John Evanko

Campus director, Western kentucky University

Growing up, God was always something that seemed real to me, but I was never sure what a genuine relationship with Him should look like. I would often pray to get the things that would make me look good, whether that was popularity, good grades, or success in sports. Looking back, it is clear to me that I never sought to worship God. Instead, I tried to use him to get the things I wanted and boost my own image to my friends and family. Shortly after arriving at the University of Louisville for my freshman year of college, another college student named Ian invited me to join his Bible study in my freshman dorm. Ian and I developed a close friendship and I began attending Bible study, church, and campus ministry meetings with him. For the first time, the Bible and gospel began to make sense to me. God showed me that I was not a good person deserving of His blessing, but a sinner in need of His forgiveness. During my freshman year, I repented of my sin and trusted in Christ’s saving work.

My wife, Shannon, became a Christian at a young age through her church and Christian family. During her college years at Auburn University, God used Shannon’s local church to grow her love and knowledge of God’s Word and show her the value of living her life on mission. Shannon and I met in 2012 on a cruise (a great story for another time!) and got married in May 2014. We have 4 kids: Evelyn, Andrew, Jane, and Caleb. We moved to Bowling Green in 2022 and we're excited to be a part of what God is doing at WKU!