  The nonperturbative parton distribution and wave functions are directly
related to matrix elements of light-ray (nonlocal) operators. These operators
are generalizations of the standard local operators known from the operator
product expansion. The renormalization group equation for these operators leads
to evolution equations for more general distribution amplitudes which include
the Altarelli-Parisi and the Brodsky-Lepage equations as special cases. It is
possible to derive the Altarelli-Parisi kernel as a limiting case of the
extended Brodsky-Lepage kernel. As new application of the operator product
expansion the virtual Compton scattering near forward direction is considered.
