Was American Pastor Charles Stanley Sick Prior to His Death? Exploring His Health and Illness: Dr. Charles Stanley, a prominent Baptist pastor, and writer passed away peacefully in his Atlanta home at the age of 90. As news of his death spread, many have been curious about his health leading up to his passing.
Health Before Death
While it is currently unclear whether or not Dr. Stanley was dealing with any health issues prior to his death, his family has stated that he passed away peacefully in his home. As such, it is presumed that he did not have any major health concerns.
Born in Dry Fork, Virginia in 1932, Charles Frazier Stanley was raised by his mother after his father passed away when he was just nine months old.
Despite moving around frequently during his childhood, he became a born-again Christian at the age of 12 and began working in Christian ministry at 14.
Stanley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Richmond and a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas. He later earned doctoral and master’s degrees in theology from Luther Rice Seminary.
A Life of Ministry
Over the course of his career, Stanley served as a pastor in several churches across the country. From 1957 to 1959, he was the pastor of Fruitland Baptist Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
Then, he joined First Baptist Church in Fairborn, Ohio, and worked there until 1962. He later worked at the First Baptist of Miami, Florida from 1962 to 1968, and then at First Baptist of Bartow in 1968.
In 1969, Stanley was appointed assistant pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta, and in 1971 he became the head pastor of First Baptist Atlanta, where he remained for five decades.
In 1972, he launched his broadcast ministry with a program called “The Chapel Hour,” which eventually became “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley” and was broadcasted nationwide.
After serving as senior pastor for 50 years, Stanley stepped down from his position as preacher emeritus in September 2020.
Family and Controversy
Stanley was a loving father to his two children, Becky Stanley and Andy Stanley. His son, Andy, followed in his father’s footsteps and is now the pastor of North Point Community Church in Georgia.
Stanley’s divorce from his wife, Anna J. Stanley, in the early 1990s caused controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention. Despite rumors that he would resign as pastor, he was permitted to continue serving as long as he did not remarry. Anna passed away in 2014.
In summary, Dr. Charles Stanley was a dedicated Christian leader and teacher who devoted his life to spreading the message of faith and hope. His legacy will continue to live on through his ministry and the lives he touched along the way.
