Chuck Swindoll stepping down as senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church
Notable Evangelical pastor, author and radio personality Chuck Swindoll is stepping down as senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church, a Texas megachurch based in Frisco, but he will continue to preach on Sundays.
The 89-year-old pastor, who has held the position since 1998, will take on the role of founding pastor effective May 1, according to a statement from the elders of Stonebriar. Jonathan Murphy, the chair and professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary, will become the church's new senior pastor.
"Pastor Chuck will continue to preach God's Word at the pulpit on Sundays, while Jonathan will shepherd our day-to-day ministries and fill in at the pulpit when requested," stated the church.
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"Pastor Chuck will continue to serve as mentor and advisor to Jonathan, and at the appropriate time in the future, Jonathan will then assume primary pulpit duties."
According to the church, the decision to have Murphy join the staff as senior pastor was the product of two years of discernment, with Swindoll believing that "Jonathan would be a great fit for the position."
"We are excited to welcome Jonathan as our Senior Pastor, and we're grateful that God has provided this servant-hearted leader who aligns with our commitment to teaching biblical truth," the elders added.
A native of El Campo, Texas, Swindoll graduated magna cum laude from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1963, earning honors like the Harry A. Ironside Award for Expository Preaching.
He has served multiple churches as a pastor, including Grace Bible Church of Dallas, Texas, Waltham Evangelical Free Church of Waltham, Massachusetts, and Irving Bible Church of Irving, Texas, during the 1960s, and First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, California, from 1971–1994. He founded Stonebriar in October 1998.
In July 1979, Swindoll, along with his wife Cynthia, started Insight for Living Ministries, a Bible study radio program that eventually spread to all 50 states and over 2,100 outlets worldwide by April 2020.
Swindoll was honored by the National Religious Broadcasters by being inducted into the Christian media organization's Hall of Fame in 2000.
Swindoll has authored several 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.
Murphy, a native of Northern Ireland who serves on the board of Insight for Living Ministries, has been a frequent guest preacher for Swindoll at Stonebriar Community Church.
According to a biography page, Murphy is a child of missionary parents raised in the Canary Islands and Spain. Before joining the seminary, Murphy served as a pastor in Northern Ireland.
In a video discussion, Swindoll and Murphy said their friendship and mentorship go back years, even before Murphy was considered to take over as senior pastor.
"It is a blessing for me to be able to minister alongside of you," Murphy told Swindoll. "God was at work long before we knew He was at work in our relationship and had plans in mind that were not revealed to us when we were walking together. ... What we came to found out was that also was what God was doing in the hearts of elders in church unbeknown to me and to you. God was at work with them. Then they came to let you know of their interest not knowing that you and I were walking so intimately."
