CHARLES STANLEY’S PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS ROOTS
By
Vinson Synan
With all his success as pastor of a megachurch and a major television personality, Stanley never forgot his Pentecostal roots. In most of his books he acknowledged his upbringing in the Pentecostal Holiness Church and wrote glowingly of his grandfather George Washington Stanley. In 2008 on the 90th anniversary of the Dry Fork Emmanuel Pentecostal Holiness Church, he came and preached in honor of his grandfather who helped found the church. He also visited the graves of his father and mother who lie buried in the church cemetery. Again, In 2018 he returned to celebrate the centennial of the church. Here he preached the Sunday morning sermon and renewed old acquaintances from his childhood days.
Earlier, in 2017 he blessed Emmanuel College in nearby Franklin Springs, Georgia, a school he might have attended had he not joined the Baptist Church, by giving a large scholarship donation to the school. Also in 2017 he celebrated his 85th birthday with a gala party in Atlanta. Attending this event was Dr. Douglas Beacham, the Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Holiness Church, and several other leaders of the denomination. As a token of appreciation for his courageous ministry, the Pentecostal Holiness Church presented pastor Stanley with a Proclamation plaque recognizing his ministry at First Baptist Atlanta and showing support for his continuing worldwide ministry. In a rare stroke of ecclesiastical statesmanship, the tribute to Stanley was as follows:
INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS: Today we celebrate the life of Charles F. Stanley of Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Charley and Rebecca Stanley and originally of Dry Fork, Virginia; who earned bachelor’s degrees from the University of Richmond and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and master’s and doctoral degrees in theology from Luther Rice Seminary, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. Stanley accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior, was born-again at age twelve, began his life of ministry at the young age of fourteen, and has faithfully preached the gospel for the past seventy-one years, serving in various national ministry positions, including twice as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. Stanley has provided excellent leadership and vision by serving as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia, for forty-six years, and is deeply devoted to his congregation, and provides stable, passionate, Christ-centered leadership, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. Stanley is a New York Times best-selling author and is the founder and president of In Touch Ministries, an international ministry, which can be heard and seen on more than 2,600 radio and television stations and reaches millions of households around the world weekly with the mission “to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church,”
THEREFORE, the Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and its governing bodies mark September 25, 2017, Dr. Charles F. Stanley’s 85th birthday, as an official day of recognition and celebration of his life and significant achievements. Dr. Stanley’s living example demonstrates one can truly know the Father’s will, obey the Holy Spirit’s leading, and accept His sovereign plan for one’s life. This example is recognized by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and is celebrated in the presence of Dr. Charles F. Stanley on this special day. We, the executive Committee of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, extend our prayers and desire for God’s richest blessing on Dr. Charles F. Stanley, his family, and his international ministry.
Presiding Bishop Dr. A. D. Beacham, Jr., IPHC General Superintendent
Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner, Executive Director of World Missions Ministries
Bishop Thomas H. McGhee , Executive Director of Discipleship Ministries, IPHC Vice Chairman
Bishop Garry Bryant, Executive Director of Evangelism USA
By
Vinson Synan
With all his success as pastor of a megachurch and a major television personality, Stanley never forgot his Pentecostal roots. In most of his books he acknowledged his upbringing in the Pentecostal Holiness Church and wrote glowingly of his grandfather George Washington Stanley. In 2008 on the 90th anniversary of the Dry Fork Emmanuel Pentecostal Holiness Church, he came and preached in honor of his grandfather who helped found the church. He also visited the graves of his father and mother who lie buried in the church cemetery. Again, In 2018 he returned to celebrate the centennial of the church. Here he preached the Sunday morning sermon and renewed old acquaintances from his childhood days.
Earlier, in 2017 he blessed Emmanuel College in nearby Franklin Springs, Georgia, a school he might have attended had he not joined the Baptist Church, by giving a large scholarship donation to the school. Also in 2017 he celebrated his 85th birthday with a gala party in Atlanta. Attending this event was Dr. Douglas Beacham, the Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Holiness Church, and several other leaders of the denomination. As a token of appreciation for his courageous ministry, the Pentecostal Holiness Church presented pastor Stanley with a Proclamation plaque recognizing his ministry at First Baptist Atlanta and showing support for his continuing worldwide ministry. In a rare stroke of ecclesiastical statesmanship, the tribute to Stanley was as follows:
INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS: Today we celebrate the life of Charles F. Stanley of Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Charley and Rebecca Stanley and originally of Dry Fork, Virginia; who earned bachelor’s degrees from the University of Richmond and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and master’s and doctoral degrees in theology from Luther Rice Seminary, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. Stanley accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior, was born-again at age twelve, began his life of ministry at the young age of fourteen, and has faithfully preached the gospel for the past seventy-one years, serving in various national ministry positions, including twice as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. Stanley has provided excellent leadership and vision by serving as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia, for forty-six years, and is deeply devoted to his congregation, and provides stable, passionate, Christ-centered leadership, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Charles F. Stanley is a New York Times best-selling author and is the founder and president of In Touch Ministries, an international ministry, which can be heard and seen on more than 2,600 radio and television stations and reaches millions of households around the world weekly with the mission “to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church,”
THEREFORE, the Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and its governing bodies mark September 25, 2017, Dr. Charles F. Stanley’s 85th birthday, as an official day of recognition and celebration of his life and significant achievements. Dr. Stanley’s living example demonstrates one can truly know the Father’s will, obey the Holy Spirit’s leading, and accept His sovereign plan for one’s life. This example is recognized by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and is celebrated in the presence of Dr. Charles F. Stanley on this special day. We, the executive Committee of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, extend our prayers and desire for God’s richest blessing on Dr. Charles F. Stanley, his family, and his international ministry.
Presiding Bishop Dr. A. D. Beacham, Jr., IPHC General Superintendent
Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner, Executive Director of World Missions Ministries
Bishop Thomas H. McGhee , Executive Director of Discipleship Ministries, IPHC Vice Chairman
Bishop Garry Bryant, Executive Director of Evangelism USA