Chuck Swindoll to retire as pastor, focus on broadcasts

Charles “Chuck” Swindoll, who turns 90 years old next month, wrote on Sunday that he will step down next month as a pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1963 and served other churches before helping to found Stonebriar in 1998. The nondenominational church has since grown to have more than 3,700 people participating each week. Swindoll and his wife, Cynthia, plan to continue worshiping at Stonebriar after his retirement, he wrote.

Who will take on the leadership role? Swindoll in May transitioned out of the role of senior pastor to become founding pastor. The church hired Jonathan Murphy as the new senior pastor and said he would lead day-to-day ministries while Swindoll continued preaching and mentoring Murphy. He will assume full preaching responsibilities after Swindoll retires.

What is next for Swindoll? In 1979, the pastor and his wife started Insight for Living Ministries, with a Bible study radio program that is broadcast around the world. In his statement Sunday, Swindoll said he will shift his focus to the broadcast ministry, and that he plans to record podcasts, write books, and encourage young pastors.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Muncy’s report about Alistair Begg’s retirement from Parkside Church.