In the 2nd century, in an area known as Phygria (present-day Turkey), a man named Montanus had been recently converted to the Christian faith. Asterius Urbanas, who wrote about the Monastist movement, described Montanus as a man with “excessive lust of his soul after taking the lead”. Montanus wanted to be the leader. In meetings, Montanus would become overwhelmed by some spiritual influence and he would prophesy. Eventually, he drew a number of people away from the churches in Phygria and they began calling themselves The New Prophecy movement.
Testing a Prophetic Voice
“If somebody appears to have received the gift of healing or revelation, a hand is not laid on him, for the facts of the matter will reveal whether he has spoken the truth.” The Apostolic Tradition
The “facts of the matter” simply meant was the thing true, right or accurate. That prophetic ministry was alive and well in the first few hundred years of the church is not a question up for debate.