Breaking: Andy Stanley Stepping Down as North Point Senior Pastor in 2027

"I want to be able to say yes to my grandchildren without having to check my schedule." With that one sentence on Sunday morning, Andy Stanley — pastor of one of the largest church networks in America — told his congregation the news few saw coming: he is stepping down.

Stanley, 68, announced to North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, that he will leave his role as senior pastor of North Point Ministries on January 1, 2027, and as lead pastor of the flagship campus in June 2027, around his 69th birthday. The board of elders has unanimously nominated Joel Thomas, the ministry's executive director, as his successor — pending a congregational vote with results expected November 1.

"I'm retiring from my job, but I'm not retiring from ministry. I'm not going to disappear." — Andy Stanley

Thirty-One Years, One Church Network

Stanley founded North Point in 1995. What began as a single congregation in the Atlanta suburbs grew into a multisite network that has drawn tens of thousands of attendees and influenced church planting movements far beyond Georgia.

He is the son of the late Charles Stanley, the longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta and a towering figure in evangelical broadcasting. Andy built something distinctly his own: a communication-driven, seeker-sensitive model that became one of the most imitated in American church life. Whether you admired his approach or questioned it, nobody in American evangelicalism ignored it.

Why Now? Grandchildren — and the Health of the Church

Stanley said the decision followed more than four years of conversations with his wife, Sandra. The reasons were professional, organizational — and deeply personal.

"So, it's both a professional thing, an organizational thing, and, obviously, these decisions are personal. I just believe in what we do, and this is one of the reasons I am confident this is the right time." — Andy Stanley

He framed the transition as an act of stewardship. "The best thing for this next iteration of what we are going to do together requires a younger leader who can project a vision further out than I could because of my age and season of life," he told the congregation. "I am not trying to be the hero. I am not trying to be a martyr."

Joel Thomas: The Man Picked to Lead Next

Joel Thomas joined North Point Ministries as an intern in 1998 — the year after it opened its doors. He worked his way up through the ranks, led Buckhead Church (one of the network's main multisites), and most recently served as executive director of North Point Ministries, overseeing the directional team and the church network.

"Joel is absolutely the right person," Stanley said. If the congregation approves the nomination, Thomas will assume the senior pastor role on January 1, 2027, and take over the lead pastor position at North Point Community Church in June. Approximately 50,000 eligible congregants have the opportunity to vote.

What Happens to Stanley?

He is not leaving. Stanley emphasized that he will remain an elder, continue preaching as part of the church's rotation, and serve as an ambassador for the organization. He also expects to stay involved with the board of elders.

"This is my family's church," he said. The man who shaped three decades of ministry at North Point will still be in the building — just not in the corner office. For a generation of pastors who grew up on his leadership teaching, that distinction matters. His story echoes the worship leaders who have shaped modern church culture.

A Divisive Figure Steps Into the Background

It would be dishonest to pretend the announcement landed without turbulence. Stanley has been one of the most debated figures in American evangelicalism for two decades — praised for reaching the unchurched, criticized sharply by conservative voices over his teachings on Scripture, including his widely quoted "unhitch" remarks about the Old Testament. The reactions to his stepping down split along those same familiar lines within hours.

But on Sunday morning in Alpharetta, the room was not debating theology. Thousands of people sat listening to a 68-year-old pastor talk about his grandchildren — and about knowing when to hand the microphone to someone else. There is a kind of testimony in that, whatever you think of the theology: the willingness to say the next chapter belongs to someone younger.

Whether North Point's next era looks like its last remains to be seen. The vote on November 1 will tell us who leads it. But the bigger question — the one every aging founder eventually faces — has already been answered: Andy Stanley decided the mission was bigger than his tenure. And somewhere in Georgia this week, a man who has preached to millions is clearing his calendar for his grandchildren. The rest of the story is still being written.

But the most surprising part of this story is yet to come — keep reading.