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.
God's provided way of healing
54-0719A §17
Now, we would like to place, say, well, like preaching. Well, let John Doe or anybody preach... If John Doe wasn't absolutely called of God to be a preacher, he'll never make a successful preacher. His mother might've told him he should be a preacher, and his dad might have sent him off to a seminary, he might have the degrees and so forth; but he will never be able to lead people to God till the Holy Spirit has moved into that man's life and give him something that... He may not be able to speak his words right; h...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 3:E-85
Where, oh where, are we spiritually? We are in a wilderness of darkness. How far we have wandered from the first church. Pentecost is nowhere in view and the Word cannot be found. Apostolic succession, which today abounds, is not found in the Word. It is a man-made device. It supersedes illegally the truth that GOD, NOT MAN, has set His leaders in the church. Peter was not even in Rome. Yet they lie and say he was. History proves he was not. There are people who read history, but shrug their shoulders and go back t...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
61-0205E §12
Then besides that, He's got five ministerial offices. First is apostles or missionaries. The word apostle means "one sent." A missionary means "one sent." Secondarily, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and so forth. Those are God-given gifts that's set into the church. They're predestinated of God, and set into the church. You can't make yourself a minister. God's got to call you to be a minister. Prophets are foreordained. They're prophets. Now, there's a gift of prophecy in the church that could be on one, then the...
Church Ages, part 8: The Philadelphian Church Age
60-1210 §18
but His commission to the church was, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel." And the gospel is not altogether the Word, but it's making the Word come to life, see, because Jesus said, immediately, "These signs shall follow them that believe." You know, Mark 16, His last mission to the church was, "These signs shall follow them that believe." His first commission to the church, in Matthew, the 10th chapter, was, "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils: as freely as you have received, freely give." An...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 4:E-25
Now this is nothing against rich people because God can save a rich man. Some of God's children are rich. But money can be such a snare, not only to those who have it but to those who don't have it. Way back there in the first age, James cried out to those who were putting stock in wealthy people, "Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons." The poor there were trying to butter up the rich in order to get help, rather than trusting in God. "Don't do it," says James. "Don't do it. Money isn...