Author and Pastor Charles Simpson, who co-founded Covenant Church of Mobile in 1973 and was a pioneer in the charismatic renewal movement, has died.

Simpson, founder of Charles Simpson Ministries, died on Feb. 14, said his son, Stephen Simpson, president of CSM Ministries. He was 86.

The charismatic renewal movement that swept across Protestantism in the 1960s and 1970s emphasized supernatural experiences such as prophecy, miracles, healings and speaking in tongues as evidence of baptism by the Holy Spirit.

Simpson wrote numerous books including “Courageous Living,” “The Challenge to Care” and “Straight Answers to 21 Honest Questions about Prayer.”

He was involved in the launch of New Wine magazine in 1969, served on the board of Integrity Media, and was senior editor of The Covenant and the Kingdom Bible study curriculum, which was translated into Chinese, Russian and other languages. He also contributed commentary for the Spirit-Filled Life Bible.

Simpson was born in New Orleans in 1937 and had been in ministry since 1955 and in 1957 became pastor of a church in Mobile. He graduated from William Carey College in 1959 and attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

He had recently served as editor-in-chief and featured writer of One-to-One magazine and its related website and pastoral letters distributed worldwide.