Dr. Tony Evans, a well-known evangelical pastor in Texas, has stepped down from the leadership of his church.
In a statement posted Sunday on the church’s website, Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, said he was stepping down due to an unnamed “sin.”
“The foundation of our ministry has always been our commitment to the Word of God as the absolute highest standard of truth to which we are to conform our lives,” Evans’ statement read. “When we fail to meet this standard because of sin, we are obligated to repent and renew our relationship with God. A few years ago I failed to meet this standard. Therefore, I am committed to applying the same biblical standard of repentance and self-renewal that I have applied to others.”
Evans said he “committed no crime” but “did not exercise fair judgment in his actions.”
According to the church, Evans’ decision to step down was made after “tremendous prayer and repeated meetings” with Evans and church elders.
Bobby Gibson, the church’s pastor, and the church’s elders are expected to provide more information about interim leadership and the future in the coming days.
“The Spirit of Jezebel”:The pastor took the stage at a Christian conference in Missouri
Who is Tony Evans?
Evans founded Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas in 1976, with 10 members in his home. Since then, the Church has grown to over 10,000 members.
Host of the radio program “The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans,” which airs on over 1,000 stations around the world, and previously served as chaplain for both the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks.
Tony Evans’ first wife was Lois Evans, who died in 2019. The couple had four children: Chrystal Hurst, Priscilla Shirer, Anthony Jr. Evans and Jonathan Evans. The pastor remarried to new wife Carla Evans, formerly Carla Crummie, in November 2023.