Tony Evans on the Power of the Cross

“We need a right view of the cross. It is both a historical event that can take us to Heaven, and a current event that can bring Heaven to bear on Earth.” — Tony Evans, author, The Power of the Cross

Just in time for Easter, popular author, radio host and pastor Tony Evans offers a new book on the cross called, appropriately, The Power of the Cross: Putting It to Work in Your Life. Evans is founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative, former chaplain of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and present chaplain of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard daily on more than 1,000 US radio outlets and in more than 130 countries.

We invited Dr. Evans to respond t0 a few questions f0r us at the Book Club about what’s at the heart of his book — and the cross. Read an excerpt from The Power of the Cross: Putting it to Work in Your Life at the Book Club here.

What inspired you to write The Power of the Cross?

I wanted to show that the cross was not only an historical event to be revered but also a contemporary reality to be utilized in our Christian lives.

You say in your book that the Cross is not just something we should focus on for Easter. What does the cross mean for us beyond Easter?

The cross is to be our point of reference for every area of our lives all the time. That’s why Paul said in Galatians 2:20 – he was crucified with Christ – it was his point of reference.

You say that religion has gotten in the way of the cross. What do you mean by that?

Religious programs, activities have often blurred and sidelined the centrality of the cross – causing religion to be empty of its core.

You say we have some “messed-up” ideas about what it means to “carry our crosses.” What does it really mean, to “carry our cross”, and why should we do this?

To carry our cross is to have such a commitment and identify with Jesus Christ and what He accomplished that I am willing to suffer the repercussions to that identification. It’s to put God’s will ahead of your own, like Jesus did.

Does paying attention to the Cross in the way you suggest change the way we experience Easter itself?

Yes because it turns Easter from an annual holiday where we focus on the Cross to being a major reminder of why the cross needs to be central all year long.

What do you most hope people take away from The Power of the Cross?

To make the cross a relevant part of their daily orientation, mindset, priorities and bring Christ’s surrender and power to bear on all the decisions of life that they make.

For more on The Power of the Cross, visit the Patheos Book Club here. 

For more on Dr. Tony Evans, visit his website here.