 Every fall, a fresh wave of students walks across the brick paths of the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg campus. Some are eager. Some are anxious. Some aren’t sure what they’re doing here at all. And every fall, I’m reminded why campus ministers keep showing up. Why CoMission exists. Why this ministry matters.
We love college students. Not because they’re particularly easy to reach—they’re not. And not because they always come to us ready to talk about spiritual things—many don’t. We love college students because they’re living at a crucial intersection of life: identity, purpose, and community. And we believe Jesus meets people exactly there. The Campus Is Strategic College campuses are filled with people who are shaping their worldview, making lifelong decisions, and asking foundational questions—often without anyone showing them how the gospel fits into any of it. Even those who have "been part of a youth group" don't know their role in the gospel story. That’s why we believe campus ministry in St. Petersburg, FL is not just a good thing to do. It’s vital Kingdom work. For over a decade, our church--Gulf Coast Community Church—has invested time, people, and prayer into USF St. Pete (and other campuses) through CoMission. Why? Because when students meet Jesus in these years, everything downstream from here is changed. Their careers. Their relationships. Their sense of calling. Their neighborhood. Even their families and future churches. It’s About Being With We don’t run flashy events or build ministry around hype. We believe the way of Jesus is slower, deeper, and more personal. It’s incarnational. We want to be with students. Not just preach at them—but walk with them. That’s why our campus staff lives out their discipleship on campus. They sit outside student buildings. They meet students over coffee. They help lead small groups. They answer hard questions. They cry and laugh and pray with students, and they do it with gospel presence. Our goal is not to pull students out of campus life but to equip them to live as missionaries right in the middle of it. We’re Praying for More Right now, we’re praying for one man and one woman to join CoMission full-time—leaders who are willing to follow Jesus publicly and humbly among students. People who don’t need a stage to lead but are willing to open their lives. Who see disciple-making as inviting others to imitate their walk with Christ. We’re looking for those who believe in a church-based model of ministry. Who see the campus as both a mission field and a training ground. Who are proactive, prayerful, and persistent. The harvest is ready—but the laborers are few. Why It’s Worth It We’ve watched students come to faith after years of resistance. We’ve seen them grow, lead, and go. We’ve baptized them in the USF fountain or on the church property. We've prayed over them as they stepped into new callings after graduation. And we’ve seen how the gospel, when planted in these formative years, bears fruit for decades. Now, as graduates have entered various vocations, we see them integrally connected into genuine biblical community, living their lives as faithful gospel witnesses for this generation and the next. This work isn’t always easy. But it’s always worth it. If you’re sensing a tug toward this kind of ministry, or you want to support what God is doing here at USFSP, we’d love to connect. You can reach me personally at [email protected]. Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep discipling students. Let’s keep trusting Jesus to change lives on the college campus.
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