Stephen F. Olford (March 29, 1918 – August 29, 2004) was an American

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

leader. Billy Graham called him "the man who most influenced my ministry." Olford was also a role model and friend to pastors

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and

Adrian Rogers Adrian Pierce Rogers (September 12, 1931 – November 15, 2005) was an American Southern Baptist pastor and conservative author. He served three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1979–1980 and 1986–1988). Rogers was born ...

, 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 Portlan ...

. 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. He also founded a pastor training center in Memphis,

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on June 4, 1988. The Stephen Olford Center is owned and operated by Global Ministries Foundation. Olford's son, David Olford, continues training pastors and lay leaders in biblical preaching at the center. Olford's authorized biography, ''Only One Life'', was written by John Phillips.

Biography

Stephen Frederick Olford was born in

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as the son of

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, Frederick and Bessie Olford. He was raised in

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. 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

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. After the war, Olford was involved in extensive ministry throughout the U.K. and overseas. In 1953, Olford's years of pastoral ministry began by serving the Duke Street

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Church in Richmond, Surrey England (1953–1959) and then the

Calvary Baptist Church Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...

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 ( la, Doctor Theologiae, 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 equiva ...

degree from

Luther Rice Seminary Luther Rice College & Seminary is a private Baptist college and seminary in Lithonia, Georgia. Through the college and seminary the institution offers bachelor, masters, and doctoral degrees in leadership, counseling, apologetics, Christian worl ...

, in

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and honorary

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...

degrees from

Wheaton College Wheaton College may refer to: * Wheaton College (Illinois), a private Christian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois * Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Wheaton College is a private liberal arts college in Norton, Massachus ...

, Houghton College and 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.

References

External links

Union UniversityOlford Ministries InternationalDr. John Phillips
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olford, Stephen F.(Pastor) 1918 births 2004 deaths American television evangelists Christian writers Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni