John Evans didn’t think that after living through a childhood of instability he would ever develop a relationship with Christ.
After playing collegiate baseball in North Carolina, Evans moved to Orlando and began working with a Christian improvisational comedy group that opened him up to the idea of being religious and eventually he developed a strong relationship with Christ.
For the last 18 years, Evans has devoted his entire life to Christ and has been working to influence others in a positive light. He has traveled all across the nation, currently leads 3degrees Inc., a Christian communication ministry based in Orlando, FL, and is also a mentor to students at UCF. As a husband and father of five, Evans does his best to not only serve his family but also students of all ages, ranging from elementary school to college.
“Growing up in a broken home in the middle of North Carolina, church just wasn’t our deal. I mean we went, maybe once every other month, only because it was just something that ‘good people’ do,” Evans said. “As a child and all the way through my teenage years, I had no idea of even the possibility of having an intimate relationship with Christ.”
For the past six years, Evans has done his best to provide positive insight and a shoulder to lean on for both students and student athletes at UCF. He works as the sports MC/public address announcer for most of the university’s athletic teams and also works to encourage the athletes to be the best they can be.
“Sometimes athletes are afraid to reach out to their coaches to discuss personal issues because they are afraid of possible consequences, like getting less playing time,” Evans said. “I’ve been in that exact same situation, I know what it’s like. I want to be there for the athletes in a way their coaches sometimes can’t be- to help with spiritual growth.”
Evans understands everyone makes mistakes. His goal is to help others accept the fact mistakes are a part of life and the only way to overcome them is to move forward and never look back- whether that is on the field, in a classroom, or in a relationship.
“Something fantastic I heard from the Men’s Basketball coach, Donnie Jones, is a quote he says before every game,” Evans said. “Donnie always says ‘The voices you listen to drive the choices you make’ and I think he is spot on.”
Although Evans mostly works with student athletes at UCF, he currently is in the process of trying to reestablish a Fellowship of Christian Athletes group where not just student athletes are welcome but all students at UCF.
“I just want to speak encouragement and direction because there are so many voices in our culture that are trying to tear people down,” Evans said. “So anything I can do to point people in the other direction, that’s what I’m going to do.”
