Louis Hadley Evans Jr. (June 20, 1926 in Wilmington, California – October 29, 2008 in Fresno, California), was a religious leader. He died of

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS is the most comm ...

(

Lou Gehrig's Disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS is the most com ...

) at his home in Fresno, California. Evans was one of four children of Marie Egly and the Rev. Louis Hadley Evans Sr., pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. Louis graduated from Hollywood High School where he was A.S.B. President, before serving in the Navy during

WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Evans led the first World Deputation team to go out from Hollywood Presbyterian in June 1950. The early teams had the goal of taking the “message of Christ’s redeeming love to the war-weary students of Europe.” However, they were challenged by

Corrie ten Boom Cornelia Arnolda Johanna "Corrie" ten Boom (15 April 1892 – 15 April 1983) was a Dutch watchmaker and later a Christian writer and public speaker, who worked with her father, Casper ten Boom, her sister Betsie ten Boom and other family member ...

: "The people of Europe do need to see the love and forgiveness of Christ. But the gospel team idea won’t work. You have not suffered as the people in Europe have suffered, so what right have you to speak? If you want to make a vital witness to the power of your faith, go to a city destroyed by American bombs. Identify with the people. Work with them. Eat what they eat. Sleep where they sleep. Maybe if you do it well enough and long enough, without compensation, they will hear what you have to say." The team was sponsored by the World Council of Churches with the task of rebuilding foundations of destroyed buildings in Germany and France. By the 1960s, the group was focused on East Germany and known as the “Berlin Fellowship.” Louis and his family moved to Washington to minister at the National Presbyterian Church, where most American presidents have attended services and visitors have included Queen Elizabeth and Mother Teresa. Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan attended Louis original

Bel Air Church Bel Air Church (also known as Bel Air Presbyterian Church) is a Presbyterian church located in Los Angeles, California. Its campus is located on Mulholland Drive in the Encino neighborhood. History The Bel Air Church was founded in 1956 in Los ...

in California, as well as the National Presbyterian Church during his time as President. Louis Jr. was the organizing pastor of

in Bel Air, California, where the first church gatherings were at the manse (pastor's home) in April 1956. Louis Evans Jr.'s ministry was influenced by

Henrietta Mears Henrietta Cornelia Mears (October 23, 1890 – March 19, 1963) was a Christian educator, evangelist, and author who had a significant impact on evangelical Christianity in the 20th century and one of the founders of the National Sunday School Assoc ...

who was the Christian Education Director of 1st Presbyterian Hollywood where Louis's father was pastor. Mears led several of Louis Evans Jr.'s friends to evangelism and ministry including Bill Bright, and Richard Halvorsen. Louis wife, Colleen Townsend Evans and a few other Hollywood starlets started the Hollywood Christian Group in 1949 in Mears's home. Original Hollywood Christian Group participants included Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Billy Graham, Colleen Townsend Evans, Jane Russell,

Stuart Hamblen Carl Stuart Hamblen (October 20, 1908 – March 8, 1989) was an American entertainer who became one of radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, going on to become a singer, actor, radio show host, and songwriter. He underwent a Christian conversion ...

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

and many others, in the living room of

home, The group was chaplained by

J. Edwin Orr James Edwin Orr (January 15, 1912 – April 22, 1987)
retrieved 2009-08-15 was a Baptist Minister (Chri ...

from 1949-1951. This group, the Hollywood Christian Group is where Billy Graham met radio personality, Stuart Hamblen and other members of the Hollywood Christian Group including the Evanses, who visited Graham on location at the Los Angeles crusade. Up until this point, Graham was doing regional crusades successfully, but his numbers were not reaching the masses until

reported about Graham's crusades. Once this happened, Graham's crusades exploded in numbers and became national news.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Louis American religious leaders 1926 births 2008 deaths