Author and pastor Alistair Begg to retire from Parkside Church

Alistair Begg said Sunday he’ll be stepping down from being the head pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio no later than Sept. 14, 2025. That will be 42 years since he started pastoring the congregation at a nearby chapel. Begg plans to continue Truth for Life, a radio program featuring his teaching. He’s announcing his retirement early to give the church time to facilitate a smooth transition to a new head pastor, he said. Begg reassured the congregation that he is in good health and hopes to devote more time to ministry after he retires.

How did he begin his ministry? Begg was born in Scotland and raised in a Christian home. He attended The London School of Theology and started in pastoral ministry in 1975 in Scotland. He began teaching at Parkside Church eight years later and he founded Truth for Life in 1995. In January, people on social media began criticizing Begg for telling a grandmother to go to her grandson’s wedding to a person who identifies as transgender. American Family Radio stopped airing Truth for Life because of the comments. Begg responded that he was concerned about the woman’s relationship with her grandson and might have given a completely different answer to someone else in a different time and situation.

Dig deeper: Read Bethel McGrew’s commentary for WORLD Opinions explaining why Christians can’t attend pagan rituals.