Texas evangelical pastor Tony Evans steps down from church, cites unnamed 'sin'

Dr. Tony Evans, a well-known evangelical Texas pastor, has stepped down from leadership at his church after nearly 50 years of ministry.

Texas Pastor Tony Evans steps down due to unnamed 'sin'

In a statement posted Sunday to the church's website, Tony Evans, the senior pastor at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, said he is 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 supreme standard of truth to which we are to conform our lives," Evans' statement reads. "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 has "committed no crime," but "did not use righteous judgement in my actions."

Following prayer and meetings with Evans and church elders, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship officials said they would hold Evans accountable.

"Dr. Evans and the elders agree that it's the elders' responsibility to hold any elder or pastor accountable if they don't meet the high standards of the scripture, and to ensure that the church maintains its integrity," the church's website states.

According to Evans' statement, the nature of this sin has been disclosed to his wife, children and church elders. Evans assures Pastor Bobby Gibson and the elders will provide more information about interim leadership and the future of the church later this week.

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Who is Tony Evans?

Evans, now 74, founded Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas in 1976 with 10 members in his home. The church has since grown to over 10,000 members.

He has a radio program, "The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans," that airs on over 1,000 stations worldwide and previously served as the chaplain for both the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks.

"As a pastor, teacher, author and speaker, he serves the body of Christ through his unique ability to communicate complex theological truths through simple, yet profound, illustrations," his online biography reads.

Evans has written several books, including 2019's "The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom." He also co-wrote a book with daughter Chrystal Hurst: "Kingdom Kindness: A Movement to Bring Calm to the Culture." His next book, titled "Kingdom Kindness: A Movement to Bring Calm to the Culture," is slated for release on July 16.

Wife Lois Evans passed away from biliary cancer

Tony Evans' first wife, Lois Evans, died on Dec. 30, 2019, at the age of 70 after battling bile duct cancer, according to the Baptist Press.

“As she slipped away, we told her how much we love her, how proud we are of her, and how thankful we are for the life she has lived," Evans said in a Facebook post. “We are what we are because of her.”

The two shared four children: Hurst, Christian musician Anthony Evans Jr., motivational speaker Jonathan Evans and actress Priscilla Shirer.

Daughter Priscilla Shirer is an author and actress

Evans' daughter, Priscilla Shirer, is also a best-selling author and motivational speaker.

She is the author of "Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks" and "Gideon: Your Weakness God's Strength." She is also an actor who has appeared in the films "Overcomer," "War Room," and "I Can Only Imagine."

The Christian media personality, with over 1.7 million Instagram followers, is married to Jerry Shirer, with whom she co-founded faith organization Going Beyond Ministries. The two have three sons.

Shirer and Hurst will present at the virtual Desperate for Jesus Women's Conference on July 26 for women.

Evans remarries new wife Carla Evans

In November 2023, Evans remarried new wife Carla Evans, formerly Carla Crummie.

Carla Evans is an educator and volunteer with two decades of experience in early childhood education, according to her church bio. She previously served as a kindness ambassador for a Christian Bible teaching and resource ministry and is a certified life coach.

"Carla’s personal vision is centered around supporting widows and children, as well as encouraging women and pastors’ wives to fulfill their God-given roles and responsibilities with joy," the church's website states. "She now aims to help women heal, learn, serve, practice self-care and develop unshakable confidence, guided by her faith in Jesus Christ."

— USA TODAY reporters Emily DeLetter and Anthony Robledo contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Tony Evans steps down as Dallas pastor, cites 'sin' from years ago