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.
Earnestly contending for the faith once delivered
56-0419 §24
Now, in the beginning, we find out that John preached and said, "There's just coming One after me, and as soon as He comes," he said, "He must increase, I must decrease. I must get out of the picture, and He must take over." Immediately after He was baptized, He went into the wilderness and was there for forty days, fasting. Came out, and now the first sign of His ministry was healing the sick. First thing... His fame began to spread abroad. And if Jesus was the One Who introduced the faith, and He started His mini...
The ministry of Christ
53-0607A §4
He said, "No." He said, "You should've said 'pulpit.'" Said, "The people would appreciate you more if you'd said 'pulpit' and not 'polpit.'" So I said, "Brother dear, I love you, see." But I said, "Look, them people out there don't care whether I say 'polpit' or 'pulpit,' they want me to preach the Gospel and see what [unclear words]." That's right. So that's just about it. I used to remember, when I was first ordained---Baptist church. You know how a young preacher is, especially the Baptist. I hope there's some h...
Fellowship by redemption
55-0403 §68
And the only way that God can preach the Gospel today, is through that lump of clay, and that's why He is keeping you here. And that's why you sick people have a right to come to Christ. Say, "Lord Jesus, if You'll only heal me now, I'll go. I may not be a preacher, but I'll talk about it. I'll do everything that I can. You are the vine; I'm one of the branches." Now, the vine doesn't bear fruit. The branches bears fruit. Not the vine; the branch. The vine only puts the energy into it. The Gospel can be preached by...
Witnesses
53-0405E §51
Old John the Baptist, when he begin to preach, he was the greatest preacher of all the age. He was a very simple man. He went into the wilderness at the age of nine years old. He didn't get a PhD. But what did he do? He didn't come out with his collar turned around, or know the Doxology or the Apostles' Creed. But he was God's witness. When he come out of the wilderness of Judea, he preached such a Gospel, with an old sheepskin draped around him, like this. Oh, my! But he stirred all the regions around about Jerusa...
A Missionary Talk
58-0330A §11
Now what is the Gospel? The word, Gospel means "good news." The good news is the Bible, but the Bible is the letter. "The letter killeth, and the Spirit giveth life." So Paul said, "The Gospel came not through word only, but through the power and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit." Now notice, the only way that the Gospel could be preached then, would be to manifest the power of the Holy Spirit. Then what's the next quotation? "And (a conjunction) these signs shall follow them that believe." Not these signs may...