On April 18, 2023, Dr. Charles Stanley went to be with the Lord. As we mourn his death, we also praise God for how He used Dr. Stanley’s biblical preaching.
Like other Christians who are taking time to reflect on his life and legacy, I cannot help but think about how his teaching and ministry have influenced my relationship with Jesus.
I first heard about Dr. Stanley through In Touch Ministries’ monthly devotional that my mother requested when I was a teenager. At that time, I did not yet know the Lord or even what a devotional was, but I found the writings intriguing.
The photographs on the front of the paper booklets caught my attention, making me want to find out where the pictures were taken.
Later, as a young believer in Christ, I began to grow in my faith as I attended a Bible college. At that time, I sought out a variety of biblical resources and Christian books to help burgeon my discipleship.
Soon, I was utilizing the resources from Dr. Stanley and his In Touch Ministries, including the monthly devotionals, a Bible reading plan, Dr. Stanley’s 30 Life Principles, and his sermons.
In this article, I would like to highlight a few ways that his service to the Lord has impacted my life and those like me who never met Dr. Stanley or saw him preach in person.
For truly, his biblical preaching, teaching, and ministry service had a far-reaching influence through his use of television, radio, and online media.
1. Biblical Teaching on Forgiveness
Some sermons stay with a person. For me, one of those sermons is Dr. Stanley’s “Healing Our Hurts.” When I watched this sermon, I was surprised by the way that he quickly summed up a biblical definition of forgiveness and how Christians can forgive others.
He did not preach as a self-righteous man talking down to others but as a fellow believer who accurately described how it felt to struggle with an unforgiving spirit.
I appreciated how he illuminated the biblical teaching of forgiveness while talking about how to deal with this issue practically.
Although I watched that video sermon after I had addressed unforgiveness in my life, I was reminded of what God had taught me about forgiveness during a difficult season in my life. To forgive means forgiving others as Jesus forgave us (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13).
It means showing grace to others. The person who hurt or wronged us does not have to show a change of heart or ask for forgiveness for us to extend grace to them.
We can forgive others regardless of how they responded because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, in that He died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).
Other people who may be struggling with unforgiveness can watch Dr. Stanley’s sermon and hear the truth of God’s Word. Dr. Stanely talks about the damage of unforgiveness and how the Lord can help us heal and offer forgiveness to others.
Throughout the sermon, he elevates the truth of Scripture without trying to downplay the hurt that a person feels after being wronged by others.
God worked through that sermon to encourage and guide people, including me, and I am sure the Lord will continue to use Dr. Stanley’s biblical exhortations to impact others in the future.
2. Obedience to God
One of Dr. Stanley’s famous quotes, which was inspired by his grandfather, is, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”
Not only did his sermons and teachings emphasize the need to obey God, but he also lived out this principle.
Long before I was born, Dr. Stanley was obeying God by evangelizing and making disciples (Matthew 28:19).
His famous principle guided his life because it is a solid teaching of the Bible. In Scripture, we read about God commanding people to action, which requires obedience and faith.
When the Lord called Abraham to leave his home and travel to a foreign land, Abraham did not know what awaited him or how the situation would turn out (Genesis 12:1). Despite the uncertainty, he obeyed God (Hebrews 11:8).
Likewise, when Daniel learned of the edict that people could only pray to the king, he chose to obey God rather than men (Daniel 6:6-10; Acts 5:29).
Praying to anyone else besides God would be idolatry, so Daniel continued to pray to the Lord just as he always did.
There were consequences for Daniel’s obedience to the Lord, but he entrusted himself to God’s hands despite the fearsome lion’s den (Daniel 6:12, 22).
Through Dr. Stanley’s teaching about the importance of obeying God regardless of consequences, I learned that obedience to God is what matters, not having all the knowledge of how events will turn out.
Christians should not spend their time worrying about the uncertainty of stepping out in faith. We might feel like Abraham traveling to an unknown land or Daniel facing the prospect of being thrown into a lion’s den, but we can trust God. Living in obedience to God is worth any cost or risk since He is worthy.
3. Developing a Habit of Engaging with the Bible
A final major lesson I learned from Charles Stanley’s ministry was developing the habit of engaging with the Bible daily.
Throughout my time watching Dr. Stanley’s sermons, I appreciated how he sought to teach the truth of God’s Word and encouraged others to spend time reading Scripture.
He believed strongly in the inerrancy of the Bible and the importance of Scripture in every Christian’s life (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Earlier in this article, I mentioned that my family had been receiving the In Touch devotional before I knew Christ.
Once I placed faith in Jesus, those devotionals became indispensable in establishing the habit of engaging with the Bible in the evening, in addition to my morning quiet time with the Lord. My family members also benefited from the devotional readings.
Around that time, I started using the In Touch Ministries Bible Reading Plan, which is a one-year plan of going through the entire Bible.
I was already involved in studying Scripture through my Bible classes in college, but the Bible reading plan helped me develop the discipline of studying God’s Word daily on my own.
Dr. Stanley was committed to the Bible and obeying what God said. In his sermons and books, he encouraged believers to actively engage with the Bible and obey the Lord.
I admire his commitment to the inspired and inerrant Word of God and am thankful that the Lord used Dr. Stanley to help me grow as a young believer.
Why Does This Matter?
Because of Dr. Stanley’s creation of In Touch Ministries, I gained access to invaluable discipleship resources, including Dr. Stanley’s sermons, a monthly devotional, and a Bible reading plan.
His ministry continues to offer these resources and others while also working to spread the gospel message to people around the world.
I never met Dr. Stanley in person, nor did I hear him preach in a church, but his ministry influenced me and others around the world through digital media, print resources, television, and radio.
For further reading:
How Did Charles Stanley Change the World for Christ?
15 of the Most Influential Quotes from Charles Stanley
5 Key Ways to Study the Bible Like Charles Stanley
Photo Credit: ©Department of Defense/Sgt. Nancy Lugo/Public Domain
