Pastor Tony Evans Restored to Ministry, Steps Away from Leadership at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship

By Dr. D. Roy Bramwell, Senior Editor

📍 Dallas, Texas — October 7, 2025

After more than a year of stepping away from public ministry, Dr. Tony Evans, founder of the 11,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church (OCBF) in Dallas, has completed a formal restoration process and been spiritually reinstated. However, church elders announced Sunday that Evans will not return to any staff or leadership role within the church.

“Dr. Evans acknowledged in a public statement falling short of God’s standard and a need to submit to the church’s discipline and restoration process,” said Chris Wheel, associate pastor of outreach. “We are pleased to report that Dr. Evans has fully submitted to the church’s discipline and restoration process.”

Evans, 75, voluntarily stepped down in June 2024 after revealing he had committed a serious sin years prior—though he emphasized he had not broken any secular laws. His confession, shared with his family and congregation, reflected deep remorse and a commitment to biblical accountability.

🛐 A Year of Restoration
The 12-month restoration journey included counseling with external professionals, pastoral mentoring, and a complete withdrawal from pulpit ministry. Wheel affirmed that Evans demonstrated “genuine repentance and godly sorrow,” along with “humility and a renewed desire to honor God.”

“In alignment with biblical principles and unanimous affirmation of the elder board, Dr. Evans has successfully completed this restoration journey,” Wheel said. “While he will not be returning in a staff nor leadership role at OCBF, we joyfully look forward to seeing how God uses Dr. Evans’ gifts and calling to proclaim the truth of Scripture with clarity and conviction.”

📖 A Biblical Framework for Healing
The church’s discipline was guided by Scriptures such as Lamentations 3:22–23 and Galatians 6:1, emphasizing restoration with gentleness and self-awareness. Wheel noted that the elder board exercised “deliberate and prayerful discretion” regarding the disclosure of details, aiming to protect dignity and prevent speculation.

“This was not done to conceal wrongdoing,” Wheel added, “but rather to uphold the integrity of the process and honor both truth and love.”

🎙️ A Father’s Legacy and a Son’s Affirmation
Following a prayer and communion service marking his restoration, Evans sat with his son, Rev. Jonathan Evans—expected to be confirmed as OCBF’s new lead pastor—for a heartfelt Q&A. “Man, I’m proud of you,” Jonathan told his father. “It’s one thing to watch you preach the Word. It’s another thing to watch you live under its authority even when it hurts.”

Evans described the experience as “bittersweet,” acknowledging the pain of stepping away from a ministry he led for nearly five decades. “It creates a wound in your soul,” he said. “But you have to relate to God in a deeper place.”

He also reflected on the church’s restoration policy, which he helped establish, likening the church to “a hospital of restoration.” “I had to submit to the very process I helped to install,” Evans said. “Because if we’re going to be a Bible church, that just can’t be a name.”

👨‍👦 Passing the Baton
Evans expressed gratitude that his children’s faith remained intact and took comfort in knowing his legacy would continue through his son. “Knowing that there was not just going to be an empty seat but a new chair… made losing my chair durable, manageable,” he said.

As Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship prepares for a new season under Jonathan Evans’ leadership, the congregation stands as a testament to grace, accountability, and the enduring power of restoration.