Dr. John A. Evans, Sr.  has served as the pastor of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida since 1997. Under his leadership, the church body has grown to more than 2,000 active members.

Under the anointed leadership of Reverend Bell Smith, Pastor of the Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church in Akron Ohio, Dr. Evans was called to proclaim the Word of God in 1977.  In 1981, he was called to the pastorate of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Elyria Ohio, where he labored for over 7 years. In 1988 under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Evans was called to serve as the Senior Pastor of the St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, Kissimmee, Florida, where he labored for over 11 years providing spiritual guidance, support and direction to the parishioners.

Dr. Evans has developed programs of evangelism, mission and education. Christian education classes that include discipleship training, family development and bible study meet four days a week. Worship services are held every Sunday morning at 8:45am.

Dr. Evans is a highly regarded pastor with over 46 years of experience in working with church leaders, pastors, church staffs, and building effective ministry teams.  In addition to serving as the Senior Pastor/Teacher of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Dr. Evans serves as the 1st Vice-President of the Florida General Baptist Convention, Inc. He has also served two terms as the Moderator of the West Coast Baptist Association. Dr. Evans also served as the Third Vice President, Moderators Auxiliary of the Florida General Baptist Convention. Dr. Evans is a Certified Instructor with National Baptist Sunday School Publishing Board, National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. He has led workshops and seminars across the county on preparing leaders for their next level.  He has served as an advisor to leaders who were seeking to make changes in their congregations and has helped them develop strategies to be successful in their efforts.  His warm and affable spirit is matched by his ability to ask deep probing questions that enables young Pastors to see directions they might take. Pastor Evans is known as a Pastor’s Pastor. He truly has a Pastor’s heart and makes himself available as a mentor and source of strength for other Pastors.

Dr. Evans received his Bachelor of Biblical Studies from Masters International School of Divinity, Evansville, Indiana. He earned his Master of Ministry degree from Masters International School of Divinity, Evansville, Indiana. and a Doctor of Divinity degree from Masters International School of Divinity, Evansville, Indiana. In addition to his earned degrees, Dr. Evans was bestowed with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Saint Thomas Christian College of Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida

Dr. Evans and his committed partner in ministry, Dr. Teresa Lindsey Evans, have five lovely children and four beautiful grandchildren.