The gift of prophecy was critically important in the early church because believers had no written New Testament, so God raised up gifted men to speak forth His Word.
Before the Gospels, the book of Acts, and Paul's epistles came into print, congregations had nothing written to go by (Clip 1). God's provision was gifted men who could proclaim and teach the truth of God's Word without a printed page (Clips 2, 3). As Les Feldick puts it, the gift of prophecy was 'by far the most important' because it was all the early believers had to go on (Clip 1).
1 Corinthians 14:1 — Paul explicitly tells believers to desire spiritual gifts 'but rather that ye may prophesy,' showing prophecy was the preeminent gift in the early church.
Paul's letters to the Romans and Corinthians show that prophecy was a prominent gift in the early church. In Romans 12:6 Paul writes, 'Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.' In 1 Corinthians 13:2 he acknowledges, '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.'
Les Feldick teaches that the gift of prophecy was so important in the early church because the New Testament had not yet been written. When Paul was winning hundreds of people to Christ and congregations were being started, they didn't have anything written to go by — none of the Gospels were even written yet (Clip 1). God's answer was to give gifted men who could speak forth the Word of God, and Les says 'the gift of prophecy was indeed by far the most important, because that's all those early believers had to go on' (Clip 1). Les also notes that Paul quoted words of Jesus before the Gospels were written, showing the man was moved by inspiration (Clip 1).
Les Feldick clarifies that the gift of prophecy in the early church did not mean telling the future like Isaiah did, but speaking forth the Word of God (Clips 2, 7). Men with this gift could proclaim and teach God's Word even though it was not yet in print (Clips 3, 7). Les points out that the word 'prophesy' in Scripture can mean either telling the future or speaking forth the Word, and in the apostolic church it meant the latter (Clip 7).
Because the early believers had nothing in writing. None of the Gospels had been written, Paul's letters had not yet become part of Scripture, and the New Testament had not come together (Clips 1, 2). God therefore fed those believers through gifted men, which is why Les calls the gift of prophecy 'by far the most important' — it was all the early believers had to go on (Clip 1).
Paul did not deny that miraculous signs could happen, but he taught that preaching the Word accomplished more than signs: 'signs and all this, this isn't going to accomplish all that much, but what will? Preaching the Word' (Clip 4). Les explains that people have to hear the gospel and the plan of salvation — they don't have to see a miracle (Clip 4). Scripture itself puts it this way: 'but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe' (1 Corinthians 14:22), and 'he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort' (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Les consistently ties the gift of prophecy to the period before the Word came into print: it was 'a gift that was needed at that time' (Clip 3), and it was given to the early church 'because the printed page hadn't come out yet' (Clip 7). He also points out that in Ephesians Paul lists the three basic gifts the church needs today — evangelists, pastors, and teachers — given to bring believers from infancy and carnality up to meat-eating maturity (Clip 6). Les stresses that the pattern for the church is for every believer to be so taught in the Word that he can go out and be a living testimony wherever he is (Clip 5).
Context: The Carnal Church at Corinth
Les sets the stage for 1 Corinthians, showing that Paul wrote to a congregation of weak, carnal believers who needed correction — the setting in which he addresses spiritual gifts and the gift of prophecy.
No Written New Testament — Prophecy 'By Far the Most Important'
Les explains that before the New Testament was in print, early congregations had nothing written to go by, so God fed believers through gifted men — making the gift of prophecy 'by far the most important' gift of that time.
Prophecy Means Speaking Forth the Word
Les defines the gift of prophecy as speaking forth the Word of God, not predicting the future like Isaiah, and explains that God promoted His Word through gifted men before the New Testament was complete.
A Gift Needed Before the Word Came Into Print
Les shows that the gift of prophecy was needed 'at that time before the Word came into print' — men had the gift of speaking forth God's Word even though it was not yet in print.
Prophecy as Preaching the Word
Les explains that prophesying was for proclaiming or preaching the Word before the New Testament existed, and that Paul elevated preaching the Word above signs and miracles as what people need to hear.
The Word Taught Turned the World Upside Down
Les shows how the early church, without great evangelistic campaigns, turned the Roman Empire upside down as believers were taught from the Word and became living testimonies in the world around them.
The Church Today: Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers
Les identifies the three basic gifts the church needs today — evangelists, pastors, and teachers — given to perfect and mature the saints from infancy to meat-eating believers.
Prophecy Defined: Speaking the Word
Les uses the two witnesses of Revelation 11 to show that the gift of prophecy in the apostolic church was not telling the future but speaking forth the Word, given because the printed page had not yet come out.
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, a passage Les says shows prophecy was a gift needed before the Word came into print.
1 Corinthians 14:1: Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
Paul instructs the early church to desire prophecy above other spiritual gifts, demonstrating its importance.
1 Corinthians 14:3: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
This verse states the purpose of prophesying in the early church: to build up believers.
1 Corinthians 14:22: Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Paul contrasts tongues and prophecy, showing that prophecy serves believers — a passage Les discusses in his teaching.
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.
Paul lists prophecy among the gifts of grace in a passage where Les explains that gifted men spoke forth the Word before the New Testament was complete.
Not in this context, according to Les Feldick. He teaches that the gift of prophecy in the early church meant speaking forth the Word of God, not telling the future like Isaiah did (Clips 2, 7).
Because it simply had not been written yet. None of the Gospels were even written, and Paul's letters had not yet become part of Scripture, so early congregations had nothing in print to go by (Clips 1, 2).
God gave gifted men who had the gift of prophecy — men who could speak forth and teach the truth of God's Word without a printed page (Clip 1). Les explains that this is why the gift of prophecy was 'by far the most important' gift of that time (Clip 1).
Watch the Teaching: Why Prophecy Is Greater Than Tongues - 1 Corinthians 14 Explained