Charles Stanley passed away on Tuesday, it was announced by In Touch Ministries.
Charles Frazier Stanley is a well-known pastor, author, and televangelist who has been preaching the gospel for over six decades. He was born on September 25, 1932, in Dry Fork, Virginia, and was the second of two children. His father died when he was just nine months old, leaving his mother to raise him and his older brother alone.
Stanley was raised in a Baptist church and was baptized at the age of 12. He went on to attend the University of Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954. After college, he enrolled in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1958 and a Doctor of Theology degree in 1962.
In 1971, Stanley became the senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia, which at the time had only 350 members. Under his leadership, the church grew into one of the largest congregations in the United States, with over 15,000 members. In addition to his pastoral duties, Stanley is also the founder and president of In Touch Ministries, which produces a daily radio and television program that reaches millions of people around the world.
Stanley has authored over 70 books, including bestsellers like “The Gift of Forgiveness” and “How to Listen to God.” He has also been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including induction into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1988 and receiving the Southern Baptist Convention’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.
Despite facing personal challenges in his life, including a highly publicized divorce in 2000, Stanley has remained committed to preaching the gospel and sharing God’s love with people around the world. His sermons and teachings are known for their practicality, clarity, and unwavering commitment to biblical truth.
