Dr. Charles Stanley, a major figure in American Evangelical Christianity for over six decades, died this week at the age of 90.
Rev. Stanley had global influence as both an author and a Christian televangelist, selling more than 10 million copies of his more than 70 books. He led the First Baptist Church in Atlanta for 50 years, only stepping back from that role in 2020.
Stanley founded In Touch Ministries in 1977 to spread Bible teaching around the world and his In Touch program airs on more than 4,000 television, radio, and satellite networks and stations worldwide. His preaching has reportedly been translated into some 127 languages.
“This morning, God called our beloved pastor, Dr. Charles Stanley, home to heaven,” the ministry announced Tuesday in a social media post. “Dr. Stanley lived a life of obedience and is now receiving the joy of his soul — seeing his Savior face-to-face. Please join us in praying for the Stanley family.”
Encomium has poured in from all around the nation and beyond, as Christians worldwide mourn the passing of such a significant figure in American Evangelicalism.
Prominent Evangelist Franklin Graham, son of “America’s Pastor” Billy Graham, posted a picture on Facebook of his father and Stanley together, while lauding him for his faithful witness.
Offering his prayers for Stanley’s family, Rev. Graham told his 10 million Facebook followers that Stanley “went home to Heaven today at the age of 90.”
“I appreciate his faithfulness in unashamedly teaching the Word of God,” Graham wrote. “For many who travel, and also during Covid-19 when people couldn’t attend their own churches, Dr. Stanley’s messages on television not only inspired us but fed us spiritually.”
“His teaching was solid — He did not compromise on God’s Word like so many others do today,” Graham added. “God used him to impact so many lives around the world, and he will be greatly missed.”
Regent University Chancellor Pat Robertson echoed this praise, saying he joined “thousands of friends of Charles Stanley to mourn his passing.”
“He was a great man of God, a wonderful Bible teacher, and his influence reached all around the world,” Robertson said. “To those of us who know Jesus, we don’t mourn the fact that one of his saints comes home, although at the same time, that doesn’t take the sorrow from our hearts.”
Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson similarly praised Stanley as “a lion of the faith.”
“An effective evangelist and teacher of the Bible, Stanley had a straightforward take on how to live the Christian life — trust Scripture and obey God,” Dobson said.
“That simple mantra undergirds his legacy and no doubt is reflected in the faith of countless Christians who have been impacted by his ministry. Shirley and I extend our deepest condolences to the entire Stanley family,” he wrote.
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