Dr. Tony Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (OCBF) in Dallas, has announced his engagement to Dr. Carla Crummie. The news comes nearly four years after the death of Evans’ wife, Lois, and the pastor asked his congregation for prayer during what is a “sensitive time.”
“As I come up to the fourth year of the loss of Lois, my wife of 49 1/2 years, it is a tender time. There are reminders everywhere of her life and of her influence on me, my family and this ministry,” said Evans in a video posted to OCBF’s YouTube account on Sept. 11. The announcement appears to have taken place during Sunday service on Sept. 10.
Dr. Tony Evans Engaged to Dr. Carla Crummie
Dr. Tony Evans, who just celebrated his 74th birthday, is a widely respected pastor, prolific author and veteran speaker. As he began his announcement, his children, Priscilla Shirer, Jonathan Evans, Anthony Evans Jr. and Crystal Evans Hurst, came on stage, flanking their father.
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“We are a very close family,” said Evans, “and all that has happened in my life, family, church, Urban Alternative, books, tapes, everything, has been defined by [Lois], so we’ve had over these four years the ups and downs and the roller coaster of emotions, sometimes high, sometimes low, but it comes with it.”
People who have had similar losses will understand, said Evans, who noted that “right after she passed was COVID, and we had to deal with that as you did too.”
“And I want to just thank so many of you who have been grievers with us,” he said, “and allowed us to grieve with you on some of your times. And so that’s part of life—it’s outside of our hands. We had to put it in the hands of a sovereign God.”
Evans said as he “worked through the ups and downs of singlehood, God in his sovereignty has brought someone into my life.” At these words, the congregation interrupted Evans with applause. The pastor said, “This someone has traveled this similar road. In fact, she and her husband were on their way to Lois’ funeral when her husband died.”