Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship has declined to elaborate on the shocking decision of its influential leader, Pastor Tony Evans, to temporarily step down from his pastoral duties “due to sin” as followers of his immense public ministry offered prayers while wondering about the nature of the unnamed sin he confessed. A representative of the church told The Christian Post, “There will be no one to speak to about that statement. It’s true; he announced it at both services on Sunday, and that’s it.”
They continued, “The person who’s taking over for him is stated in that little paragraph, and that’s about it. There will be nothing anyone else will be able to tell you. It’s over.” The 74-year-old pastor confessed in a written statement that though he didn’t commit any crimes, he fell short of the biblical standards espoused by his ministry “a number of years ago,” suggesting it was “due to sin.”
Evans stated, “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. 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.”
He continued, “I have shared this with my wife, my children, and our church elders, and they have lovingly placed their arms of grace around me. While I have committed no crime, I did not use righteous judgment 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.” While many people offered prayers for Evans, others like Roy E. Ciampa, Armstrong Chair of Religion and Chair of the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies at Samford University in Alabama, are disappointed with his statement and believe the decision to confess may have been forced.
Ciampa wrote on X, “This is very disappointing. If this took place years ago. Is he (temporarily) stepping back now bc he was just recently exposed? In any case, he covered it up for years & he’s supposed to be ready for healing & restoration? Consider me skeptical.” Michelle Lesley, a Christian blogger and co-host of “A Word Fitly Spoken Podcast,” accused Oak Cliff Bible Church’s statement of finessing sin. She wrote on X, “When they euphemize in every way possible without naming the sin, it’s usually some form of sexual immorality. If you’re truly repentant over your sin, you’ll confess it, not finesse it. I hate that this happened, but he was already not someone to follow.”
Evans, who has authored over 100 books, booklets and Bible studies, has been the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship for over 40 years. He “is one of the country’s most respected leaders in evangelical circles,” according to his bio on the church’s website.