African American Leadership Conference

Michael Evans Sr.

Dr. Michael A. Evans Sr. is the longtime pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas, where he has served for more than 30 years as the "Under Shepherd." A native of Houston, Texas, he is the oldest of six children. He is married to Lisa C. Evans, his high school sweetheart for more than 34 years. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.

Evans received a Bachelor of Arts in political science (pre-law) from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Master of Divinity from Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. He also participated in doctoral studies at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Evans previously served as an administrator with the Tarrant County College District, coordinating its ESL and Adult Basic Education Centers. He has also been a consultant on race relations for church, county and state officials, and a Reserve Chaplain in the U.S. Navy as a commissioned officer. As a passionate community advocate, he has been the City of Arlington’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. speaker on three occasions.

He founded the BBC Educational Enrichment Corporation, which has provided tutoring, career exploration and summer job placement to more than 1,000 young people in the Southeast Arlington-Mansfield-Kennedale area. He also founded the Hope House Community Service Network, assisting indigent individuals in Southeast Tarrant County with addiction recovery, medical services and transportation. Additionally, he founded the Historic West Mansfield Texas Community Development Corporation, which encourages quality economic development and was instrumental in the construction of Bethlehem’s Pioneer Place Senior Adult Independent Living Complex, which opened in 2019. He also directs the Life Touch Cottage Ministries Inc., a Christian education and evangelism organization serving children and youth in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria–West Africa.

Evans is the former director of African American Ministries for the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), a role that involved service to more than 800 churches statewide. In July 2018, he was elected to serve two consecutive terms as president of the BGCT, which serves more than 5,300 churches across Texas.

He was inducted into the City of Mansfield’s Wall of Honor in 2007 for outstanding service to the city and surrounding communities. He has served as president of the Board of Trustees of the Mansfield Independent School District and as an adjunct professor at Dallas Baptist University’s College of Christian Faith. He currently serves on the advisory council of Tarrant County Habitat for Humanity, the Methodist Mansfield Medical Center Advisory Board and the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement Advisory Board (Mansfield). His past service includes the Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court Citizens Blue Ribbon Council on Healthcare Services, the Board of Trustees for the Tarrant County Community College District and as a regent for Baylor University.

Tony Evans

Dr. Tony Evans is the founding pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative, former chaplain of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks & Dallas Cowboys, author of over 125 books, booklets and Bible studies. The first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he has been named one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World by Baylor University.

Dr. Evans also holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American.

His radio program, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, broadcasts to millions of active listeners across hundreds of radio stations and digital outlets across the nation and around the world.

Dr. Evans launched the Tony Evans Training Center in 2017, an online learning platform providing quality seminary-style courses for a fraction of the cost to any person in any place. The TETC currently has over 50 courses to choose from and has a student population of over 1,500.

Dr. Tony Evans was married to Lois, his wife and ministry partner of over 50 years, until Lois transitioned to glory in late 2019. They are the proud parents of four, grandparents of thirteen and great-grandparents of five. In November 2023, Dr. Tony Evans married Dr. Carla Crummie, beginning a new chapter of love, faith and kingdom purpose.

For more information, visit tonyevans.org.

Delvin Atchison

Dr. Delvin Atchison is the beloved senior pastor of Westside Baptist Church in Lewisville, Texas. He formerly served as director of the Great Commission Team for Texas Baptists. Dr. Atchison began preaching God’s word at an early age and has always recognized the importance of cultivating his God given gifts to preach and share God’s word with the world. He pursued undergraduate study at the University of Texas in Austin and earned his Master of Divinity with honors from George W. Truett Seminary at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Pastor Atchison’s studies have taken him all over the world, having studied at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University in England, under the tutelage of his mentor and friend, Dr. Joel Gregory. He also traveled to Italy to study at the Vatican in Rome.

For over 40 years, Dr. Atchison has impacted thousands using his gift of preaching and teaching through written words and powerful oration. His sermons have been published in numerous periodicals, including Epitome, The Groves Standard, and the Truett Pulpit, with contributions made to Christianity Today, Common Call and Baptist Voice, just to name a few. He has presented at numerous conferences worldwide. Dr. Atchison is passionate about equipping pastors and preachers to spread the gospel more effectively through his support of mentoring and coaching programs and has been privileged to guide the journeys of countless numbers of those called to spread God’s word throughout the world. His major body of work centers around an expository preaching and exegetical sermon preparation methodology, which he shares in “Page to Pulpit” seminars.

Delvin Atchison’s personal life has focused on family and showing love for others. He grew up in Hearne, Texas, as the fifth of six siblings. He is blessed to be married to his lovely wife, Dr. Brenda Atchison. Together they have five children and are proud grandparents to two beloved grandchildren. Pastor Atchison’s vision for life and ministry is to serve God by sharing Christ and loving people.