Savanna Stillwagner
Words by Savanna Stillwagner
Walking from the University of North Florida Fine Arts Center where someone asks if you want to talk about Jesus to the UNF Green where groups are playing worship music and throwing a frisbee to the library where marker boards ask “Do you know who God is?” and a table right next to posing a similar question. Walking to the UNF Student Union, there are signs every six to 12 feet advertising the next Bible study group night or worship service on campus.
None of this is crammed down your throat, but it’s always just there on this Jacksonville college campus. We wanted to know why.
We spoke with nondenominational organizations because they tend to target more young adults, especially those questioning the spiritual aspect of their life, naturally.
Through our interviews with people in the community on and off the UNF campus, there were no answers, there were theories, ideas and opinions, and we are here to share them because the culture of the most prominent university in Northeast Florida is important for residents of Jacksonville to know about.
The Bible Belt
Northeast Florida is known to be a part of the Bible Belt, referring to a portion of the Southeastern United States where Christianity and Bible-believing religions are in great numbers. These states typically range from Texas to North Carolina, going as far north as parts of Montana and as far south as northern Florida.
Jacksonville being in an area of the belt creates a community of Christianity for young adults beyond Bible studies and churches — Christian universities, bookstores, thrift stores — all of these hotspots for young adults.
Time in the Life
Speaking of hot spots, the hot spot in a young adult’s life from around 18 to 25 is a prominent time to be asking questions about religion, the meaning of life and if there is a higher power.
We spoke to so many individuals in the Christian community, and when asked the following question, this is the one answer we got in common:
“Why is the Christian community so large in Jacksonville, specifically on university campuses?”
Celebration Church Senior Director of Next Gen Mission and Outreach John Wyatt summed it up: “We love to do outreach to the young adults. We feel that 18 to 25 is a prime time to really fall in love with Jesus … And so, a big time people are making their decisions. So we really try to come alongside young adults.”
Wisdom Vanna and Keisha Surin, both UNF students asking if students are interested in their Bible club Cornerstone, both found themselves involved in a church group on campus after the group was finally able to answer questions the two had been seeking.
“[God’s word] is proven to be fact through science and human history,” said Surin.
Specifically, their Bible club studies true prophecies in the Bible.
Many mentors in the Christian community spoke similarly saying it’s “prime time” for people to make these strong decisions in life where curiosity and thought independence grows.
Conservatism in College
In addition to the questioning of the meaning of life and if anyone is calling the shots up high, the questioning of one’s political beliefs weighs heavy on a young mind as well — especially the red or blue identifying question.
Where colleges and universities are typically stereotyped as left-leaning, according to Church of Eleven22 Disciple Group Leader Woody Norris, “I think there are a lot more conservative students in America than you think.”
Norris said liberals may voice their opinions more, but there might be more conservative students than meet the eye.
There is one church in Jacksonville that seems to cover the majority of students at UNF, especially those in what seems to be the largest group on campus: UNF Navigators.
The church many of those students attend is Church of Eleven22. From our experience, we have found this church to be fairly conservative with Church of Eleven22 Pastor Joby Martin, who has a strong Southern accent, long beard and tattoos across his body.
Despite any politics thrown into the preaching, Martin’s words ring true to the people of his church, and just about everyone we talked to spoke highly of his sermons.
Florida State College at Jacksonville student Tammy Scott felt rejected, after being divorced three times, from numerous churches in Jacksonville, which she would not provide the names of, but Church of Eleven22 was the first church that really accepted her ever since spring of 2024.
She also noted, “Joby Martin is absolutely wonderful,” and “Eleven22 is the biggest LGBTQ contributor, and we welcome everybody.”
“I believe that Pastor Joby Martin just brings the word to life — the way he teaches, the way he preaches — and I think a lot of people, regardless of whether they are 18 or in their 80s, can relate to how he brings the word to life,” said Norris.
“He is an incredible conduit of God’s word to a lot of people, and he will not take credit for it because it’s just not his nature, and it shouldn’t be anybody’s nature to do that. When you hear it, he really relates it well,” said FSCJ professor and Bible Club faculty sponsor Jerry Shawver.
With the overwhelming praise Martin received from his church attendees, we wanted to know what makes his preaching so popular.
Pastor Joby told “Folio” in an email answering why so many young adults are interested in Christianity, especially through the Church of Eleven22, “We’re a movement for ALL PEOPLE to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ … It’s not about a program or a building — it’s a movement of the Spirit of God … We’re grateful to be in a city — and a state — full of churches, big and small, who love Jesus and are serious about the Gospel.”
So, despite the conservatism the church may seem, it really has taken its grasp on the Jacksonville student community.
“It’s God’s Work.”
Of course, it’s impossible for those in the Christian faith to ignore that “God’s work” is in play when it comes to the high population of young adults in the Christian community in Jacksonville.
Shawver, Wyatt, Martin, Johnson and everyone we spoke to would agree.
While the ideas and theories are plentiful on the large population of the Christian communities in the young adult community in Jacksonville, the draw young minds have to the Christian religion will forever be a curious thought.
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