Pastor Tony Evans Stepping Down from Ministry

[Tcg]

.
Longtime pastor Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship is stepping down due to unspecified "sin." Here is an excerpt from his announcement:

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. 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. This will afford me a needed time of spiritual
recovery and healing.

https://www.ocbfchurch.org/wp-content/u ... tonWeb.pdf

Does this so-called "absolute supreme standard of truth" (the Bible) teach that a Christian leader should repent a "number of years" after the sin was committed?

Does this mean that for some number of years Evans was ministering while having an unrestored relationship with God?


Tcg

[Purple Knight]

Does this mean that for some number of years Evans was ministering while having an unrestored relationship with God?

While he seems to think that, and his conscience was undoubtedly bothering him, God is the judge of that, not him. And if there is no God then the answer is no.

What this is a testament to is how unachievably high standards are extremely toxic, which is one of my two big valid complaints against Christianity. It takes good people who are trying out of leadership positions and invites the bad apples who molest children and don't care - when they are caught, it will be "oh we're ALL sinners though" and the toxic standard facilitates this. I don't know what this Tony Evans did, but if it wasn't a crime I wish he would compare himself to people who actually commit them before determining that he alone has been found wanting.

(I'd bet real money on it being adultery.)

A legal system that declares everyone a criminal is demented, and implemented for the benefit of the true criminals, to bring those who do not hurt others equal with them.
- Purple Knight

[1213]

...
Does this so-called "absolute supreme standard of truth" (the Bible) teach that a Christian leader should repent a "number of years" after the sin was committed?

Does this mean that for some number of years Evans was ministering while having an unrestored relationship with God?

It looks like he is pressured to do so. And in a way, if he has done something harmful for the Church, I could understand the move. However, about repenting, I have understood it means to change one's mind for better, reject bad way and live by teachings of Jesus. That is why I think it could be said that it is continuous thing, one should reject the bad ways the rest of his life. But, I don't know what it means in his case.

[SiNcE_1985]

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Longtime pastor Tony Evans

Who?

Does this so-called "absolute supreme standard of truth" (the Bible) teach that a Christian leader should repent a "number of years" after the sin was committed?

Does this mean that for some number of years Evans was ministering while having an unrestored relationship with God?

Tcg

Trying to figure out what does a person's personal relationship with God and/or any Biblical truths or untruths related to this God..why would an unbeliever in God concern his/her self with such questions, or concerns.

Almost seems as if unbelievers invest more time thinking about God and religious-related stuff than believers.

Seems to defeat the purpose of atheism.

[Difflugia]

Trying to figure out what does a person's personal relationship with God and/or any Biblical truths or untruths related to this God..why would an unbeliever in God concern his/her self with such questions, or concerns.

That's like asking why there are anthropologists. There are some people in the world that think differently than I do. It's fun to figure out what makes them tick.

Almost seems as if unbelievers invest more time thinking about God and religious-related stuff than believers.

That might be true.

Seems to defeat the purpose of atheism.

There's not really a purpose to atheism itself, it just means one doesn't believe in gods. I can (and do) find religion and the religious entertaining even though I don't believe any of it's true in a supernatural sense. In the same vein, I enjoy the Harry Potter movies without having to believe they're documentaries.

[Tcg]

[Replying to Tcg in post #1]

My question quite obviously addresses the Bible and yet none of the replies so far have even mentioned it. I'd guess that there must be some Christians here who have read it. Any amongst that group who'd care to comment?


Tcg

[Purple Knight]

That's like asking why there are anthropologists. There are some people in the world that think differently than I do. It's fun to figure out what makes them tick.

If you only care about your own morality and never once wanted to see it from another person's perspective, you might as well go out and kill a bunch of people and say that is moral.

People on both sides will get offended by this because morality is not supposed to be about acknowledgment or playing by the rules of others, but it is. You must take others and their perspectives into account.

[Tcg]

[Replying to Tcg in post #1]

Word search provides a simple way to find if the subject of one's topic subject is being addressed. A search on the word "repentance" results in one hit, my use of it in the O.P. I didn't ask anything about atheism and yet that word shows up twice not counting my signature.

Why would a poster introduce the subject of atheism and ignore the crux of the matter here which is repentance and more specifically what the bible says about the timing of repentance?

Should repentance occur years after the sin?


Tcg

[Difflugia]

Should repentance occur years after the sin?

That depends on when you get caught. According to 2 Samuel 12, you can wait until Yahweh sends a prophet with a thinly veiled metaphor for your sin.


"...and the lamb upon his bosom had but little meth..."

[Tcg]

Should repentance occur years after the sin?

That depends on when you get caught. According to 2 Samuel 12, you can wait until Yahweh sends a prophet with a thinly veiled metaphor for your sin.

"...and the lamb upon his bosom had but little meth..."

Verse 13 sums up whole process quite well:

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die."

Looks quite easy at least for David a rapist, coward and murderer. Apologize and the whole thing is forgiven immediately. I wonder why the delay for Evans. He claims to be following the Bible. Of course, David didn't wait a few years to repent.

The baby didn't fare so well, but there's not much concern expressed for it. Reminds me of some of the threads here. Children are expendable. All from a "superior" moral code.


Tcg