The Rev. Charles F. Stanley, who broadcast the Gospel to millions around the world, will have a public viewing Saturday.
Stanley died on Tuesday at age 90. He was known worldwide as the founder of In Touch Ministries, which is broadcast in 180 nations and translated into 55 languages. He also pastored for more than 50 years at First Baptist Church of Atlanta overseeing more than 10,000 members. He stepped back from his senior pastor role there in 2020, becoming a pastor emeritus and naming Anthony George as his successor.
The public is invited to the viewing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church Atlanta, at 4400 North Peachtree Rd., Atlanta. Parking is available at the church.
The event will also be livestreamed on CharlesStanley.com.
No speakers are planned during the event. According to In Touch Ministries, which said it has been planning how to honor Stanley for the past seven years, “We designed this service to be a moment for individuals to have a place to reflect and pray.”
A “Legacy Celebration Service” will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at the church. Doors open at 5 p.m. Information about parking for the service.
The Sunday service will be livestreamed on www.FBA.org.
A private memorial service will be held separately for the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the ongoing mission of In Touch Ministries.
First Baptist Senior Pastor George came to the megachurch in 2012 from Aloma Church in Winter Park, Fla. He called the magnitude of Stanley’s legacy “impossible” to measure.
He said in a statement that Stanley “has been a source of hope and strength to countless people whose faith has been shaped by his faithful and practical preaching of the Bible. ... Elected officials, a former president of the United States, Southern Baptist leaders and other evangelical leaders from around the world have sent us their expressions of sympathy. We have been flooded with online tributes and are so encouraged by the thousands of social media posts we’ve seen.”
Stanley’s son, Andy Stanley, was unavailable for comment. Andy Stanley is the founding and senior pastor of North Point Ministries.
Stanley was not without controversy.
In 2015, Stanley declined to be accept an award from the Jewish National Fund " because of his deep love for Israel, and his reluctance to be a point of controversy and conflict within the Jewish community,”
Criticism had mounted from some members of Atlanta’s Jewish community concerned about his stance on homosexuality, which he described as “destructive behavior.”
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