Prophecy is no longer needed because the church now has the completed New Testament in print — the gift was only necessary until the written Word was available.
Before the New Testament was written, believers had nothing written to go by, so God gave gifted men who could speak forth His truth. Les teaches that once the Gospels, Acts, and Paul's letters were in written form, the gift faded away. In its place, God gave evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the church.
Ephesians 4:11 — This gift list is the one Les uses to show the transition from apostles and prophets (which faded away) to evangelists, pastors, and teachers (which remain for today).
1 Corinthians 13:2 — Paul names 'the gift of prophecy' in the love chapter, and Les explains this was a gift needed at that time before the Word came into print.
Romans 12:6 lists prophecy among the spiritual gifts given 'according to the grace that is given to us.' In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul refers to 'the gift of prophecy' (1 Corinthians 13:2) and encourages believers: 'Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy' (1 Corinthians 14:1). Ephesians 4:11 records that Christ 'gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.' These passages place prophecy among the gifts of the early church alongside apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
Les teaches that when Paul wrote to the early churches, the gift of prophecy — speaking forth the Word of God, not telling the future — was by far the most important spiritual gift. The early believers had nothing written to go by: none of the Gospels were written yet, and Paul's letters had not yet become part of Scripture. God fed those believers through gifted men who spoke forth His Word, and that was all the early churches had to go on. In 1 Corinthians 13:2, as Les points out, Paul refers to 'the gift of prophecy' — a gift needed at that time, before the Word came into print. It was the means by which God promoted the Word while the New Testament had not yet come together. Les then shows the change: once the Word came into print — with the Gospel accounts, the book of Acts, and Paul's epistles — there was no longer a need for gifted men who proclaimed the Word without anything written to guide them. Just as the apostles faded away after the Apostolic Age, the prophets faded away, and the gifts that remain for the church today are evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
Les defines prophecy as speaking forth the Word of God, not telling the future like Isaiah did. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the greatest spiritual thing to desire was the gift to prophesy — to speak forth the Word. It was the gift that allowed believers to hear God's truth before the New Testament existed.
The early believers had nothing written to go by. None of the Gospels were written yet, Paul's letters had not yet become part of Scripture, and congregations were being started with no printed text. The gift of prophecy was by far the most important because that was all those believers had to go on. God promoted His Word through gifted men who spoke it forth.
Les teaches that once the Word came into print, there was no longer a need for gifted men to speak forth the Word. He points to Ephesians 4:11, where Paul lists apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and explains that the apostles faded away after the Apostolic Age and the prophets faded away because the printed Word was now available. What remains for the church today is evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
Les says what people need to hear today is the Word — the Gospel and the plan of salvation, not miracles. The church today needs evangelists, pastors, and teachers to bring believers from infancy to maturity, and believers so taught from the Word that they become living testimonies wherever they go.
Prophecy as the Greatest Gift
Les explains that when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the greatest of the spiritual things to desire was the gift to prophesy — to speak forth the Word of God.
No New Testament for Early Believers
Les shows why prophecy was essential: before the New Testament was in print, the early believers had nothing written to go by, so gifted men speaking forth the Word were all they had.
Prophecy Defined as Speaking the Word
Les clarifies the meaning of prophecy in these passages — speaking forth the Word of God, not predicting the future — and explains that God promoted His Word through such gifted men.
The Word Is What People Need
Les reiterates that prophesying was the gift of proclaiming the Word before believers had the New Testament, and that preaching the Word, not miracles, is what people need to hear today.
Prophets Faded Once the Word Was Printed
Les states directly that once the Word came into print, there was no longer a need for gifted men to speak it forth; the apostles and prophets faded away, and evangelists, pastors, and teachers remain.
Gift Needed Before the Word Was in Print
Les confirms from 1 Corinthians 13:2 that the gift of prophecy was a gift needed at that specific time — before the Word came into print.
Today's Gifts: Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers
Les explains that the three basic gifts the church needs today are evangelists, pastors, and teachers, given to bring believers from infancy to maturity.
Believers as Living Testimonies
Les describes what the church needs today — believers so taught from the Word that they can go out as living testimonies wherever they are.
Romans 12:6: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Les points to this verse as he describes the gift of prophecy in the body of Christ before the New Testament had come together.
1 Corinthians 13:2: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Paul names the gift of prophecy in the love chapter, which Les says was needed at that time before the Word came into print.
1 Corinthians 14:1: Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
Paul tells believers to desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy, which Les explains was the greatest gift at the time he wrote to Corinth.
Ephesians 4:11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
This gift list shows the transition from apostles and prophets to evangelists, pastors, and teachers — the gifts Les says remain for today.
Ephesians 4:12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Les explains these gifted men are given for the perfecting and maturing of the saints.
No. Les teaches that prophecy in these passages means speaking forth the Word of God — it does not mean telling the future like Isaiah did. The gift was the ability to proclaim God's truth before the New Testament was in print.
Because the early believers had nothing written to go by. None of the Gospels were written yet, Paul's letters had not yet become Scripture, and congregations were being started with no printed text. Gifted men speaking forth the Word were all they had.
Les teaches that once the Word came into print, there was no longer a need for gifted men to speak forth the Word. Like the apostles, the prophets faded away, and the remaining gifts are evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
Les says what people need to hear today is the Word — the Gospel and the plan of salvation. The church needs evangelists, pastors, and teachers to mature believers, and believers taught from the Word who become living testimonies wherever they go.
Watch the Teaching: Why Prophecy Is Greater Than Tongues - 1 Corinthians 14 Explained