Megachurch pastor steps down over ‘secret sin’

Pastor Tony Evans has decided to step down from his role as the longtime pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas — because of a “secret” sin.

“I say a 'secret sin,' because in the statement that he released on his website, and that has now been widely circulated, he really doesn’t say what this past sin was that has now come to light,” Allie Beth Stuckey explains.

While Evans’ statement declared that he had “committed no crime,” he admitted to not using “righteous judgment” in his actions.

“There are a lot of guesses that we could probably make. If it wasn’t something that was criminal, that means it probably wasn’t financial,” Stuckey speculates.

Years ago, Stuckey had discussed another pastor who had stepped down from his role due to sin.

“Matt Chandler had to come forward and say that he had fallen short of the biblical standard for a Christian, a biblical standard for a husband and pastor,” Stuckey says, explaining that he had to admit to engaging in messages with a woman at his church to his congregation.

While Chandler told his congregation the truth, Evans remains tight-lipped about his sin.

“I think that he owes more specificity than this, the euphemisms just cause, I think, a lot of confusion and even more instability, a lot of questions, unfortunately rumors, gossip, and things like that,” Stuckey says.

Stuckey believes there’s a lesson to be taken from what has happened with Evans.

“Every time we are tempted towards sin — whether it be gossip, whether it be lust, whether it be adultery, theft, deceit, whatever — is that feeling that we have that ‘Yes, that would satisfy my flesh, that would satisfy my longings right now.’ Just remember that temptation, that pull that you are feeling towards that sin is from someone who hates you, who wants to destroy you, destroy your witness,” she says.

“It’s a good reminder, a humbling reminder for all of us, that no one is above that temptation,” she adds.

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