Longtime pastor, author, and radio host Chuck Swindoll announced Sunday that he will be retiring as a pastor at Stonebriar Community Church of Frisco, Texas, and will preach his final sermon in October.
"The time has come for me to retire from Stonebriar — and embrace a new chapter in my life," Swindoll, who will be turning 90 next month, said in a statement posted by the church.
"This decision was not made lightly," he said. "Each moment spent with you has shaped me, taught me, and filled my heart with joy. Together, we have built a vibrant community grounded in faith, hope, and love. We have shared countless memories, celebrated milestones, and faced challenges hand in hand."
"While my role may be changing, my commitment to the mission and vision we uphold will never fade. [My wife] Cynthia and I intend to worship with you from one Sunday to the next; this will always be our church family."
According to The Christian Post, Swindoll served as senior pastor of the megachurch since 1998.
Despite stepping away from the pastorate, Swindoll said he will make his long-running broadcast ministry Insight for Living his "singular focus," as it "has been a vibrant part of Cynthia's and my life for more than 45 years."
"I encourage you to continue living out the values we cherish, to support one another, and to love your neighbors as Christ loves us. Remember, the church is not a building but a community of believers, and I have faith that you will continue to shine brightly in this world," he added.
Swindoll was born in 1934 in El Campo, Texas, and graduated magna cum laude from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1963 and has served multiple churches over the decades.
In July 1979, Swindoll and his wife launched Insight for Living Ministries, a Bible study radio program that expanded to all 50 states and over 2,100 outlets worldwide by April 2020.
He was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2000 for his prolific ministry work.
Swindoll has authored multiple books and devotionals, including Abraham: One Nomad's Amazing Journey of Faith, Clinging to Hope, Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Encourage Me: Caring Words for Heavy Hearts, The Grace Awakening, A Healthy Body: Characteristics of a Contagious Church, What If ... God Has Other Plans?, and Hand Me Another Brick: Timeless Lessons on Leadership.
In a statement released in April, the Stonbriar elder board announced that Swindoll would step down from his role as senior pastor and would take on the position of founding pastor effective May 1, which he still preached on Sundays.
Jonathan Murphy, a native of Northern Ireland who served as the chair of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary, was selected to succeed Swindoll as the church's new senior pastor.
Photo Credit: ©Instagram/chuckrswindoll
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.