Charles Frazier Stanley (born 1932) is Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, after serving as senior pastor for 49 years. He is the founder and president of

In Touch Ministries In Touch Ministries is a Christian evangelical organization that produces and distributes media and resources, including radio and television programs, podcasts, articles, and books, with the goal of spreading the message of the Gospel and help ...

, which widely broadcasts his sermons through television and radio. He also served two one-year terms as

president of the Southern Baptist Convention The president of the Southern Baptist Convention heads the convention and is elected at the Annual Meeting. The president's duties include presiding over the annual meeting; appointing members to SBC committees; serving as an ex officio member of ...

, from 1984 to 1986.

Early life and education

Stanley was born on September 25, 1932, in Dry Fork,

Pittsylvania County Pittsylvania County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 60,501. Chatham is the county seat. Pittsylvania County is included in the Danville, VA Micropolitan Statistical A ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. His father, also named Charles, died nine months later. Stanley grew up in rural Dry Fork on the outskirts of Danville. At the age of 12, he became a

born-again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...

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

Christian ministry In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith, the prototype being the Great Commission. The '' Encyclopedia of Christianity'' defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", in ...

. Stanley obtained a bachelor's degree from the

University of Richmond The University of Richmond (UR or U of R) is a private liberal arts college in Richmond, Virginia. It is a primarily undergraduate, residential institution with approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students in five schools: the School ...

and 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 divi ...

degree from

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 is one of the largest seminaries in the world. It i ...

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

. He has also received a

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

and a

Doctor of Ministry The Doctor of Ministry (abbreviated DMin or D.Min.) is a professional doctorate, often including a research component, that may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in some form of ministry. It is categorized as an advanced ...

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 ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

(now located in

Lithonia Lithonia (, ; AAVE: ) is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The city's population was 2,662 at the 2020 census. Lithonia is in the Atlanta metropolitan area. "Lithonia" means "city/town of stone". Lithonia is in the hear ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Ministry

Stanley joined the staff of First Baptist Church of Atlanta in 1969 and became senior

pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

in 1971. In 1972, Stanley launched a half-hour religious television program called ''The Chapel Hour.'' In 1977, Stanley founded

with the mission to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

and to strengthen the

local church Local church may refer to: * Church, a congregation meeting in a particular location * Local churches (affiliation), a Christian group founded by Watchman Nee * Parish church, a local church united with other parishes under a bishop or presbyter * C ...

.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'' an ...

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 artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...

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) and

Trinity Broadcasting Network The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is an international Christian-based broadcast television network and the world's largest religious television network. TBN was headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, until March 3, 2017, when it sold its ...

. 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 contexts. El ...

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 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 benefits ...

as quickly as possible. Stanley took the ministry name In Touch from a

Living Bible The Living Bible (TLB or LB) is a personal paraphrase, not a translation, of the Bible in English by Kenneth N. Taylor and first published in 1971. Taylor used the American Standard Version of 1901 as his base text. Origin In a 1979 interview ...

he owned. Stanley's writings and broadcasts address issues such as

finances Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fin ...

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

, personal

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

, emotional matters, relationships, and

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

. According to the In Touch website, "Dr. Stanley fervently believes the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

to be the inerrant Word of

God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...

, a belief strongly reflected in his teaching."Stanley bio page
, ''In Touch'' Ministries In 1985, Charles Stanley was elected

. In 2005, Stanley invited

Lisa Ryan Lisa Ryan (''Lisa Gail Davenport''; born c. 1960) is an American author and speaker. She has had a career as a television actress, host, reporter and producer. She assumed the title of Miss California in 1982 after Debra Maffett was crowned Miss A ...

to co-host a question-and-answer segment called "Bring It Home", which aired after his on-air sermon, a segment intended to help the audience better grasp the content of the sermon through questions the average listener might ask. Ryan's participation ended in late 2006, the segment continuing with Stanley alone. In early 2007, Stanley began using the final segment of the ''In Touch'' TV and radio programs to teach on his "30 Life Principles". 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. However, Stanley has made it very clear he does not believe in retirement, so he will be continuing to work at In Touch Ministries.

Influences and theology

With regard to

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

, Stanley is an

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

, and in terms of eschatology (end times) views, has been described as a

dispensationalist Dispensationalism is a system that was formalized in its entirety by John Nelson Darby. Dispensationalism maintains that history is divided into multiple ages or "dispensations" in which God acts with humanity in different ways. Dispensationali ...

. Over the course of his ministry, Stanley developed "30 Life Principles", that have guided his life and helped him grow in his knowledge, service, and love of God, principles that he shares these often, including in books, Bibles and study guides. He credits his grandfather, George Washington Stanley, with inspiring one of his most referenced principles: “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 apoleon Hill's ''Think and Grow Rich''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

Charles F Stanley has a daughter named Becky, whom Stanley has occasionally mentioned in his sermons. Stanley's son,

Andy Andy may refer to: People * Andy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Horace Andy (born 1951), Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer born Horace Hinds * Katja Andy (1907–2013), German-American pianist and pi ...

, is the pastor of

North Point Community Church North Point Community Church is a non-denominational, evangelical megachurch located in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. North Point currently averages more than 38,589 people in attendance across eight locations in the north metro Atlan ...

in nearby

Alpharetta Alpharetta is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 US Census, Alpharetta's population was 65,818 The population in 2010 was 57,551. History In the 1830s, the Ch ...

, Georgia. In addition to his work in Christian ministry, Stanley is 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, such as the In Touch wall and desk calendars. Stanley's wife of more than 40 years, Anna J. Stanley, filed for divorce on June 22, 1993, following their separation in 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. Even though this was not the end of the marriage, the

Moody Radio Network Moody Radio is one of the largest Christian radio networks in the United States. Located in downtown Chicago, Moody Radio has 71 owned and operated stations

station in Atlanta (then- WAFS) took Stanley's daily broadcast off the air during that 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) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wor ...

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

Bibliography

*1980: ''Making The Bible Clear'' with

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*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''

Television

Awards and honors

*1988: National Religious Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame *1989: Named Clergyman of the Year by Religious Heritage of America *1989: 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. {{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Charles 1932 births Living people 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century Baptist ministers from the United States 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States American Christian writers American evangelicals American radio personalities American television evangelists Baptist writers Baptists from Georgia (U.S. state) Luther Rice University alumni People from Atlanta 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 20th-century American male writers American male non-fiction writers Baptists from Virginia 21st-century American male writers