Assemblies of God Pastor Andrew Evans passed away at the age of 87 on Friday, May 26, 2023. Former South Australian Legislative Council member Andrew Evans, sometimes known as Wilfred Andrew Lever Evans, was a Pentecostal Christian preacher in the Assemblies of God. Evans is most known for co-founding the conservative Family First Party and serving as pastor of the influential Influencers Church for 30 years until it became Paradise Community Church.
The cause of death has not been known.
The elder brother of the pastor Fred Evans, Andrew L. Evans was born in India to missionary parents Tom and Stella Evans. Evans attended the Assemblies of God Commonwealth Bible College in Brisbane (now known as Alphacrucis in Parramatta, Sydney) from 1958 to 1960 to pursue a degree in Christian Ministry. In December 1960, he received his diploma in theology, and in 1963, he was ordained to the ministry. From 1963 until 1969, he worked as a missionary with AOG World Missions in the Papua New Guinean region of East Sepik.
Evans served as Senior Pastor of Klemzig Assembly of God in Adelaide from 1970 to 1982 when the church moved to Paradise Assembly of God (now Influencers Church). He was appointed National Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Australia in 1977, a position he maintained for 20 years during which he oversaw the founding of a new church every 11 days.
After serving as senior pastor of Paradise AOG for 30 years, he retired in 2000. His eldest son then took over as senior pastor since the church had grown to over 4000 members. Another son founded the Melbourne-based Planetshakers Church.
Evans left public service on July 3, 2008, but not before he assisted in co-founding the Family First Party and was elected to the Legislative Council in the state election of 2002.
READ MORE: Teenage Swimmer Dies During Club Meet In Kapolei, Hawaii