Pastoring was never in my framework of thinking.

Dr. Tony Evans recalls how the words of a mentor back in his seminary days

impacted the trajectory of his life and ministry.

To this day I cannot repeat what he said.

I wish I could remember, but whatever he said that day

it was an illumination. This was God.

This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans.

Author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakcliffe Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas

and president of the Urban Alternative.

In 1976 Dr. Evans was finishing his master's degree at Dallas Seminary.

He and his wife Lois had two little girls and a tiny Bible study

that was about to turn into a church plant.

Not the path they had initially planned.

We're going to take a step away from our regular programming today

to bring you excerpts from a special podcast interview series

that gives us a behind the scenes look at the life and ministry of Dr. Evans.

Today's interview, the church planter, explores the early days of Tony's ministry

and how the Lord directed his steps. Let's get started.

I had some students that were questioning the viability of the local church.

This is Dr. Gene Getz. He's an author, broadcaster and pastor.

But before all that, back in the 70s, he was a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary

while Tony Evans was a student.

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