Dallas pastor quits leadership of 10,000-member megachurch he has led for nearly 50 years after ‘sin’

A Texas megachurch pastor has suddenly announced he is stepping down from leading the institution he helped build after 48 years of preaching, saying only that he has fallen short of the “absolute supreme standard of truth” he aimed to live “due to sin.”

Evangelist Dr Tony Evans, 74, the first Black person to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, founded the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in South Dallas in 1976 with his friend, the Reverend Crawford Loritts, according to NBC DFW.

Originally from Baltimore, Evans began the church in the living room of the house he shared with his late first wife Lois, starting out with Bible study sessions for just 10 worshippers.

Over the next half-century, Oak Cliff’s attendance swelled to 10,000 and the fellowship now boasts more than 100 ministries, with the pastor himself well known as a radio personality for his syndicated show The Alternative with Dr Tony Evans and for serving as chaplain to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

Evans lost the mother of his four children to bile duct cancer in December 2019 but remarried last year to educator Carla Crummie and all appeared to be well until his unexpected statement on Sunday June 9, announcing his intention to step aside over the unnamed “sin.”

“The foundation of our ministry has always been our commitment to the Word of God as the absolute supreme standard of truth to which we are to conform our lives,” Evans wrote in announcing his leaving.

“When we fall short of that standard due to sin, we are required to repent and restore our relationship with God. A number of years ago, I fell short of that standard. I am, therefore, required to apply the same Biblical standard of repentance and restoration to myself that I have applied to others.”

Evans said he had explained himself to his family and received their support before continuing: “While I have committed no crime, I did not use righteous judgement in my actions.

“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. This will afford me a needed time of spiritual recovery and healing.

“I have never loved you more than I love you right now, and I’m trusting God to walk me through this valley.”

While the pastor did not specify the exact nature of the past transgression that haunts him, nor whether his absence will be permanent or temporary, a second statement from the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship said: “This difficult decision was made after tremendous prayer and multiple meetings with Dr Evans and the church elders.

“The elder board is obligated to govern the church in accordance with the Scriptures. Dr Evans and the elders agree that when any elder or pastor falls short of the high standards of scripture, the elders are responsible for providing accountability and maintaining the integrity in the church.”

The institution’s website elsewhere praises its founder as “one of the country’s most respected leaders in evangelical circles… [who] serves the body of Christ through his unique ability to communicate complex theological truths through simple, yet profound, illustrations”.

Christianity Today meanwhile hails Evans as “the first African American to have both a study Bible and a full Bible commentary bearing his name”, with a track-record of demanding accountability from others.

Associated with George W Bush during his presidency, the evangelist did attract more negative national headlines in 2012 when he openly criticized then-president Barack Obama over his support for same-sex marriage.