Jonathan delivered this powerful message at the 2020 National Religious Broadcasters Conference.

I’ve got a lot of emotions standing up

here on this stage I was watching a

video of my dad speaking at NRB in 1986

he was going on 37 years old and Here I

am 38 years old at NRB and I I remember

being just a little kid watching my

sister’s help my mom

pass out the cards and the tapes and all

of those different things in the Great

Hall you know the hustle and bustle

that’s where the hustlers are in the

Great Hall and just having the

opportunity to come back and knowing

that my mom was a part of the executive

team and a part of the board at NRB over

the the past year has been amazing to

think about as they called me last

Thursday and asked me if I would just

come share for a moment I’m just

thinking about last year last year was

an interesting year

matter of fact the last two years have

been an interesting year for our family

if you’ve been keeping up but last year

was interesting because last year was

very high and very low all at the same

time four in a 10 RB for our family

because as I stand on this age and I

think about last year being here at NRB

and

many of you know the story that we’re

here this year without my mom that last

year was the year that my dad was

inducted into the NRB Hall of Fame that

we were thinking throughout the week all

the family was there me and my brother

and my two sisters Krystle and Priscilla

my brother Anthony and we were there and

we were excited to come to NRB which we

hadn’t been to in a while since we were

kids we were excited about the

opportunity to be at NRB and

this time Tony Evans was going into the

NRB Hall of Fame this time we were

excited we came and I came through and

they gave me my badge so I felt

solidified because this time we’re here

and we get to support my dad as he goes

up on the stage and he gets inducted

into the National Religious broadcasters

Hall of Fame we are excited about this

moment for him for the family for the

life of the ministry as NRB has been

there to help build Tony Evans ministry

and the urban alternative and come

alongside dr. Tony and Louis Evans as

they come and do what God has called

them to do for this generation I mean we

couldn’t be more excited and

enthusiastic when we came into the doors

and we saw all of our friends that had

come to support but throughout the week

it was very interesting because as me

and Priscilla specifically would look at

my dad we would say dad are you excited

or are you ready to go are you excited

about this award that you’re about to

get it’s a Lifetime Achievement Award we

were happy for you

and he said I’m doing okay dad what’s

going on you’re you’re about to be

inducted into the NRB Hall of Fame that

this is this is one of the the top of

the mountaintops this is this is this is

not going through the valley you’re at

you’ve got a grimace on your face what’s

really going on are you okay he said

I’ll be all right

the next day came around as we’re

getting closer to Friday for him to go

into the Hall of Fame and be enshrined

and immortalized with the National

Religious broadcasters we’re excited

form and we say dad are you excited

about today it’s Thursday tomorrow’s

your day he said we’ll get there when we

get there I said dad what’s wrong are

you okay said we’ll talk a little bit

later

me and Priscilla looked at each other we

didn’t quite understand why he was so

somber when we were at this level when

he had made it to this level him and my

mom getting ready to be inducted into

the Hall of Fame how could you be so

somber Friday rolled around and I

knocked on his door and Priscilla was

standing there in her pajamas and

Krystle came and Anthony came and we ran

through the hall like kids and knocked

on the door and he came to the door and

he just opened it to let us in and

walked back to the bed and laid back

down and we said dad it’s Friday today

you’re gonna be inducted into the NRB

Hall of Fame he said I’m doing alright

we’ll talk about it later we went to the

banquet where he was going to be

inducted in the entire time when he’s

supposed to be on a mountaintop he was

obviously evidently to us as his kids

was just stuck in the valley and I

rubbed his shoulder and I said dad are

you gonna be okay he said I love you

John John he just totally avoided the

question I said I love you too dad then

they called his name and they they gave

him the honor and he went up and gave

what Tony Evans would always do a

powerful message and he took pictures

halfway smiling just trying to get

through it and me and Priscilla and

Krystle and Anthony kept checking on him

because he just wasn’t quite quite right

then we went to the greenroom and we

checked on him again and said dad come

on now tell us what’s going on you’re at

the National Religious broadcasters

you’re always excited you’re always

enthusiastic

astok you you just got inducted into the

Hall of Fame you have a grimace on your

face please let us know what’s going on

he said meet me in my room in ten

minutes and I’ll tell you what’s going

on and boy you talk about kids hearts

beginning to beat fast and all of the

geese on my arms took flight so we got

changed and we went to his room and we

knocked on the door and he opened the

door and he told us to come on in and he

sat on his stool and we all sat on the

couch that was in his room that night

just a year ago this time he said kids I

know this was supposed to be an exciting

time and it is and I’m honored that the

National Religious broadcasters

Association would seek to honor the work

that has been done through the

urban/alternative and everything that

has happened with me and your mom but

tonight we face the hardest time in our

families history as he said that a chill

went up my spine and I looked at him

intently trying to discern what he was

about to say and then he said we’re

facing the hardest time I said why dad

he said because your mom has just been

diagnosed with the terminal form of

cancer that the doctors just have no

answer she’s in Stage four it has come

all the way across her abdomen there is

nothing that we are able to do I’ve

talked to the best doctors I’ve went

high and I’ve went low I’ve went

everywhere in between and there’s

absolutely nothing that they can do

about it so if I’ve been somber all week

it’s because we’re facing the hardest

time we’ve ever faced in our family

about a minute of silence as we sat

there in shock trying to digest being

here just a year ago this time

what we were facing as a family in that

moment that it seemed like was taking

away all of the achievements everything

that it had that had happened up into

that point that moment was terrifying

and devastating and after that minute

went by we heard wailing going on across

the room as I looked back at my father

he got up and he couldn’t no longer

contain it as he was crying on the other

side of the room Priscilla and Anthony

stood up ran over there and tried to

comfort him and rubbed on him and i sat

there stoic just trying to get gage all

of the information and process what I

heard my brother-in-law was in there he

turned his back and started crow at the

height of when it seemed like we should

have been celebrating we were crying and

in devastation because we had just heard

the hardest news that we had ever heard

in our family’s life we didn’t know how

to take it we were all beaten bruised

just a year ago this time and as all of

the crying was going on in different

sectors of the room I remembered oh yeah

my mama’s sitting here let me see how

she’s doing and she sat there

comfortable and stoic and I tapped for

Scylla on the shoulder and my brother

and my dad and I said mom are you okay

and she said all of you come here and

sit down we all came and we sat down

around the couch where my dad had given

us the information as my mom took the

time to just stare just for a moment to

let us process the news that we just

heard the devastation that we just are

trying to process at that moment and

then she said all of you come here and

sit down

I have something to say

we sat down and then finally she

beginning to speak she said you do know

what this is don’t you

it’s called spiritual warfare you do

know that we’ve had six five to six

deaths in the last two years and our

family that the enemy has been attacking

that something has been coming up

against our family we must be doing

something right because the enemy is

taking notice God is allowing these

things to happen he’s allowing these

things to be shaken up and when we face

spiritual warfare or when we face things

that come against our family the Evans

family will not tuck our tails and run

we prepare to attack I understand that

you’re sad I understand that this is a

hard time I understand that you had a

different expectation I understand that

this wasn’t what you were expecting to

hear I understand that this hurts but

you need to understand what this is so

that you understand the posture that you

need to have moving forward we will not

tuck our tails and run you will get

ready to attack if you’re called to

preach you will preach if you’re called

to write you will write if you’re called

to proclaim you will proclaim if you’re

called to lead a Bible study you will

lead it now I have every expectation

that you will love me and care for me

and pray for me and be there for me I

have every expectation that you will do

that as my family but God has an

expectation and that is that you always

remember through thick and through thin

that you are here to serve the purposes

of God I said mom how can you be talking

about ministry at a time like this and

she said because that’s why you’re here

son

that’s why you’re here it’s the reason

why you exist what do you mean how can I

be talking about ministry at a time like

this son that’s why you’re here and

everything from pain and

anguish everything from things that seem

counterintuitive everything from things

that you didn’t expect or opposition

that comes up against you is all a

distraction from the reason why you are

here so you will stand up and hold your

head up and be strong and you will

continue the work of the ministry I’m

just wanting to tell you what my mom

told me because everybody in this room

is facing something or going through

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 in your family in your ministry

whether you have 1 million people on

your program or whether you have one

you’re here to serve the purposes of God

do not turn to the left or to the right

like God told Joshua you’re here to

serve the purposes of God we are to

close the promised land is right there

my mom was letting us know the reason

why this is happening is because God is

allowing us to be shaken because of how

he wants to move forward you cannot quit

now cross the Jordan the promised land

is right there some people in this room

simply need to be encouraged because it

was just it was just a year ago this

season where I got a word from my mother

and even though last year was her last

in our be physically she’s giving

another address today

[Applause]

as I spoke at her funeral with many of

you may have seen as it was put out on

Facebook and other outlets I was

reminded about my playing career I

played in the NFL for five years you

don’t know me because I wasn’t that good

but who cares I was there and every

player that plays on Sunday they play on

Sunday thinking about Monday every

college football player that plays on

Saturday they play on Saturday thinking

about Sunday every high school football

player if you were to go to ask them

what are you thinking about during the

game on Friday they would tell you I’m

thinking about Saturday why every time a

player is playing the game they’re

thinking about the next day because the

next day is where you have to watch the

film and be accountable of your previous

performance so I remember when I was

playing I would make a good block and I

would say oh that’s gonna look good

tomorrow

or I’d miss something or I wasn’t doing

something right and I’d say I know I

have to watch that my mom was letting us

know that day you better stay focused

because one day there is gonna come a

day like when you were playing football

Jonathan where you had to go and your

coach would pull down the screen and he

would turn on the overhead projector and

pick up the red pointer and all he would

wonder is were you out there bearing the

image of the uniform that I gave you

based on the PlayBook that I wrote for

you to execute or were you out there

doing your own thing serving your own

purpose don’t answer that because we’re

about to watch it right now

second Corinthians 5:10 Paul says the

exact same thing for we all will go

before the judgment seat of Christ we

cannot lose focus no matter what we face

because worse

host to play today thinking about

tomorrow whether it’s for millions or

for one the focus is on Christ that one

day he’s gonna pull down his cosmic

screen turn on his Holy Ghost overhead

projector and pick up his blood of Jesus

red pointer and he’s gonna sit us all

down and his only concern is not going

to be about your donor base it’s not

going to be about your numbers it’s not

going to be about all of those things

that worry us on a daily basis it’s not

going to be about the opposition it’s

gonna be did you serve the purposes of

God

don’t answer that cuz we’re just going

to watch it right now and sometimes in

ministry we can get to a place where

we’re serving the ministry instead of

the god who’s over it we’re so concerned

about the numbers and the feedback and

how many listeners and these people over

here and what can what dog-and-pony show

can I do to make sure we get the support

that I need and if God gave you the

ministry certainly he’ll support it

serve his purposes

[Applause]

growing up I had a dog named Solomon it

was a toy poodle not by my selection I

have two older sisters it was me I would

have gotten something a little tougher

but that toy poodle at 11 years old I

thought that he was a little bit flitted

in my mind because when I would come

home from school this dog would be

running around in circles chasing his

own tail and I’d be thinking to myself

did this dog does this dog not know that

his mouth is on his face and his tail is

on his rear end he wasn’t created to

catch his own tail he’s running around

in circles doing a lot of movement but

he has no progress at 12 years old I

came home to some growling that was

going on in the back room and all I

heard was a so I said well maybe we my

sister’s pulled a fast one and got

another toy poodle and went to the back

room only to find out that the dog had

caught his tail but after 30 seconds and

me standing there watching him in shock

the dog had to let go because he was too

uncomfortable to stay in that position

even though he had a moment of

satisfaction because that’s not what he

was created for we have to be careful in

the Christian world because sometimes we

can get so involved in what we’re doing

that we’re not actually progressing

we’re just running around in circles

we’re running around in circles trying

to satisfy an intent that we were not

created for and just having Jesus sign

off on it I mean how can we have all of

these radio programs and all my dad used

to say radio programs and all these

broadcasts and all these churches with

all these preachers with all these youth

programs and all of these conferences

and all of these special people and

still have all this mess there’s got to

be a dead monkey on the line somewhere

it’s that God’s people are losing focus

my mom told me to tell you go back to

being focused it’s the gospel of Jesus

Christ serve the purposes of God be an

impact to your generation Paul said in

Philippians 3 I do not like regard

myself as having taken hold of it but I

leave what’s behind and I reach for

what’s ahead pressing on to the standard

which I have already attained we must

press on

I know there is opposition in the last

two years my dad’s brother passed away

two years ago

just opposition in our family six months

later he lost his niece my cousin winter

at 38 years old her heart just stopped

she fell down in her home with four

girls and a husband who now live in

Nashville a few months later he lost his

sister a few months later he lost his

sister’s husband a few months after that

my little cousin Michael who is 28 years

old lost his wife at 30 found out that

she had a tumor suddenly and then at the

moment that she found out the next day

she passed away a few months after that

to Daddy

my granddad my dad’s dad was falling ill

and at 90 years old he passed away this

past November and a month later Louis

Evans

it is painful sometimes it is hard

sometimes you’ve heard from the previous

speakers whether it’s the culture coming

against you whether it’s wayward

children whether it’s your own family

whether there’s death deaths in the

family whether there’s people that

you’re losing whether there’s listeners

that you’re losing whether you feel like

you’re not getting the support whether

you it’s

hard sometimes that’s why the Bible says

in Galatians 6:9 do not grow weary of

doing good because even though it’s hard

even though there’s opposition’s even

though you may not be noticed in the

Great Hall even though it seems like

things may not be working out you have

one goal serve the purposes of God

she was just letting us know that even

though 2019 would be her last physical

NRV in 2020 she can give us good clarity

of vision to put us on the street path

with a final address to the NRB she

loves so much people December 30th was

the last time that I spent time with my

mom and about a week before that she was

living between heaven and earth and I

knew it she said did you see my mom she

was just sitting right here did you see

mom do you see those colors they’re

unbelievable I said no mom we don’t see

him we don’t see your mom but I know you

do and one thing that got us she said

the award the award they’re about to

give me my award enjoy that mom because

you serve the purposes of God through

the thick the thin no attention a lot of

attention millions are one you didn’t

lose focus so you enjoy your reward

my mom would want me to tell you

there’s an award don’t lose focus serve

the purposes of God thank you for having

me

[Applause]