 3: Position in Christ
60-0522M §65
"Well, now, wait a minute, Lord! Now, what school should I advise?" I'll tell you what let's do, let's read Galatians and find out. Just the next chapter right back. Let's find Galatians 1, and begin at the tenth verse, and let's find out what school Paul went to, what seminary, and whose hands was laid on him, and, oh, all that took place. Galatians, the first chapter. To save time, let's begin about his conversion, the tenth verse: For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I seek yet t...
Hebrews, Chapter 4
57-0901E §21
The good news to us now that "God has sent a deliverer, the Holy Ghost, and we're on the road to the promised land." Now people has made it creeds and denominations, but God still remains that our rest is the Holy Ghost! Notice: ...gospel was preached ... unto them as well as unto us: but the word preached did not profit them,... the [remember] the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Oh, my brethren, let me stop here for a minute. No matter how much the Word is preac...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 5:E-52
Now let us take a Scriptural warning here. Was it not in the days of Moses whom God had vindicated that Korah rose up and withstood that mighty prophet? He disputed with Moses and claimed that he had as much from God to lead the people and that others shared in the Divine revelation as well as did Moses. He denied the authority of Moses. Now the people back there, after they had heard the true Word and were well acquainted with the fact that a true prophet was vindicated of God, I say those people fell for Korah an...
Why are people so tossed about?
56-0101 §103
Now, I would like to trade places today with some men who preach the Gospel, if it be the will of God for me to be a preacher. I'm not much of a preacher, because I'm not educated, and I don't know too much of the Word and things. So, I can't preach, but my work is to pray for sick people. And I notice in the services, in different places, just what prayer does. What an effect it has.