THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502170541
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
The lack of religious beliefs and unity in our society led to what the Rev. Tony Evans calls ``spiritual AIDS'' in America.
As AIDS attacks the human body, destroying its physical defenses, our lack of spiritual unity leaves us as a society open to harm, Evans told about 500 at a prayer breakfast Thursday. It was co-sponsored by YMCA of South Hampton Roads, Hampton Roads United Christians and Regent University.
To counter this spiritual disease, Christians of all races must join together to strengthen their mutual bond, said Evans, a pastor, author and syndicated radio host from Dallas.
The role religion once played has been wiped out by a virulent divisiveness that surfaces in many ways, including race.
Most whites in the audience probably tend to vote Republican, thinking that the party best reflects their values, Evans said, while blacks vote for Democrats, the party they think is most sensitive to social justice.
``But God doesn't ride on the backs of donkeys or elephants,'' he concluded. What is needed is a biblical, not a governmental, world view of events and issues, he said.
During slavery, the church not only provided spiritual stability for blacks, but also, ``out of it grew banks, legal firms and a sense of community,'' Evans said.
Evans recently published ``Let's Get to Know Each Other,'' a book that he hopes will help to bridge the racial gap that separates white and black Christians. It is subtitled, ``What White Christians Should Know About Black Christians.''
Evans explained before the prayer breakfast why the most segregated hour in America remains 11 a.m. Sunday.
``Cultural distinctions and worship styles account for the difference,'' said Evans, pastor of the 3,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas. ``The caricatures are being broken down, and we're working at mingling more.''
Ten percent of his congregation is white, Evans said.
A lack of racial harmony, however, is not the only problem confronting our society.
Families are disintegrating, too.
Evans grew up in Baltimore. He told the audience how family values worked in his neighborhood. If he did something wrong 20 blocks from home and an adult saw him, they would correct him and walk him home.
``My mother would invite them in for cookies and tea and then spank me again,'' he said. ``Try that today and someone would point an Uzi at your nose.''
While Evans said ``this world is headed south,'' it is not without hope.
It's time that Christians stand up and make a difference, he said.
Evans challenged the audience by borrowing from the movie ``Rocky 5.''
His favorite scene, he said, is the one in which Rocky has been knocked down and almost out by a younger fighter. Rocky visualizes the face of his dead manager, Mickey, exhorting him to ``get up, you bum. I love you.''
Evans said, ``That's what I see Jesus saying to us, all of us: `Get up, you bums, get up. I love you.' '' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Evans by CNB