It was fitting for the legacy celebration of Pastor Charles Stanley to be held at First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia—the church where Stanley served for nearly 50 years. Pastor Anthony George of First Baptist Atlanta hosted, guiding guests through the service for this “warrior of the faith.”
Stanley passed away on April 18 at the age of 90. He served as the pastor of five churches and founded a TV program that later became “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley.” According to In Touch Ministries, Stanley’s sermons have been heard in “127 languages around the world via radio, shortwave, the Messenger Lab project, or TV broadcasts. Stanley was the country’s longest-serving pastor with a continuous weekly broadcast program.”
Notable Guests Pay Tribute to Pastor Charles Stanley
Charles Stanley influenced lives around the world. Throughout his life, he was invited to pray for and counsel celebrities, government leaders, and fellow pastors. Many people honored the late pastor at his service, whether in person or via video.
Pastor Chuck Swindoll of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, shared sentiments via video. He said, “We say, ‘Goodbye,’ as Heaven says, ‘Hello.'”
“His presentations were always lively and on target, accurate and meaningful. I give thanks for his life,” Swindoll reflected. “He is at home with the Lord in that perfect place, in that perfect setting with the Savior he preached and loved and knew so well.”
Former United States president Donald Trump said via video message that he remembered meeting Stanley. Trump offered, “I will always remember his incredible kindness and humble spirit when he met with me in the Oval Office. As he prayed for me and the nation, I knew God was hearing that prayer.”
Tony Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, said, “We have all been impacted, influenced, and transformed by his ministry locally, nationally, and internationally. Evans continued, “Through the hard times and the celebratory times, he has stood on the Word of God, preaching it week in and week out.”
Others, including Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church, Rev. Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Pastor David Jeremiah of Shadow Mountain Community Church, added their words and reflections on the late pastor. The service also included hymns sung by Greater Vision, CeCe Winans, and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.
