Andy Stanley is preparing to hand over leadership of the ministry he founded more than three decades ago, setting the stage for a major transition at North Point. The 68-year-old pastor announced October 18 that he plans to leave his two senior leadership positions in 2027, with longtime North Point pastor Joel Thomas nominated to succeed him.
The handover will happen in stages, subject to congregational approval. Thomas would become senior pastor of North Point Ministries on January 1, 2027, followed by lead pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, on June 1, according to the ministry's published transition schedule.
For Stanley, one deeply personal consideration helped shape the decision: having more freedom to spend time with his grandchildren. He told the congregation he wants to accept those opportunities without first consulting his calendar, while also allowing a younger leader to guide the organization's future.
His departure from executive leadership will not mean a farewell to the pulpit. North Point says Stanley will continue preaching as part of its teaching rotation and serving on its board of elders, keeping him involved as Thomas takes on responsibility for directing the ministry.
Thomas brings a long history with the organization. He began as North Point's first intern in 1998 and later led North Point Community Church before moving to Arizona to pastor Mission Community Church. After returning to Georgia, he led Buckhead Church and assumed wider responsibilities across the network, becoming North Point Ministries' executive director in 2023.
The succession still requires the congregation's approval. Voting opened October 18 and continues through October 30, with the results scheduled to be announced during services on November 1. That gives church participants a formal role in deciding who will lead North Point into its next chapter.
Stanley founded North Point in 1995 and helped develop it into a ministry with eight Atlanta-area campuses and an international network of partner churches. His decision now places succession at the center of that story: how does a church move forward when its founding pastor hands over authority but remains part of its life?
For North Point, the coming months will turn that question into a practical reality. Congregants will first cast their votes, then prepare for a transition that will reshape who leads the ministry and its founding campus.
