Dr. Tony Evans, longtime pastor, author, and founder of The Urban Alternative, has entered a new season of ministry—one shaped by loss, restoration, and a renewed focus on helping believers apply Scripture to everyday life.
Best known for nearly five decades of leadership at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (OCBF) in Dallas, Evans has authored more than 150 books, booklets, and Bible studies and has spent decades teaching on biblical authority, spiritual maturity, and cultural engagement.
That focus continues through The Unbound Podcast, where Evans explores how Scripture speaks to real-life struggles, cultural moments, and spiritual growth. The podcast features conversations with pastors, Christian artists, and cultural voices, including Kirk Franklin, Lecrae, Matt Chandler, Ruth Chou Simmons, Gary Thomas, and others.
Evans said the goal of the podcast is not commentary for commentary’s sake, but grounded conversations that help believers recognize how God is at work in ordinary life. Through these discussions, he hopes listeners will find clarity during difficult seasons, encouragement in daily struggles, and biblical perspective that stretches beyond Sunday morning.
A Life Marked by Loss, Transition, and Faith
In recent years, Evans’ personal life has also undergone significant change. In 2019, his wife of 50 years, Lois, died from gallbladder cancer. Four years later, Evans married Dr. Carla Crummie, marking a new chapter after a season of grief.
At the same time, leadership transition plans at OCBF were already underway, with Evans’ son, Jonathan, preparing to assume greater responsibility within the church. That transition would later accelerate under unexpected circumstances.
Accountability, Repentance, and Restoration
During an interview with ChurchLeaders, Evans reflected on his decision to step away from ministry after acknowledging an undisclosed sin, a choice he described as necessary obedience to the same biblical standards he had preached for decades.
“The church has to be the church, no matter who it applies to, whether pastor or parishioner,” Evans said. He emphasized that accountability within a local church is not punitive but restorative when handled biblically.
Evans explained that during this period, OCBF’s elders and leaders surrounded him with care while guiding him through a defined process of repentance, counseling, and spiritual renewal. “They rallied around me,” he said, describing the season as painful but formative.
Reflecting on the experience, Evans pointed to Hebrews 12, saying that when God “shakes” circumstances, it is often because He is accomplishing something new. “Disturbances move God in accomplishing his plan on his timetable, not the one you planned,” Evans said.
