Cessationism is a belief that miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit in new believers ceased after the early apostle period ceased. Cessationism churches, and churches with nobody who can bring Holy Spirit in laying on of hands, these rely on having pastors, priests, clergy, elders, bishops, perhaps exorcists, but not typically prophets, apostles, miracle workers. I do know, however, that there are some churches with several prophets even in a small church, the real deal, even when officially a church is supposed to be a Cessationism church, such as Brethren-rooted assemblies. They even have speaking in tongues with laying on of hands - on new believers perhaps just baptised. Then of course some Pentecostal and Charismatic churches have this too. I have witnessed it and it is bona fide. Some also fake it, but some cases are the real deal. I have had gift of interpretation so I know the tongues I heard was genuine. The genuine churches like this are rare, though. I am told that this is typical in the West and in regions influenced by the West, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa, but in other regions with a history of Oriental and Eastern Orthodox, and other such churches, there was never any ceasing of this. To help preserve it down the centuries, a strong monastic and mysticism tradition has helped, it is said. This, together with a tradition of apostolic succession and ensuring the ability to enable believers to receive the Holy Spirit by laying on of these successors’ hands is passed on from generation to generation. I hope the Pentecostal and Charismatic and similar believers today will likewise manage to preserve what has been given by God’s grace. “When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth?”
