She was once rejected—an outcast in her own village. But one encounter changed everything. The Samaritan woman of John 4 met Jesus at a well and became one of the boldest evangelists of her time.
The early church fathers remembered her transformation: Origen admired her sharp mind and theological insight. John Chrysostom praised how her witness shook an entire city. Ephrem the Syrian honored her as a model of bold, Spirit-empowered faith. Her story reminds us that no matter how your story begins—whether marked by rejection, shame, or brokenness—when you meet Jesus, you become a whole new person.
The story begins, “Now He had to go through Samaria.” (John 4:4 NIV) While most avoided that route, Jesus saw it as necessary. He waited at the well for her—the outcast, the overlooked, the one everyone else passed by. In that encounter, she became the first person to whom Jesus clearly revealed His identity as the Messiah. Her encounter impacted others. Scripture records that many in her town believed because of her testimony, and early tradition says she continued to share Christ boldly, even unto martyrdom by Nero.
At Evangel University, we see that same miracle of transformation taking place every day. Students are encountering truth and purpose in Christ—and it’s shaping how they live, lead, and serve in every field imaginable. From classrooms to clinics, studios to boardrooms, they are stepping into their callings with courage and conviction. Your partnership makes this possible—empowering students to live boldly, think deeply, and carry the light of Christ wherever their gifts take them.