Encounter: The Spirit-Anointed Witness

Speaker: Dr. Stephen Olford

Recorded live at the Toronto Spiritual Life Convention on Thursday, January 10, 1980, Dr. Stephen Olford delivers a compelling, classic message on the Holy Spirit’s indispensable role in Christian communication.

Expositing Acts 1:8, Dr. Olford challenges the common misconception that evangelism is reserved only for a select few with specific gifts. Instead, he asserts that witnessing is a Spirit-anointed lifestyle required of the whole church for the whole age.

Key Themes Explored:

• Possibility through the Spirit: Why believers must rely entirely on God's supernatural power to share a biblical, suffering, and saving Christ.

• The Obligation of Witnessing: Embracing the call of a true "martyr"—willingly dying to self-interest, complacency, pride, and earthly comforts for the sake of the Gospel.

• Purpose and Progress: How the Holy Spirit provides a intentional pattern for reaching our immediate communities and going out to the uttermost parts of the earth.

• Power for Service: Moving past fear and shyness to experience an impelling and compelling boldness that draws others to Jesus Christ.

Through passionate exhortation and practical challenge, Dr. Olford calls every listener—young and old—to stop playing church, move out from the pews, and offer a daily 24-hour witness for the kingdom.

Stream this inspiring message today on the Christian Library Australia Spotify channel.

Episode Overview

In this episode from the Christian Library Australia , theologian Francis Schaeffer explores the philosophical divide between Eastern and Western thought—and makes the striking argument that modern Western culture and "new theology" have ultimately embraced Eastern mysticism.

Key Discussion Points

• Science, History, and Truth: Schaeffer outlines four historical responses to naturalistic science, arguing that authentic, biblical Christianity views both science and history as meaningful components of objective truth rather than "junk" or mere change for change's sake.

• The Shift to Eastern Thought: By divorcing faith from history and the cosmos, modern Western theology has abandoned rationality for experience. This shift mirrors Eastern philosophy by treating values independently of objective reality and science.

• Art, Morals, and Culture: Schaeffer connects this philosophical retreat to modern art and shifting cultural morals, showing how a culture cut loose from its historic Christian guideposts devolves into a search for change without real progress.

• The Cost of Compromise: The episode closes with a critical look at modern claims that "truth doesn't matter," warning that separating faith from reason leads to a spiritual and intellectual vacuum where truth itself is lost.

Our Final Trial and Ultimate Triumph By Don Fortner

Speaker: Don Fortner

Scripture Focus: Revelation 11:1–14

In a world filled with spiritual darkness, religious deception, and shifting tides, it is easy for believers to look at the natural realm and fall into deep discouragement. We look with natural eyes and feel as though we are fighting a losing battle. But in this powerful and direct message, Pastor Don Fortner reminds us that our natural eyes deceive us.

Expositionally walking through Revelation 11, Fortner highlights the symbolic "measuring of the temple" to reveal a glorious truth: God’s elect are entirely marked out for protection, preservation, and divine care. Though the true church may face severe trial and appear silenced by the world for a time, her safety and final victory are absolutely guaranteed by a sovereign Lord.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• The Absolute Sovereignty of Christ: A vital reminder that the Redeemer who loves us is in total, detailed control of the universe—religious, political, and secular.

• The Preserved Church: Understanding that the true "temple of God" (His people) will never perish with the world, even when navigating global judgments.

• The Reality of Religious Deception: A sobering look at how "worldliness" and false gospels have flooded the modern landscape, and why the church itself is often the greatest mission field.

• The Certainty of Victory: An encouraging promise that the premature joy of the world will be shattered when God revives His witnesses and grants His church ultimate, visible triumph on the final day.

If you are feeling weary or like the kingdom of God is losing ground, tune in to lift your heart in praise and realign your focus with the eyes of faith. In the end, we are more than conquerors.

Christian Library Australia — Preserving and proclaiming the truth of God's free and sovereign grace.

"Would you have eternal life, and do you know that you have eternal life? Do you possess assurance?"

In this profound and deeply pastoral message, Erroll Hulse unpacks the vital, comforting doctrine of Christian assurance. Why does God want His children to live with the absolute certainty of their salvation? Far from leaving us in doubt, God has bound Himself to us through an everlasting covenant of grace—a legal, loving commitment that cannot be broken.

Drawing on the classic Puritan work Heaven on Earth by Thomas Brooks, Hulse explores 10 life-changing reasons why God gives us this certainty. From sweetening life's traumatic changes to keeping our hearts from desiring the world, assurance is meant to be a foretaste of heaven right here on earth.

• The Covenantal Basis: How God’s covenants from Noah, Abraham, and Moses culminate in the perfect, individual security of the New Covenant.

• The 10 Purposes of Assurance: A deep dive into Thomas Brooks' classic Puritan points on how assurance transforms our daily lives.

• Facing the Last Enemy: Why consistent evangelical faith offers a "sweet assurance" in the face of death—a certainty that empty rituals and legalistic systems can never provide.

Whether you are seeking rest for a restless heart, struggling with doubt, or looking to deepen your walk with Christ, this sermon offers a rich, biblical foundation for the joy of knowing you are eternally His.

“He has bound me to himself by a covenant that will never end.”

Christian Library Australia is dedicated to preserving and sharing dense, foundational theological lectures, sermons, and resources to help believers grow in their faith.

• Enjoying the show? Don't forget to Follow the channel and leave a review!

• Read Along: Use Spotify’s interactive transcript feature below to scroll, search scriptures, and jump directly to key theological points in the audio.

Getting along with People By Wayne Mack

• Speaker: Wayne Mack

• Series: Biblical Counseling

• Scripture Focus: Philippians 4:2–3

In this episode, biblical counselor Wayne Mack addresses the pervasive problem of interpersonal conflict. He highlights that broken relationships have plagued humanity since the Fall in Genesis 3 (e.g., Cain and Abel, Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Esau) and continue to be a massive issue within the church today among families, pastors, and missionaries.

Drawing from the Apostle Paul’s public appeal to two deeply committed, warring Christian women in the Philippian church—Euodia and Syntyche—Mack unpacks four foundational biblical principles for restoring broken relationships and maintaining healthy, Christ-honoring unity.

• Paul did not suggest that Euodia and Syntyche go to separate churches due to "personality differences".

• Because believers share an unbreakable union in Christ, God is entirely capable of restoring even the most fractured relationships if both parties are willing to apply His Word. While Proverbs 18:19 notes that winning back an offended brother is difficult, it is never impossible with God.

• Conflict resolution requires individuals to stop shift-blaming—a habit dating back to Adam and Eve.

• Paul did not take sides; he commanded both women to examine themselves.

• Believers are fully responsible for their own unbiblical reactions, regardless of who started the conflict. In conflict, people generally fall into three categories: provokers (who stir up trouble), prolongers (who return evil for evil), or pacifiers (the peacemakers). True resolution requires creating a "log list" to address one's own sins first, as instructed in Matthew 7:3–5.

• To be of the "same mind in the Lord" means adopting the mindset of Jesus, which is entirely devoted to the will of God and to serving others rather than oneself.

• Practicing the mind of Christ requires active, deliberate planning—forming a "battle plan" to return good for evil, bless those who mistreat us, and actively seek ways to please and edify our neighbors (Romans 12 & 15).

• Paul commanded a "true comrade" in the church to step in and help Euodia and Syntyche.

• Believers must reject the pride that prevents them from admitting they have a problem. When a conflict cannot be resolved privately, it is both healthy and scriptural to seek out mature, godly counselors to help apply the wisdom of Scripture.

Key Takeaway: Christian unity is a direct witness to the world of the reality of the Gospel (John 17:21). When conflicts arise, believers must stop waiting for the other person to change, look at their own faults, plan to do good, and lean on the body of Christ for help.

Episode Summary:

Getting Along with PeopleFour Key Principles for Biblical Relationship Management

1. Reconciliation is Always Possible

2. Accept Personal Responsibility

3. Adopt the Mind of Christ

4. Seek Godly Counsel When Needed

The Message: The Exclusiveness of the Gospel

Speaker: Bill Clark

Scripture: Romans 1:1-17

Channel: Christian Library Australia

In this foundational address, missionary and evangelist Bill Clark unpacks the profound, exclusive nature of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ as laid out by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:1-17. Addressing a sovereign grace conference in 1992, Clark emphasizes that there is only one Gospel—one that is God-planned, God-revealed, God-executed, God-applied, and God-secured.

Rather than a modern invention or a "parenthesis" in history, the Gospel is an eternal, unchanging plan centered entirely on the substitutionary work of Christ.

Clark outlines eight defining truths of the Gospel from Romans 1:

• Eternally Promised: The Gospel is not a backup plan; its roots are deeply established throughout the entire Old Testament scriptures.

• Centered on Christ: It demands an uncompromised belief in both the full divinity and the true humanity of Jesus Christ, sealed by His physical resurrection.

• To Be Preached to All: The Gospel remains identical across every culture, nation, and generation—it is the culture that must be transformed by the Word, not the Word by culture.

• Effectual for the Called: Beyond a general outward call, the Holy Spirit works directly in the hearts of God's elect, drawing them to repentance by name.

• The Power of God: True salvation does not come from intellectual ascent, human philosophy, or a clean lifestyle, but from the raw, saving power of God.

• Effective for All Who Believe: God faithfully ensures that His elect will hear the Gospel preached and will be brought to faith.

• Reveals God’s Righteousness: The Gospel shows how a holy God can remain perfectly just while fully justifying sinners through Christ.

• Calls Only for Faith: Salvation is received by faith alone, resting entirely on the object of our faith—Jesus Christ.

"We can never in God's sight be more holy than we are in Christ. God's perfect holiness is imputed to us in Christ." — Bill Clark

Christian Conduct — Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What does it truly mean to live a life "worthy of the gospel"? In this profound and searching message, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones walks through Philippians 1:27–28 to uncover the vital relationship between Christian doctrine and everyday conduct.

Lloyd-Jones powerfully argues that the greatest threat to the Christian church is not political or cultural opposition, but the failure of individual Christians to live lives that accurately reflect their faith. He unpacks key principles for authentic Christian living:

• Doctrine Dictates Life: True Christian conduct is never just "morality" or a set of rules; it is a direct, organic expression of the truth of the gospel.

• A Citizen of Heaven: The call to behave "worthy of the gospel" literally means to live as citizens of God’s kingdom while navigating the anxieties and changes of this world.

• The Witness of Unity: Standing fast in "one spirit" and striving together with "one mind" serves as a powerful, undeniable sign of the gospel's truth to a watching world.

• Fearless Resilience: True faith produces a supernatural courage that refuses to be terrified by opponents, viewing hardships not as a sign of defeat, but as proof of God's salvation.

Tune in to discover how a deep grasp of gospel truth transforms our personal character, our relationships, and our courage in the face of adversity.

Facing Holiness — J.I. Packer

In this timeless and urgent message, renowned theologian J.I. Packer diagnoses the chief spiritual weakness of the modern Western world: we have lost our vision of who God is. Drawing from the dramatic vision of Isaiah chapter 6, Packer challenges listeners to look beyond mere information about God and recover a true, soul-stirring realization of His presence.

Packer beautifully unpacks the five distinct qualities that unite to form the spectrum of God’s awesome holiness:

• Lordship (Sovereignty): Recognizing that God reigns supremely over all human history, circumstances, and rulers.

• Greatness: Cultivating a posture of true worship marked by reverent restraint, humility, and immediate obedience.

• Nearness: Living with the comforting—yet sobering—reality that we are always under the Creator’s eye.

• Purity: Confronting the terrifying standard of a flawless God, which deeply convicts us of our specific sins.

• Mercy: Experiencing the ultimate expression of holiness through the cleansing, pardoning grace of Jesus Christ.

Perfect for anyone seeking to deepen their worship, confront their personal need for grace, and find the gratitude needed to serve God in a challenging world. Tune in to rediscover what it truly means to stand in the presence of a holy God.

In this podcast titled "The Altar Call," Erroll Hulse provides a critical examination of the modern "invitation system" used in evangelism, arguing that it is both unbiblical and based on a theological misunderstanding of conversion.

Hulse structures his critique around the following key themes:

Hulse argues that the altar call system often produces "false statistics" and a large number of "decisions" that do not result in long-term church involvement.

• He cites examples of crusades where hundreds of respondents could not be found in churches six months later.
  

• He recounts his own experience counseling 26 people at a Billy Graham crusade and finding that none truly understood what had happened to them.
  

• He warns that this system creates a "harvest of hypocrites" and leads to the "carnal Christian theory," where people are told they are saved but don't have to live holy lives until a later "second decision".
  

Hulse disputes the idea that the altar call is an ancient practice, instead tracing its formalization to Charles Finney.

• He acknowledges historical accounts of people responding emotionally during revivals (such as those led by Eliezer Wheelock) but argues these were spontaneous reactions, not a manufactured system.
  

• He contrasts the modern system with the "mourners bench" of the 18th and 19th centuries, noting that the latter involved people "grappling with repentance" rather than making a quick, public decision.
  

Hulse rejects the biblical arguments often used to support the invitation system.

• He dismisses the use of Adam and Eve or Abraham as "proofs," calling such interpretations irrelevant.
  

• He points out that when Joshua told Israel to "choose," he followed it by telling them they were "unable" to serve the Lord without genuine repentance and the removal of their idols.
  

• He asserts that Jesus often discouraged superficial followers by speaking "hard truths" and requiring them to count the cost rather than seizing on moments of popularity.
  

The core of Hulse’s argument is that the invitation system treats conversion as a human-centered response rather than a divine act of creation.

• A New Creation: He defines the "New Birth" as a work of God that is not dependent on human will, "overt acts of the body," or emotional manipulation.
  

• Divine Sovereignty: He argues that God is the author of the timing of conversion and may work "unexpectedly" and outside of human techniques.
  

• Preparationism: He suggests that God often prepares a soul over time, and the "decision system" can disrupt this process by "pulling up the plants to see if they're growing".
  

Hulse concludes by urging a return to the "apostolic" method of preaching: a passionate, universal call to repentance and faith followed by baptism only when there is evidence of a "credible profession of faith". He calls on his peers to resist the "new sacramentalism" of the altar call and instead labor for the establishment of souls in Christ through the doctrines of grace.

1. Lack of Lasting Results
2. Historical Roots
3. Biblical Scrutiny
4. Misunderstanding the New Birth
Conclusion

This podcast by Erroll Hulse provides a detailed overview of the life, theology, and legacy of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, focusing on his role as a "contender for the faith". Hulse highlights that Spurgeon was not just a friendly historical figure, but a man of deep conviction who fought for the "doctrines of grace" during times of significant theological shift.

Spurgeon was born in 1834 into a family of powerful preachers. Key formative influences included:

• Puritan Literature: From age six, Spurgeon began reading 17th-century Puritan works found in his grandfather's house, which shaped his theological foundation.

• Deep Conviction: Before his conversion at age 15, he experienced years of intense conviction of sin, which Hulse describes as God laying "deep foundations" for his future work.
  

• Natural Genius: Spurgeon possessed an extraordinary memory—he could reportedly name all 5,000 members of his congregation—and showed early oratorical talent.
  

Hulse emphasizes that Spurgeon’s success was rooted in his unwavering commitment to Calvinism, or "free grace".

• Particular Baptist: Spurgeon was a "strict" and "particular" Baptist, believing in baptism before communion and the doctrine of particular redemption (that Christ died specifically for the elect).
  

• The Power of Doctrine: Hulse argues it was not merely Spurgeon's voice or eloquence that "shook London," but his preaching of man’s total ruin and God’s sovereign grace.
  

The summary divides Spurgeon’s London ministry into three phases:

1. 1855–1860: Years of explosive growth and controversy as he re-introduced Calvinism to a complacent London.
   

2. 1860–1887: A period of massive industry, including church planting and the founding of a college and orphanage.
   

3. 1887–1892 (The Downgrade Controversy): Spurgeon resigned from the Baptist Union to protest the rise of modernism and the abandonment of clear biblical doctrines. Though he "lost" this battle in his lifetime (voting was 2,000 to 7 against his position), Hulse argues that history has vindicated his warnings about the decline of the church.
   

Hulse concludes by noting that Spurgeon’s prophecies about the recovery of these truths are being fulfilled through the republication of his sermons and books. He challenges the audience, particularly young men, to:

• Study deeply rather than focusing on "trifling things".
  

• Build local churches on solid, confessional foundations like the 1689 Confession of Faith.
  

• Look to Christ for salvation, moving past self-sufficiency to total reliance on Him.