Dallas megachurch founder Tony Evans, who stepped back from leading his church due to an undisclosed “sin” he announced last year, apologized to his congregation and his family on Sunday (Oct. 5), after the elder board of his Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship announced the pastor had completed a “restoration process” and will not return to leadership of the church.
“To the flock, to the congregation, for the consternation I may have caused you with questions and wondering and uncertainty, I’m sorry,” he said as he sat on the church’s stage during a worship service and answered questions from his son, Jonathan Evans, who has been preaching regularly at the church. “I apologize sincerely for any instability that this season has caused you because you are my treasure.”
Evans, who abruptly announced he was “stepping away” in June 2024, is the first African American to have both a study Bible and a full-Bible commentary bearing his name. In addition to his church, he founded the Christian Bible teaching ministry The Urban Alternative, which continues to air his messages on radio outlets worldwide.
During the “Restoration Sunday” service, which lasted an hour and 40 minutes, neither Evans nor Chris Wheel, OCBF associate pastor of outreach, disclosed the sin that Evans described in June 2024 as requiring “the same biblical standard of repentance and restoration” he had applied to other people.
“While I have committed no crime, I did not use righteous judgment in my actions,” Evans, now 76, said at the time. “In light of this, I am stepping away from my pastoral duties and am submitting to a healing and restoration process established by the elders.”
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Some churches offer or demand a restoration process of their leaders to overcome what they consider a violation of the Bible. During the worship service at the nondenominational, predominantly Black church, Wheel said Evans’ “discipline and restoration process” included counseling with professionals outside the church’s staff, “evidence of genuine repentance and godly sorrow” and pastoral mentoring.
Citing the Bible’s Epistle to the Galatians’ guidance about restoring a sinful person, Wheel said: “In keeping with this biblical framework, the elder board exercised deliberate and prayerful discretion regarding the timing, the manner of disclosing specific details throughout the restoration process. This was not done to conceal wrongdoing, but rather to uphold the integrity of the process, to protect the dignity of all involved, and prevent unnecessary speculation or sensationalism,” adding that Evans “fully submitted” to the restoration process.
Wheel said Evans also took a 12-month absence from pulpit ministry to “focus on personal growth.”
“In alignment with biblical principles and unanimous affirmation of the elder board, Dr. Evans has successfully completed this restoration journey,” Wheel said.
As the congregation applauded and cheered, Evans entered the stage.
“While he will not be returning in a staff nor leadership role at OCBF, we joyfully look forward to seeing how God uses Dr. Evans’ gifts and calling to proclaim the truth of Scripture with clarity and conviction for the strengthening of the body of Christ,” Wheel said.
Evans made a major public appearance shortly after his yearlong absence concluded, speaking at the July summit of The Family Leader, a Christian organization known for its conservative evangelical stances, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Wheel said more details about the future plans for the church will be announced at a “Vision Sunday” service, set for Oct. 12.
“Key steps include Jonathan Evans has been appointed as an elder,” he said. “Our expectation is that he will formally be installed as the lead pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship.”
As soon as Wheel concluded speaking, Jonathan Evans led the congregation in a brief Communion service.
“Somebody celebrate our Lord for restoration, forgiveness and reconciliation,” Jonathan Evans said.
The service then pivoted to him sitting with his father for a 20-minute discussion in which the two men expressed their pride in each other, and the elder Evans thanked the church, his family and friends for their endurance and described the “bittersweet” period that had just concluded. He said those days often were filled with depression, loneliness and tears.
“It’s certainly bitter when you’ve done something for 48 years every day, every week, and then you’re no longer doing it — and it’s your fault,” Evans said. “I had to search for God, but not for a sermon.”
Asked about the hardest part of the yearlong process, Evans said, “the most important and hardest was disappointing the Lord, who had given me so much and in such a unique way.”
He said he was particularly thankful for the support of his wife, the former Carla Crummie, whom he married in December 2023, after Lois Evans, his first wife of 49 years, died in 2019.
“The way we came together was shared loss,” he said. “Our mates died a few days apart as she and her late husband were on their way to my wife’s funeral.”
Evans said he was concerned about “many things that were not true being said” on social media.
“The way they beat up on my wife who knew nothing about any of this, and then the way they came after my children and then came after the Lord,” he said. “And I was the reason why all of that was happening, on a worldwide scale.”
Speaking directly to the congregation, he said, “For anything that has hurt you from me, I’m sorry, but I’m so glad I have you and you have me.”
Adelle Banks is production editor and a national correspondent at Religion News Service.
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29 Responses
What gaslighting… I’m sorry I hurt you!! What did you do?? Well, we aren’t disclosing that!
I agree. He is a major public figure. Not saying what *whatever* was is dishonorable. He’s also an old man: I hope he spends a few years in peaceful private life.
and they are still platforming all of his teaching on social still and have been for the past year so – they only went silent for a couple of months when it first broke …. a bit hollow
That’s to be expected, because he’s the cash cow.
Sin doesn’t exist in a vacuum, so it is good to acknowledge when the impacts of our sin affect others, even indirectly. Given we don’t know the details – and I’m not sure we are entitled to them (why do we think we are?) – I’m thinking it’s good that Dr Evans has gone through a process of restoration and discipling, yet is not returning to staff or leadership. He is practicing what he preaches in this manner.
Praying for Jonathan and OCBF as they move forward.
I am so sick and tired of these loud, boisterous preachers telling us how to live and then they secretly indulge in what they so vehemently oppose. They are not much different than the average non-believer.
AMEN . Never put anybody on a pedestal. Only Jesus Christ.
I have doubts about anyone who is willing to put their name on a study Bible. Think that through. If you are going to publish Bible study notes, why do they need to be published directly with the Bible? Why can’t they be published as a separate study guide? Besides the obvious arrogance, does one person actually have the time to research and write a whole Bible’s worth of study notes? How many of these study notes were ghost written and why aren’t the ghost writers getting credit for their work?
These mega preachers are nothing more than a public persona or a brand name. They appear to be continuing to cover for TE to protect the brand and the subsequent $$.
I have a few study Bibles and have found them to be helpful in my own Bible study and discipleship; yet I get why others aren’t into them. To each his or her own.
And I would get the concern if we were talking about some random pop culture pastor who just got into ministry. But Dr. Evans has been a pastor for 48 years, and before that was a scholar (completing both undergraduate and graduate degrees at a seminary school – winning accolades for his academic work and writings along the way). I’d be concerned if he did NOT have the time to research and write study notes for an entire Bible. It has literally been his job to study and teach the Bible for nearly half a century; what else should he be doing?
Be concerned if Dr Evans had only had time to be on large stages and DIDN’T have the time to research and write study notes for the entire Bible. (All of my study Bibles are by people who have been in ministry for over 40 years).
It’s a shame we have lost such faith in pastors that when they do their actual job, we are still skeptical.
@Martin If people had faith in CHRIST then commentaries (which are always biased by definition) would not be necessary at all.
What specifically am I referring to?
Jesus’s promise in John 14:26 & 16:13 about how God’s children i.e regenerate Christians (John 1:12-13, Romans 8:9 etc) would understand the Bible and arrive at “ALL Truth”!
I have faith in Christ yet find commentaries helpful in deepening my understanding of scripture and expanding my application of it by introducing me to another perspective or a contextual detail I may have overlooked or undervalued. I was introduced to a few commentaries I still use today from both a college class and a “spiritual mom” who really helped me grow in my discipleship over 20 years ago. I’ve never seen them as replacing scripture but just something I can read alongside it, especially when I’m studying a very familiar passage.
By your logic, are those who read devotionals, Christian books, and other Bible studies lacking faith in Christ? Are those who enhance their understanding of scripture by attending Bible colleges or seminary schools – which is where many commentaries are studied and even written – lacking faith in Christ? (You do know they don’t ONLY study the Bible in those environments, right?)
This is quite a legalistic stance.
Thank you Ms. Kramer. I go much further than you. I maintain that no humble, godly, Spirit-filled servant of the Lord Jesus Christ would ever dare stamp his own name on Holy Scripture. That is an abomination from which the righteous recoil. It is like laying a sin-stained hand on the ark of the covenant (2 Samuel 6:6-7). A worthy preacher would tear his clothes in horror (Acts 14:14) at the suggestion that he publish a Bible with his name on it. Yes, I know this is a severe rebuke to lay at the feet of C. I. Scofield, Charles Ryrie, John MacArthur, Chuck Swindoll, David Jeremiah, Max Lucado and Tony Evans. So be it. Even St. Peter was not exempt from stern condemnation when he deserved it (Galatians 2:11). These men have erred appallingly by putting their own names on the Book of God. Follow instead the humble example of John the Baptist. “He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30).
Completely agree with Amy, this makes me sick to the stomach. They know that if they disclose the sin, donation and attendance will fall. At the end of the day you can blame the leadership who wants to preserve the $$ but I will blame the congregation for being stupid and not reading the word,, leaving their brain out of the church. If one tells his spouse forgive me for my sin and the spouse accepts without knowing that’s unbelievable unthinkable that the spouse won’t ask. The disrespect for the congregation is baffling
I have thought it a bit presumptuous to put one’s name on a study bible. It’s good for marketing-bible publishing is a business. How much of the study notes are truly from the pen of said preacher. How much plagiarism? Just some thoughts.
“During the “Restoration Sunday” service … neither Evans nor Chris Wheel, OCBF associate pastor of outreach, disclosed the sin that Evans described in June 2024 as requiring “the same biblical standard of repentance and restoration” he had applied to other people.
Okay, this is avoiding the hypocrisy issue, that’s good.
“While I have committed no crime, I did not use righteous judgment in my actions,” Evans, now 76, said at the time. “In light of this, I am stepping away from my pastoral duties and am submitting to a healing and restoration process established by the elders.”
Alright, stepping away and submitting to the elders, this is also good.
“While he will not be returning in a staff nor leadership role at OCBF …”
No longer in leadership, this is also a good decision.
Avoiding hypocrisy, submitting to elders, and not leading unless you are above reproach are all biblical concepts, but is it biblical for a leader to not publicly admit what sin he committed?
“is it biblical for a leader to not publicly admit what sin he committed?”
I don’t like that this is the question at the heart of the matter, with such little regard for how this has been Biblically handled. As you pointed out, there has been no hypocrisy, submitting to elders, and Dr Evans is not returning to staff or leadership. On other threads, you’ll see demands for this type of discipline. So given this has been completed, I’m finding myself asking why such little acknowledgement and encouragement? Why is this still not enough? What is it we REALLY want? Part of me believes our human nature won’t ever be happy until we see some glorious, public, humilitating downfall that ultimately is about us feeling better rather than anyone being healed. What’s the saying: we love building others up so that we can tear them down.
In the case of Dr Evans, I am curious about what happened, but am not sure it’s my business. In my own moments of nosyness, I’ve told myself what is important is to check my heart (why do I feel I have the right to know), avoid assumptions (including accusatory language when I don’t know what happened), keep my eyes on my own walk with God (that will keep me too busy to be concerned with someone else’s sin), and not to allow any disagreement over how this was handled to be divisive (those who feel differently have a right to do so, and there are Biblical grounds for multiple arguments around who should know; so how can those who are still upset be supported as my brothers and sisters in Christ through this?).
I am still moved by his preaching, as our local Christian station still broadcasts his messages. I don’t need to know what he may have done, he didn’t have to bring it up at all and could have kept it to himself.
The Apostle Paul didn’t mention his thorn in the flesh, we all have different thorns and they change constantly. Not knowing his thorn doesn’t change how we can apply his teaching to ourselves.
It could very well be Dr. Evans is protecting the innocent involved until they give their permission to be part of a full disclosure.
The torn in the flesh was a different issue. Apple to orange comparison
I have always admire Tony Evans I find that he came forward and admitted up to his sin. It doesn’t matter what it was. Only God knows and he is answering to him.He is doing a lot better than the other Mega churches we can name so many who cover up their affairs. Waiting on Daystar to admit up what happen. It really sad that we give our money to these big churches and they preach on the pulpit about what others are doing in sin. I cannot at this point know who to trust in their teaching . GOD What’s THE ANSWER? HEAR US! To Tony EVANS God Bless You and your family.
The ongoing contrast of repentance, a contrite heart, humility and regret between Tony Evans and Robert Morris is profound.
Evans submitted to the disciplining process that he had applied to others.
Repentance is not only words but Godly
sorrow and an attempt to mitigate pain in the congregation.
As an 18 year member of Gateway there has been no apology, no contrite
heart. There is a mugshot, a former
pastor taken taken away in handcuffs,
a lawsuit over retirement and more…
But God is rebuilding Gateway with a new pastor and is healing wounds! We are thankful. Please continue to pray for the congregants who will not know the joy of attending another worship service because of betrayal of both of these men. Most seriously, for those who have lost their faith.
Jan Mantzel
He says the words “I’m sorry” but does nothing to change his damaging impact – he acknowledges the wondering and uncertainty yet says NOTHING to fix it. A hollow apology, for certain.
A good reminder it is all about Christ. As we see in Scripture many individuals that were chosen by God did horrible things, yet God was glorified despite their sin. Only one person in the Bible was sinless, and He died for our sin. It sounds like Dr. Tony Evans took the appropiate steps for restoration and submitted to church leadership. Many people want to know his sin not so they can encourage him but rather condemn him. We’ll see how God uses him in the future. Perhaps Dr. Evans was more concerned with his standing before the Lord than his notoriety with others. I am praying for him and giving him the benefit of the doubt for now.
For those of you who aren’t members of OCBF or personally counseled/pastored by Dr Evans, I truly am interested in why it upsets you not to know the details?
I’m not a member, haven’t been counseled by him, nor do I even listen to him. There is a huge difference in sinning and being “taken over by sin”. Was the sin broken by conviction, or threat of exposure? If it was “old”, why bring it up? Why was the step down and restoration necessary if the offense was minor, or wouldn’t be seen as meaningful? It upsets me because I am a Christian and he is a spokesperson for Christ.
Ministry is sadly a business these days. People have a right to know if a ministry asking for money is run by someone above reproach, or merely an actor reciting a script. If there is no conviction of the Holy Spirit, they can surely twist scripture- for their own good.
David Jeremiah, John MacArthur, Robert Jeffress, and many others, became the pastor thru a search by their church looking for a new pastor. It “might” be acceptable to pass the sports team chaplain baton to your son, but shepherd of a flock? How is that ok? We have seen that some “elder boards” for superstars are shams. What is an assistant or associate pastor for? Charles Stanley was already on staff at his church. His son started his “own” church. There are tested, gifted, teachers waiting for opportunities.
I have a question for someone whom I’ve mostly agreed, learned from, and still respect – can your affinity or relationship with someone determine your objectivity?
A bigger question for us all: Can the esteemed position of dissecting the will of God be forfeited? What if God has a ram in the bush just waiting for us to reveal our willingness to give up what we love – for Him?
Thank you for shedding light on this angle. I want to understand the perspective of those upset at not knowing; IMO, unless Dr Evans is your pastor or counselor, I don’t think you’re entitled to all the details.
I have listened to Dr Evans off and on; the way he’s handled this is in line with what he preaches. Even “old” sins are to be confessed, as he has said “time does not, by itself, bring healing or repentance; there must still be confession and application of the Word”. So while I was sad at his stepping down, I remained encouraged he “practiced what he preached”.
As for children “taking over” a ministry: Biblically, a pastor’s children should be in the faith; AND the children have likely been entrenched in the ministry, participating and observing up close what it means to grow and lead it. It’s often expected – by family AND congregants – that the child will one day lead; I have supported several “pastor’s kids” through the “fallout” of choosing not to lead.
As for Jonathan, he’s been serving and preaching for YEARS; I had felt he was being prepared. Yet ultimately it comes down to if it is his CALLING, as that is what ministry is. And only Jonathan and God know that answer. It’s not for any of us to assume one way or another if someone is called to lead a ministry, “preacher’s kid” or not.
Marin,
Your gracious and thoughtful rebuttal is appreciated. Again, you’ve helped me see another perspective. I don’t fully agree with it, lol, but I “understand it.” I love other viewpoints because “iron sharpens iron.”
Scripture asks us to be “above board”, to not have the “appearance of wrongdoing.” The “restoration” occurred a few weeks after “TRR” asked if Evans was approved to preach? Coincidental? IDK
Everyone loses with Nepotism. Preacher kids are rarely the best candidates because who has had the courage to correct them? They are usually catered to and have spent their lives in church because of their parent’s position. What if it’s performative?
Mother Teresa said, “You don’t know that God is all you need until He is all you have.”
“J-Walk” The spoken word record by Jonathan Evans, “son of “ mega church pastor Dr. Tony Evans …is the latest “accompaniment to his father’s best-selling book “Kingdom Man.” He wrote the eight-track album and recorded it at “Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Studio.” He was on the NFL practice squad, obtained a master’s degree in Christian Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary – where his dad obtained his ThD. and served as an associate professor. He serves as the chaplain of the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks, which his dad was before him.”
No matter how gifted you are as a speaker, you don’t own a church. It belongs to God. A church with its own “studio” must have a lot of money. There are young men whose dream is to be a pastor. It wasn’t a safety net, secure income, or when all other choices have failed, or because “your dad wants you to take over.” God calls teachers who would preach for free.
Thanks – I understand your perspective and why you have all the questions that you do. Many of them I can’t answer, as they are between a person and God alone (if ministry is their calling, etc) or between the Evans family themselves (conversations about the church’s perpetuity, etc). Some I only know through my off and on listening to services and the podcast, and in being raised in the DFW area (e.g., OBCF also runs a school).
So much of what you say about “preacher’s kids” is why I don’t envy them. If they enter ministry, they are doubted and questioned; if they don’t, they are criticized. (And let’s remember, in addition to Jonathan, there’s also his sister, Priscilla Evans Shirer, and his brother, Anthony Evans Jr). Given I don’t know if all the Evans’ kids are called, I can only speak to the personal impact of a few: I believe Priscilla is VERY gifted (for how her ministry has impacted me and the women in my discipleship group) , and I’ve known men who were not into “church stuff” touched by Jonathan’s ministry. (His style, experiences, and metaphors resonated with them as former athletes themselves)
While I appreciate the legacy of faith Dr Evans and Lois instilled in their family, I completely understand all the questions and criticisms.
I know this might be a secondary issue, but I can’t help but wonder—why do so many of these leaders never seem to retire like regular people? In some ways, they’re even worse than members of Congress. At least with Congress, we have the option to vote them out every two to six years if we’re dissatisfied with their performance. With these leaders, there’s often no clear mechanism for accountability, and they can end up holding on to power indefinitely. Sometimes it feels like the church becomes more about serving their legacy than the actual mission
Maybe, just maybe, many of these senior clergy don’t retire earlier because of their somewhat specific job description which is preaching and overseeing staff with the assistance of assistants & of course a PA.
Teaching is in the mix but its usually one dimensional in nature and doesnt entail teaching by personally modelling hands on pastoral care and best ministry practices through carrying out home & hospital visitation and attending to crisis pastoral issues, week after week, month after month, year after year, and decade after decade.
As mentioned, just maybe. 🤔