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]