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 Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

for 49 years and took on ''emeritus'' status in 2020. He founded and was president of In Touch Ministries which widely broadcasts his sermons through television and radio. He also served two one-year terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, from 1984 to 1986.

Early life and education

Stanley was born on September 25, 1932 in Dry Fork, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, in the midst of the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. His parents were Charles Frazier "Charlie" Stanley, Sr. (April 27, 1904 – June 18, 1933) and Rebecca Susan Hall (nee Hardy, formerly Stanley; October 10, 1908 – November 29, 1992). His father died when he was nine months old. When Stanley was nine, his mother remarried John Hall, a truck driver, and had a daughter named Susan "Susie" Hall. His paternal grandfather was Reverend George Washington Stanley (November 12, 1875 – May 17, 1965), who was originally from

Chatham County, North Carolina Chatham County ( )
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Car ...

. At the age of 12, around 1944, Charles Stanley Jr. became a

born-again Christian To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelical Christianity, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is d ...

, and at age 14 he began his life's work in

Christian ministry Christian ministry is the vocational work of living and teaching about faith, in the hopes of increasing the population of God's people done by the church, church officials, congregational members, and Jesus followers. The '' Cyclopedia of Bib ...

. Stanley graduated in 1956 at the age of 23, from the

University of Richmond The University of Richmond (UR or U of R) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It is a primarily undergraduate, residential institution with approxim ...

with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He studied at

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a Baptist theological institute in Fort Worth, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1908 and in 2005 was one of the largest seminaries in the wor ...

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

, earning a

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and ...

. He also earned a

Master of Theology Master of Theology (, abbreviated ThM, MTh or MTheol, or ''Sacrae Theologiae Magister''; abbreviated STM) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a ...

and a Doctorate of Theology degree from Luther Rice Seminary (at the time located in

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 ...

Ministry

Stanley joined the staff of First Baptist Church of Atlanta in 1969 and became senior pastor in 1971. In 1972, Stanley launched a half-hour religious television program called ''The Chapel Hour.'' In 1977, he founded In Touch Ministries with the mission to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

and to strengthen the local church.Emily McFarlan Miller
Influential pastor, Charles Stanley, steps down at First Baptist Church Atlanta after 50 years
religionnews.com, US, September 14, 2020 The

Christian Broadcasting Network The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is an American Christian media production and distribution organization. Founded in 1960 by Pat Robertson, it produces the long-running TV series ''The 700 Club'', co-produces the ongoing ''Superbook (198 ...

began televising ''In Touch'' in 1978. The show has since been translated in 50 languages. In the United States, ''In Touch'' is broadcast on approximately 500 radio stations, 300 television stations, and several

satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

networks Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematics ...

including

The Inspiration Network (INSP) INSP (formerly The Inspiration Network) is an American digital cable television network that features primarily westerns (both shows and movies) and is headquartered in Indian Land, South Carolina - a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina. Betwe ...

and

Trinity Broadcasting Network The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN; legally Trinity Broadcasting of Texas, Inc.) is an international Christian-based broadcast television network and the world's largest religious television network. TBN solicits donations on its Web site, a ...

. Stanley's

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...

s, along with other audio and video programming, are available on the In Touch website. The ministry also publishes ''In Touch'' magazine. In Touch uses tools like radio, television, magazines and digital media in its effort to advance

the Gospel The gospel or good news is a theological concept in several religions. In the historical Roman imperial cult and today in Christianity, the gospel is a message about salvation by a divine figure, a savior, who has brought peace or other benefi ...

as quickly as possible. Stanley took the ministry name In Touch from a Living Bible he owned. Stanley's writings and broadcasts address issues such as

finances Finance refers to monetary resources and to the study and discipline of money, currency, assets and liabilities. As a subject of study, is a field of Business Administration wich study the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of an o ...

parenting Parenting or child rearing promotes and supports the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and educational development from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for a biologica ...

, personal

crises A crisis (: crises; : critical) is any event or period that will lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affairs, especially when ...

, emotional matters, relationships, and

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

. The In Touch website said, "Dr. Stanley fervently believes the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God, a belief strongly reflected in his teaching." In 1985, Charles Stanley was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 2017, Stanley named Anthony George to succeed him as senior pastor of First Baptist Church at some point in the future. On September 13, 2020, Stanley announced his retirement as senior pastor and transition to pastor emeritus, but noted that he would continue to work at In Touch Ministries.

Influences and theology

With regard to theology Stanley was a

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

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 ...

, and his eschatology was dispensationalist. Over the course of his ministry, Stanley developed "30 Life Principles" that he felt were essential. He credited his pentecostal grandfather, George Washington Stanley, with inspiring one of the most referenced principles of the thirty: “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him." In his book ''Courageous Faith: My Story from a Life of Obedience'', Stanley said: "Granddad told me, 'Charles, if God tells you to run your head through a brick wall, you head for the wall, and when you get there, God will make a hole for it.'" Stanley also addressed his influences and philosophy when he wrote in 2009 that he "began to apply the principles of Napoleon Hill's

Think and Grow Rich ''Think and Grow Rich'' is a book written by Napoleon Hill and Rosa Lee Beeland released in 1937 and promoted as a personal development and self-improvement book. He claimed to be inspired by a suggestion from business magnate and later-philanthr ...

to my endeavors as a pastor, and I discovered they worked!... For years, I read tevery year to remind myself that the truth of God is not just for one career field. It is for all manner of work and ministry."

Personal life

Stanley had a daughter named Becky. Stanley's son, Andy, is the pastor of North Point Community Church in nearby

Alpharetta Alpharetta is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Alpharetta's population was 65,818; in 2010, the population had been 57,551. ...

. In addition to his work in

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

ministry, Stanley was an avid photographer. Much of his photographic work is featured in the ''In Touch'' magazine, as well as in other materials printed by the ministry including the In Touch wall and desk calendars. Anna J. Stanley was married to Charles Stanley Jr. for more than 40 years; she filed for divorce on June 22, 1993, after they separated in the spring of 1992. The two of them agreed that Anna would amend the lawsuit to seek a legal separation instead ("separate maintenance"), while seeking reconciliation. She again filed for divorce on March 20, 1995. The Moody Radio Network station in Atlanta (then- WAFS) took Stanley's daily broadcast off the air during the time, as managers concluded that there was no sign of reconciliation. The Stanleys were legally separated at the time that divorce papers were filed for the last time on February 16, 2000. A judge signed the final divorce decree on May 11, 2000. Their divorce caused a minor controversy in the

Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...

. The matter was complicated by reports that Stanley had said he would resign as pastor if he got divorced. At the time of their separation, he said he did not believe it would result in divorce; however after he was divorced, the members of his church overwhelmingly voted to keep him as their pastor. According to First Baptist Atlanta's bylaws, Stanley was allowed to remain as pastor as long as he did not remarry. Anna Stanley died on November 10, 2014. A close friend of Moral Majority founder

Jerry Falwell Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr. (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservatism in the United States, conservative activist. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch ...

, Stanley served on the organization's board.

Death

Stanley died at his home in Atlanta on April 18, 2023, at age 90. No cause of death was released.

Bibliography

*1980: ''Making The Bible Clear'' with Fred L. Lowery *1982: ''Handle With Prayer'' *1985: ''How to Listen to God'' *1985: ''Confronting Casual Christianity'' *1986: ''How to Keep Your Kids on Your Team'' *1989: ''How to Handle Adversity'' *1990: ''Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?'' *1991: ''The Gift of Forgiveness'' *1992: ''The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life'' *1995: ''The Love of God'' *1995: ''The Source of My Strength'' *1999: ''A Touch of His Power: Meditations on God's Awesome Power'' *2000: ''Success God's Way'' *2000: ''Into His Presence: An In Touch Devotional'' *2001: ''The Gift of Love'' *2001: ''Our Unmet Needs'' *2002: ''Walking Wisely'' *2002: ''Winning the War Within'' *2003: ''Finding Peace'' *2003: ''God Is in Control'' *2004: ''When the Enemy Strikes'' *2005: ''Charles Stanley's Life Principles Bible'' *2005: ''Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit'' *2005: ''Living the Extraordinary Life: 9 Principles to Discover It'' *2006: ''Discover Your Destiny'' *2006: ''Pathways to His Presence: A Daily Devotional'' *2007: ''Landmines in the Path of the Believer: Avoiding the Hidden Dangers'' *2008: ''In Step with God'' *2008: ''Stuck in Reverse'' *2008: ''The Power of God's Love: A 31 Day Devotional to Encounter the Father's Greatest Gift'' *2008: ''When Your Children Hurt'' *2010: ''How to Reach Your Full Potential for God'' *2011: ''Turning the Tide: Real Hope Real Change'' *2012: ''Prayer: The Ultimate Conversation'' *2013: ''Man of God: Leading Your Family by Allowing God to Lead You'' *2013: ''Emotions: Confront the Lies. Conquer with Truth.'' *2013: ''Walking with God: Thoughts on His Indwelling Spirit, Volume 2'' *2014: ''Walking with God: Knowing God Through Prayer, Volume 3'' *2015: ''Waiting on God: Strength for Today and Hope for Tomorrow'' *2015: ''Christmas: The Gift for Every Heart'' *2016: ''Courageous Faith: My Story from a Life of Obedience'' *2017: ''Finding God's Blessings in Brokenness: How Pain Reveals His Deepest Love'' *2017: ''Standing Strong: How to Storm-Proof Your Life with God's Timeless Truths'' *2022: ''The Gift of the Cross Embracing the Promise of the Resurrection'' *2022: ''The Gift of Jesus: Meditations for Christmas''

Television

Awards and honors

*1988: National Religious Broadcaster's Hall of Fame *1989: Named Clergyman of the Year by Religious Heritage of America *1993: NRB named In Touch with Television Producer of the Year *1999: In Touch named Radio Program of the Year *2017: Thomas Nelson Publishing recognizes Stanley for selling more than 3.5 million copies of his books

References

External links

In Touch Ministries – Charles Stanley's Biography

First Baptist Atlanta

developed by Charles F. Stanley to help people live life at its best.
Charles Stanley sermons
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Charles 1932 births 2023 deaths 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century Baptist ministers from the United States 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States American evangelicals American male non-fiction writers American radio personalities American religious writers American television evangelists Baptists from Georgia (U.S. state) Baptists from Virginia Baptist writers Clergy from Atlanta Dispensationalism Luther Rice University alumni People from Danville, Virginia People from Pittsylvania County, Virginia Southern Baptist Convention presidents Southern Baptist ministers Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumni University of Richmond alumni