Stephen F. Olford
Encyclopedia
Stephen F. Olford was a 20th century Christian
leader.
Dr. Billy Graham
called him "the man who most influenced my ministry."
He was a personal confidant of Graham. Olford was also a role model and friend to prominent pastors such as Charles Stanley
and Adrian Rogers
. He was a pioneer in Christian television programming with his show, Encounter, in New York. His Sunday morning sermons were also broadcast around the world on radio.
He was the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Olford Ministries International in Memphis
, Tennessee
which became The Stephen Olford Center at Union University
. His authorized biography, Only One Life, was written by John Philipps.
as the son of Christian missionaries, Frederick and Bessie Olford. He was raised in Angola
. He spent his college years in the United Kingdom. A crisis experience, involving a motocycle accident, led to his dramatic call into the ministry. After receiving ministry training, Olford was appointed an Army Scripture Reader during World War II. During the war, he often spoke with urgency to soldiers on matters of faith before they were deployed. He launched a Young Peoples Christian fellowship in Newport
, South Wales
. After the war, Olford was involved in extensive ministry throughout the U.K. and overseas.
In 1953, Dr. Stephen F. Olford's years of pastoral ministry began by serving the Duke Street Baptist
Church in Richmond, Surrey England (1953-1959) and then the Calvary Baptist Church in New York City (1959-1973).
Olford systematized his method of expository preaching and formed a curriculum used to train preachers at the Olford Institute for Biblical Preaching in Memphis, Tennessee. Pastors and scholars migrated to the institute for inspiration and instruction that often resulted in upgraded pulpit ministries.
He was married for 56 years to the former Heather Brown. They had two sons, Jonathan and David. Olford received the Doctor of Theology
degree from Luther Rice Seminary, in Jacksonville, Florida
and honorary Doctor of Divinity
degrees from Wheaton College
, Houghton College
and Richmond College
.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
leader.
Dr. Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
called him "the man who most influenced my ministry."
He was a personal confidant of Graham. Olford was also a role model and friend to prominent pastors such as Charles Stanley
Charles Stanley
Charles Stanley , is a US preacher, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia.Charles Stanley may also refer to:*Charles H...
and Adrian Rogers
Adrian Rogers
Adrian Pierce Rogers served three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention , a Southern Baptist pastor, and a conservative author....
. He was a pioneer in Christian television programming with his show, Encounter, in New York. His Sunday morning sermons were also broadcast around the world on radio.
He was the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Olford Ministries International in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
which became The Stephen Olford Center at Union University
Union University
Union University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown, Tennessee, and Hendersonville, Tennessee...
. His authorized biography, Only One Life, was written by John Philipps.
Biography
Stephen Frederick Olford was born in ZambiaZambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
as the son of Christian missionaries, Frederick and Bessie Olford. He was raised in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. He spent his college years in the United Kingdom. A crisis experience, involving a motocycle accident, led to his dramatic call into the ministry. After receiving ministry training, Olford was appointed an Army Scripture Reader during World War II. During the war, he often spoke with urgency to soldiers on matters of faith before they were deployed. He launched a Young Peoples Christian fellowship in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. After the war, Olford was involved in extensive ministry throughout the U.K. and overseas.
In 1953, Dr. Stephen F. Olford's years of pastoral ministry began by serving the Duke Street Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church in Richmond, Surrey England (1953-1959) and then the Calvary Baptist Church in New York City (1959-1973).
Olford systematized his method of expository preaching and formed a curriculum used to train preachers at the Olford Institute for Biblical Preaching in Memphis, Tennessee. Pastors and scholars migrated to the institute for inspiration and instruction that often resulted in upgraded pulpit ministries.
He was married for 56 years to the former Heather Brown. They had two sons, Jonathan and David. Olford received the Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
degree from Luther Rice Seminary, in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and honorary Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degrees from Wheaton College
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
, Houghton College
Houghton College
Houghton College is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with the Wesleyan Church. The college is a member of both the Christian College Consortium and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities...
and Richmond College
Richmond College
Richmond College is a primary and secondary school in Galle, Sri Lanka. The school was established in 1814 by Christian missionaries. Richmond College is now a well established institution with a reputation as one of the finest schools in Sri Lanka...
.
Books
- Heart-cry for Revival (1969) ISBN 978-1845500757
- A Passion for Preaching: Reflections on the Art of Preaching (1989) ISBN 978-0840772466
- Not I, But Christ (1997) ISBN 978-0891079439
- The Way of Holiness: Signposts to Guide Us (1998) ISBN 978-0891079774
- The Christian Message for Contemporary Life: The Gospel's Power to Change Lives (1999) ISBN 978-0825433610
- The Sword if Suffering: Enduring Words of Hope, Inspiration and Healing in the Midst of Despair (2001) ISBN 978-0899578453
- Windows of Wisdom: Devotional Studies in Proverbs (2001) ISBN 978-1593280000
- Anointed Expository Preaching (2003) ISBN 978-0805431292
- The Tabernacle: Camping with God (2004) ISBN 978-0825433634
- Olford on Scroggie: Stephen Olford's Notes on the Sermon Outlines of Dr. Graham Scroggie (2008) ISBN 978-1897117835