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|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/charles-stanley/e792049411116|title=Charles F. Stanley|publisher=mylife.com|accessdate=august August 2, 2021.}}</ref>
|occupation=[[Pastor]]-emeritus of<br> First Baptist Church (Atlanta)<br>President of In Touch Ministries<br>Televangelist, [[theologian]], [[author]], [[photographer]]
|spouse=Anna Margaret Johnson Stanley (married 1955-1992, separated, divorced finalized 2000)
After stints at churches in [[North Carolina]], [[Ohio]], and Florida, Stanley moved in 1969 from Florida to the First Baptist staff in downtown Atlanta. Two years later, he was named senior pastor. Georgia Governor [[Brian Kemp]] attended FBC to celebrate Stanley's milestone of service.<ref>Buck Lanford, Dr. Charles Stanley honored for 50 years of ministry (fox5atlanta.com), accessed August 2, 2021.</ref>
In 1972, he launched a half-hour religious television program, ''The Chapel Hour,'' the forerunner to his establishment in 1977 of In Touch Ministries with the mission tof teaching, evangelism, and strengthening the church.<ref name="religionnews.com">Emily McFarlan Miller, [https://religionnews.com/2020/09/14/influential-pastor-charles-stanley-steps-down-at-first-baptist-church-atlanta-after-50-years/ Influential pastor, Charles Stanley, steps down at First Baptist Church Atlanta after 50 years], religionnews.com, USA, September 14, 2020</ref> The [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] began televising this show in 1978. The program has been translated in fifty languages. In the United States, "In Touch" is broadcast on approximately 2,600 [[radio]] stations, three hundred television outlets, and several satellite networks, such as the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]].<ref>Patricia Holbroook, Dr. Charles F. Stanley leads life of unwavering faith (ajc.com), accessed August 2, 2021.</ref>
His sermons and other programming are available on the ''In Touch'' website. The ministry also publishes ''In Touch'' magazine. Stanley often focuses on finances, parenting, and emotion matters as well as theological Christianity. He stresses the inerrancy Scripture. Over the course of his ministry, Stanley has developed "30 Life Principles" that have guided his Christian life.<ref>30 Life Principles (intouch.org), accessed August 2, 2021.</ref>He credits his grandfather, George Washington Stanley, with his command, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” In his book ''Courageous Faith: My Story from a Life of Obedience,''<ref>Courageous Faith: My Story From a Life of Obedience (HB) (intouchaustralia.org, accessed August 2, 2021.</ref> Stanley writes, “Granddad told me, ‘Charles, if God tells you to run your head through a brick wall, you head for the wall, and when you get there, God will make a hole for it..''<ref>charles_stanley_abstract_finalCharles_stanley_abstract_final.pdf (hughsnews.com), accessed August 2, 2021.</ref>
In addition to his work in Christian ministry, Stanley is an avid photographer, much of his work being mountain scenes. Many of his current photographs come from such distance locations as [[Alaska]] and [[Zanzibar]] and can be accessed on the In Touch website.<ref>Charles Stanley Photography (intouch.org), accessed August 2, 2021.</ref>