Apostolic-Prophetic Movement

The Apostolic-Prophetic Movement in Charismatic Christianity is seen by its participants as a restoration of the neglected elements of the Five-Fold Ministry described in the New Testament book of Ephesians: "some apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ." This movement is rooted in the Third Wave Charismatic or Pentecostal experience.

This movement defers more to their own interpretations of the Bible and doctrines than to the later authority and elaborations transmitted by the Catholic and Orthodox churches; however, they hold to the dogmas and traditions of the Greek Orthodox and Latin Church Fathers, e.g., Nicean creed, as authoritative and part of what they call "historical Christianity." Prophecy has been a part of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian practice, especially during times of revival in the Body of Christ. For example, the Kimbanguist Church in Belgian Congo began with vigor in the 1920s and flourished through 40 years of rigorous and sometimes violent suppression.

Kansas City Prophets

Some of those who shaped the current Apostolic-Prophetic Movement in the United States were based in Kansas City, Missouri and became known as the "Kansas City Prophets". Members of this group were Bill Hamon, Rick Joyner, Larry Randolph, Paul Cain, Mike Bickle, James Goll, John Paul Jackson, and Lou Engle. Cain had participated in the Voice of Healing Revival initiated by William Branham during the 1950s. The Kansas City Prophets continue to be active in ministry throughout North America and are often seen and heard as speakers at charismatic Christian conferences and meetings.