‘You Are Here to Serve the Purposes of God’: Jonathan Evans Recalls His Late Mother’s Words
Jonathan Evans, son of noted pastor Dr. Tony Evans, paid tribute to his late mother Lois Evans at the NRB 2020 Christian Media Convention on Feb. 25.
According to The Christian Post, Evans shared his mother’s words of perseverance as she battled an incurable form of gallbladder cancer.
“I have every expectation that you will do that as my family, but God has an expectation that you always remember, through thick and thin, that you are here to serve the purposes of God,” Evans recalled his mother telling him.
“[She said], ‘Everything from pain and anguish … opposition that comes against you is all a distraction from the reason why you are here. So will you stand up and hold your head up and you will continue the work of the ministry,’” Evans added.
Evans then encouraged Christians to persevere by taking his mother’s words to heart.
He said, “Everybody here is facing something where you need to hear a word that says that you are here no matter what you’re going through, no matter what you face. You’re here to serve the purposes of God.”
“Do not turn to the left or to the right, we are too close. The Promise Land is right here.”
As a former football player, Evans offered an analogy for how players “think about Monday” as Sunday’s game would be assessed.
“You better stay focused, because one day your coach will pull down the screen and turn on the overhead projector and pick up the red pointer and all he would wonder is, ‘Are you out there bearing image of the uniform that I gave you, based on the playbook that I wrote for you? Or were you out there doing your own thing, serving your own purpose?’”
Evans then relates it to the Apostle Paul’s words to Corinth, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2nd Corinthians 5:10).
“We all will go before the judgment seat of Christ. We cannot lose focus no matter what we face because we’re supposed to play today, thinking about tomorrow. Whether it’s for millions or for one, the focus is on Christ.”
“My mom told me to tell you, ‘Go back to being focused,’” he continued. “It’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ, serving the purposes of God, and being an impact on your generation.”
Lois Evans was the founder of the Pastor Wives Ministry. In 1982, she and her husband co-founded the Christian broadcast and teaching ministry, Urban Alternative. The ministry reached a 2 million listening audience “on more than 1,200 radio stations in over 130 different countries.” She passed away on December 30, 2019.
On the morning of her passing, Dr. Evans shared on Instagram, “Just before the sun came up this morning, the love of my life, Lois Irene Evans, transitioned from earth and watched her first sunrise from Heaven.”
“I had the privilege of holding her hand as she was lulled into eternity. Our four children surrounded her as well. As she slipped away, we told her how much we love her, how proud we are of her, and how thankful we are for the life she has lived.”
Related:
Tony Evans’ Wife, Lois, Dies at 70: “We Are What We Are Because of Her”
Tony Evans Shares that His Wife Saw ‘A Glimpse of Heaven’ before She Died
Photo courtesy: Johnathan Evans Facebook
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.
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