Charles Stanley and CBD? If that sounds far-fetched to you, you’d be right.
The ministry founded by the popular Southern Baptist pastor urged the public in a weekend statement not to fall for false reports connecting him and sales of new CBD products.
“In Touch Ministries has received reports that scammers have been posting Dr. Charles Stanley’s image, falsely reporting that Dr. Stanley is beginning a new business venture in CBD oil,” the ministry’s statement reads. “Some of the articles even utilize fake Fox News headers to appear more convincing. However, none of it is true. IT IS A SCAM. Dr. Stanley has not begun any new venture.”
The ministry asked people not to click on posts, emails, texts or websites conveying the false information, .
“Scammers are attempting to trick you into giving your personal information or infect your electronic devices by using Dr. Stanley’s image,” according to the ministry.
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CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the active ingredients in marijuana but is derived from hemp, a cousin to the marijuana plant, according to Harvard Health. CBD doesn’t cause a high—a different ingredient called THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, causes the psychoactive effects produced by marijuana.
Marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, but hemp with insignificant levels of THC was legalized in 2018. Federal regulation places certain restrictions on how it’s marketed. No CBD products can be advertised for treating any specific diseases or conditions.
Stanley announced last fall he was retiring as senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Atlanta and transitioning to pastor emeritus. His sermons are still broadcast online and on more than 2,600 radio and TV outlets through InTouch Ministries, which he founded in 1977. The 88-year-old has been focusing his energies there since stepping back from church ministry.
The church announced more than three years ago it had formed a succession plan in which the church’s associate pastor at the time, current Senior Pastor Anthony George, would succeed Stanley.
“I’m so grateful [God] saw fit to allow me to serve as your pastor for more than 50 years,” Stanley was quoted as saying in a Baptist Press article.
Stanley has been on staff at First Baptist since 1969, when he was hired as associate pastor. He was named senior pastor in 1971. He served two one-year terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1984-1986.
Stanley’s son Andy Stanley pastors an Atlanta-area megachurch of his own, North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. It’s one of the biggest churches in the country, with more than 30,000 in attendance each week at its campuses, according to the church’s website.
Andy Stanley was once considered his father’s natural successor, but the two parted ways when the elder Stanley and his wife divorced in 2000, according to CNN.
Anna Stanley told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she had endured “many years of discouraging disappointments and marital conflict. . . . Charles, in effect, abandoned our marriage. He chose his priorities, and I have not been one of them.”Charles Stanley has not remarried and Anna Stanley passed away in 2014.
After the divorce, Charles Stanley resisted calls for his resignation and the church eventually voted to retain him as senior pastor. He and his son reportedly maintain a close relationship.
Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas.
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6 Responses
No, but his son is really good at selling snake oil. (I really thought this was a misplaced April Fool’s Day story)
Was this story meant for the Babylon Bee?
Why are people demonizing CBD?!?
While I am no fan of Charles Stanley and I do have some concerns concerning him I am glad to read that he isn’t involved in selling CBD oil! I never heard about it until now but I am glad that it is a false alarm!
My point in writing is when you are concerned about a preacher and have honest both doctrinal criticisms or even personal criticisms it is very dangerous to broadcast false things like that! Why? Because often when you say something that could easily be proven false some people are not going to pay as much attention to what you say that can be proven real. We are to know them that labor among us(1 Thess.5:12). We are to prove all things(1 Thess.5:21&22). We are to try the spirits(1 John 4:1-3)!
But we are also to not to spread lies and slander(Exod.23:1&2; Prov.19:9)!
And let me add this. If I was accused of selling and/or endorsing CBD oil I sure wouldn’t want people to believe that on me(Matt.7:12; Luke 6:31)! I would hope that some would come to me as a Christian brother(Matt.18:15-20) and find out the truth before they spread such! I wouldn’t them to spread lies like that on me!
If you want to disagree and warn others about my doctrine and even go as far as to condemn me to Hell for what I TRULY believe I am okay with that! As long as it is true!
So thank you for putting this out. I will make sure that I don’t spread the lie that he sells CBD Oil when I deal with the issue of Charles Stanley.
I’m old enough to remember when CBD meant Christian Book Distributors.
Yup me too. Whenever I hear the word “CBD” I think has my order from Christian Book Distributors arrived?
I’m very surprised you omitted the key point about Stanley’s divorce. Well before his marital problems were public knowledge, he had vowed from the pulpit that should he ever get divorced, it would disqualify him from leading the church and he would step down as pastor. The vow was made as part of a stern rebuke to the many pastors and other evangelical leaders who had gone through unbiblical divorces with no repercussions to their ministries.
That was the main reason why there were calls for him to resign. It’s what he said he would do in no uncertain terms, but when faced with having to fulfil the promise he had made in front of the congregation, he went back on his word, and “bowed to the wishes of his congregation” to remain their pastor. No repercussions…