Famous theologian, Charles Stanley died in his sleep at the age of 90. He was an author, speaker, and leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, but he was known for his motto: Obey God and leave all the consequences to him. This was a saying he learned from his grandfather [1].
Early Life
Charles Stanley was born in 1932 in Dry Fork, Virginia. His father died when he was nine months old. His mother, Rebecca Hardy Stanley, got a job in a textile mill during the Great Depression and earned about $9 per week. When she wasn’t working, they went to a Pentecostal church. She also taught him to read the Bible and pray.
In 1955 he married Anna Margaret Johnson, whom he met at college.
Church Career
Stanley preached at several southeast churches before accepting the position as assistant in the Atlanta, Georgia, church in 1969. Two years later, the pastor resigned. Despite dissension between Stanley and the deacons, the church grew. Sometime later, when the church finally did vote for him to be the pastor, 36 of the 59 deacons resigned. He remained pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, for 51 years.
Other Achievements
In 1984 he was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He also started the In Touch Ministries in 1972.
Marital Problem
In 2000, his wife filed for divorce. This brought about a division between him and his son. In the past, Stanley had taught that divorced men were disqualified from ministry. Nonetheless, the church did not fire him but stood by him through the ordeal.
Charles Stanley did peacefully at his home at the age of 90.
Notes:
- ^{Died: Charles Stanley, In Touch Preacher Who Led with Stubborn Faith} (go back ↩)
