Dr. Charles Frazier Stanley, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church Atlanta and the founder of In Touch Ministries, has died at the age of 90. FOX 5's Buck Lanford confirmed the news with First Baptist Atlanta Senior Pastor Anthony Georgia, who stated that the influential Atlanta faith leader passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday morning.
For more than five decades, Dr. Stanley served on the staff of First Baptist Atlanta. He was named Senior Pastor in 1971, becoming the 16th pastor at the historic church that was founded in 1848. Under Stanley’s leadership, the church saw unprecedented growth. In 1997, FBA moved from its Midtown Atlanta location on Peachtree Street to the former Avon property in Dunwoody to accommodate its diverse membership of more than 15,000 from all over the metro area.
Born in Dry Fork, Virginia in 1932, Stanley would become a pioneer in religious broadcasting. He founded In Touch Ministries in 1977 to, in his words, "Get the truth of the Gospel to as many people as possible." His sermons, podcasts, and devotionals have been seen or heard in more than 115 million homes per week in more than 126 countries around the world. At the time of his death, Dr. Stanley could be heard in every nation on Earth via radio, shortwave, or television broadcasts. In the United States, the In Touch television program could be seen on 204 stations and seven satellite networks, and the In Touch radio program could be heard on 458 stations and via shortwave radio. In 1988, he was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
As an author, Stanley wrote more than 60 books, including several New York Times bestsellers. He also served for two terms as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention in the 1980s. Stanley’s favorite hobby was nature photography, and the walls of the In Touch studios are adorned with many of his photos. In fact, one of his pictures, given as a gift to the late Reverend Billy Graham, was hanging on the wall in Graham’s bedroom at the time of his death.
Stanley is survived by two children, his daughter Becky and son Andy, who is the founder and senior pastor at Northpoint Ministries. Andy called his dad a role model for pastors. "Not just how to preach or how to build a church," said Andy. "But how to get to a finish line with integrity and to be able to look back and be proud of everything that came before, and unfortunately that’s increasingly rare."
Stanley was preceded in death by his former wife, the late Anna Stanley, who passed away in 2000.
Stanley's passing has been mourned by many, including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who tweeted, "Dr. Charles Stanley was a giant in the faith community, and his influence in Georgia and across the world was immeasurable. His ministry touched millions of lives, and his legacy of faith and service will live on forever."
Dr. Stanley's impact on the religious world cannot be overstated. Through his preaching, broadcasting, and writing, he reached millions with the message of the Gospel, and his influence will continue to be felt for generations to come.
Keywords: Dr. Charles Frazier Stanley, In Touch Ministries, First Baptist Church Atlanta, Anthony Georgia, pastor, religious broadcasting, author, National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Southern Baptist Convention, nature photography, Becky Stanley, Andy Stanley
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