Stephen F. Olford (March 29, 1918 – August 29, 2004) was an American
evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
leader.
Billy Graham
William Franklin Graham Jr. (; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American Evangelism, evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and Civil rights movement, civil rights advocate, whose broadcasts and world tours featuring liv ...
called him "the man who most influenced my ministry." Olford was also a friend to pastors
Charles Stanley
Charles Frazier Stanley Jr. (September 25, 1932 – April 18, 2023) was an American Southern Baptist pastor and writer. He was senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta for 49 years and took on ''emeritus'' status in 2020. He founded a ...
and
Adrian Rogers
Adrian Pierce Rogers (September 12, 1931 – November 15, 2005) was an American Baptist pastor and conservative author. He served three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1979–1980 and 1986–1988).
Early life and educatio ...
, as well as being influential in the life of
Jim Elliot
Philip James Elliot (October 8, 1927 – January 8, 1956) was an American Christian missionary and one of five people killed during Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Huaorani people of Ecuador.
Early life
Elliot was born in Portla ...
. He was a pioneer in Christian television programming with his show ''Encounter'', in New York, and 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. He also founded a pastor training center in
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Mem ...
,
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, in 1988; the Stephen Olford Center is now owned and operated by Global Ministries Foundation. Olford's son David Olford continues training pastors and lay leaders in preaching at the center. Olford's authorized biography, ''Only One Life'', was written by John Phillips.
Biography
Stephen Frederick Olford was born in
Zambia
Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
, the son of
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren or Assemblies of Brethren are a low church and Nonconformist (Protestantism), Nonconformist Christian movement whose history can be traced back to Dublin, Ireland, in the mid to late 1820s, where it originated from Anglica ...
Christian missionaries
A Christian mission is an organized effort to carry on evangelism, in the name of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries. Sometimes individuals are sent and ...
Frederick and Bessie Olford. He was raised in
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
. He spent his college years in the United Kingdom. A crisis experience, involving a motorcycle accident, led to his 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 most commonly refers to:
*Newport, Wales
*Newport, Rhode Island, US
Newport or New Port may also refer to:
Places Asia
*Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay
* Newport (Vietnam), a United States Army and Army of t ...
,
South Wales
South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
. After the war, Olford was involved in extensive ministry throughout the U.K. and overseas.
In 1953, Olford began his years of pastoral ministry by serving the Duke Street
Baptist
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
Church in
Richmond, Surrey
Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commis ...
, 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.
Olford was married for 56 years to the former Heather Brown; the couple had two sons, Jonathan and David. Olford received the
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
) and honorary
Doctor of Divinity
A Doctor of Divinity (DD or DDiv; ) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity (academic discipline), divinity (i.e., Christian theology and Christian ministry, ministry or other theologies. The term is more common in the Englis ...
Houghton College
Houghton University is a Private university, private Christian liberal arts college in Houghton, New York, United States. Houghton was founded in 1883 by Willard J. Houghton and is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church.Richmond College.
Books
* ''Heart-cry for Revival'' (1969)
* ''A Passion for Preaching: Reflections on the Art of Preaching'' (1989)
* ''Not I, But Christ'' (1997)
* ''The Way of Holiness: Signposts to Guide Us'' (1998)
* ''The Christian Message for Contemporary Life: The Gospel's Power to Change Lives'' (1999)
* ''The Sword of Suffering: Enduring Words of Hope, Inspiration and Healing in the Midst of Despair'' (2001)
* ''Windows of Wisdom: Devotional Studies in Proverbs'' (2001)
* ''Anointed Expository Preaching'' (2003)
* ''The Tabernacle: Camping with God'' (2004)
* ''Olford on Scroggie: Stephen Olford's Notes on the Sermon Outlines of Dr. Graham Scroggie'' (2008)
*''The Secret of Soul-Winning'' (1963) No ISBN listed. Moody Press; Chicago.