Charles Stanley, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, dies at 90

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Charles Stanley was senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta from 1971 to 2020.

Credit: First Baptist Church

Charles Stanley, the longtime and influential pastor of Dunwoody-based First Baptist Church of Atlanta, died Tuesday, April 18. He was 90.

Stanley stepped down as senior pastor of First Baptist Church in 2020 after serving nearly 50 years in the role and retained the title of pastor emeritus. He named Anthony George as his successor.

After stepping down as senior pastor, Stanley continued to remain active with In Touch Ministries, the global evangelical broadcasting company he founded. Today, Stanley’s sermons are broadcast on radio, TV and online in more than 100 languages and close to 200 nations.

Stanley was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1984 and reelected in 1985. He was a New York Times bestselling author who wrote more than 70 books on such topics as prayer and spiritual warfare.

“I am saddened to hear of the passing of one of Atlanta’s most influential faith leaders,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a written statement. “Dr. Stanley was known for his ability to make the scripture accessible to believers and would-be believers, alike. With Atlanta as his base, he created a global broadcast ministry.

“I join Atlanta and those he reached around the world in offering prayers of condolence to the entire Stanley family as well as the In Touch Ministries family,” Dickens said.

The Atlanta City Council also released a written joint statement on Stanley’s death.

“Countless people looked to Dr. Stanley for guidance and support in their spiritual lives,” the council said. “He truly helped people connect with their faith, including through his internationally broadcast sermons. He also dedicated his life to the noble pursuit of helping others find deeper understanding and inspiration in their daily lives. Our condolences are with his family as well as In Touch Ministries.”

First Baptist Church of Atlanta has an estimated 13,000 members and is considered one of the more powerful megachurches in metro Atlanta. The church was founded in 1848 in downtown Atlanta and grew considerably over the decades. In 1997, Stanley led the church to relocate to its massive campus on North Peachtree Road in the suburbs of Dunwoody.

Stanley was a popular religious figure, but his anti-LGBTQ views stirred up controversy. He preached against same-sex marriage and believed AIDS was a punishment to gay and bisexual men.

In 2015, Stanley was to be awarded the prestigious Tree of Life Award from the Atlanta chapter of the Jewish National Fund for his commitment to Israel. Atlanta-based Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity (SOJOURN) led a campaign of LGBTQ activists urging JNF to not give Stanley the award. Stanley chose to not accept the award to avoid controversy.

Stanley’s family has requested his memorial be a private event for family only. The public is invited to pay their respects on April 22 at First Baptist Atlanta, 4400 North Peachtree Road, where Stanley’s body will lie in repose from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stanley’s family includes his son, Andy Stanley, founding and senior pastor of North Point Ministries in Alpharetta; and daughter Becky Stanley Brodersen.

A memorial site can be found at charlesstanley.com. 

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.