The Atlanta Connection

We appreciate the ministry endorsement of Dr. Charles Stanley and the opportunity we’ve had to do some networking over the years. In 1980, Dr. Charles Solomon presented the Exchanged Life Conference at First Baptist Church of Atlanta. Charles Stanley promoted the event, and Andy Stanley attended also. In 1981, our associates, Dr. Bill and Anabel Gilliam, presented the Victorious Christian Living conference there. FBA videotaped the event and the recordings have impacted an extended audience.

At InTouch.org Dr. Charles Stanley has a section on 30 Principles that have guided his life and ministry. Several of them are part of the spiritual DNA of the Grace Fellowship’s Discipleship Counseling message (See 1,3,12,15,24):

• Intimacy with God
• Reliability of God’s Word
• Peace through oneness with God
• Brokenness
• To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us

GFI’s current audio podcast features a dynamic sermon by Charles Stanley entitled “Good News of Great Joy: Christ Your Life”. It was preached at FBA in the early 1980’s. You can listen online or download it here: http://gfiworld.sermon.net . First Baptist Atlanta developed a pastoral and lay counseling ministry using the Exchanged Life model. (Listen to the two-part interview about this with Dr. Al Scardino here.)

At North Point, Andy Stanley preached a series that addresses some of these vital themes. It’s entitled “NU ME” and is available from their download store. North Point includes these Exchanged Life insights in their Care Network’s “Re:New” one-on-one mentoring ministry. In 2015, their team produced an 8 lesson video-facilitated small group study that incorporates the essentials of this process, titled Renovate.

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:3,4).
-JBW