Dr. Tony Evans resigned as pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Church in South Dallas after nearly 50 years.
According to NBC News, Dr. Evans co-founded Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship with his buddy Rev. Crawford Loritts in 1976 as the first Black Dallas Theological Seminary doctoral graduate. The church has 10,000 members and 100 ministries after starting with 10.
“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 stated.
We must repent and reconcile with God when we sin and fall short. I failed that criterion years ago,” he said. I must apply the same biblical standard of repentance and restoration to myself as I have to others.
Evans named Pastor Bobby Gibson and the elders provisional leaders.
The church stated, “The elder board is committed to leading the church in accordance with the scriptures. Dr. Evans and the elders believe that the elders must hold elders and pastors accountable if they don't satisfy scripture's high standards and protect the church's integrity.
In another section of Dallas, Pastor Whitney Foster, who headed a small congregation without a building, was sentenced to more than 30 years for robbing three churches of their real estate, NBC News reported.
Foster, 56, was convicted of deed fraud for stealing from Lancaster's First Christian Church, Dallas' Canada Drive Church, and Dallas' Nineveh. The district attorney's office estimated the stolen property's value at over $800,000.
Property ownership is a foundation of our society, providing security, a home, and a place to love and embrace one other, said Lead Prosecutor Phillip Clark.
It also represents a highly active element of our economy, with property taxes supporting all our government does for Dallas County residents including purchasing, selling, and renting property. Deed fraud cases are falsehoods, fraud, theft, and highly harmful. Thank goodness the jury recognized the truth and held the defendant accountable.”