Connecting Students to Christ and Community
Southland Student Camps is a not-for-profit organization, composed of reformed and like-minded churches, that seek to resource student ministries by providing powerful and unique camp experiences. Our goal is to see more healthy student ministry leaders who are called to the long-term work of discipleship and a generation growing in love and devotion to Jesus. We organize highly relational meetings to train student ministry leaders and build a bridge to connect graduating seniors to their college campus ministry.
MEET THE TEAM
Brown Peterson
Executive Director // Brown@southlandcamps.org
Brown is the Youth Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, FL. He has been working with students in vocational ministry since 2012. He attended his first Southland event in 2018 with his middle school students on a retreat. He instantly loved how the mission and vision is rooted in the Gospel and joined the leadership team shortly thereafter. From the messages and worship, the friendships made between students, to how it builds relationships between other leaders and churches.
If you have any questions about retreats or camps, please contact Brown.
David Kelly
Lead Team Member // dkelly@newhopepca.com
David is the Youth Pastor at New Hope Church in Eustis, FL. and has been connected to Southland since 2001 and joined the team in 2008. His students love Southland and many have made lifelong friends.
What David loves about Southland is the design to connect students to Christ through great preaching and teaching. It also provides a connection to community for his students, not just with each other, but with other churches. He loves the commitment to get Jesus in front of the students and to show them how to enjoy their faith with others.
Brandon works for Thirdmill and is the Partnership Director in Orlando, FL. He served in student ministry for over a decade and wants to continue seeing students connect to Christ & community through Southland so they are ready to lead the next generation of His Church! Brandon attended his first Southland event as a 6th grader in 1997 and joined the leadership team of Southland in 2018. One of the things Brandon loves about Southland is how it creates friendships among students. When they go off to college and transition to their next chapter of life, they can have a friend through Southland to check out RUF or a local church.
If you have any questions about registration, please contact Brandon.
Administrative Director // brandon@southlandcamps.org
Brandon Lutz
Josh Gillman
Lead Team Member // josh@redeemerriverview.org
Josh is the Youth Pastor at Redeemer Riverview in Riverview, FL, and has been involved in student ministry since 2012. Josh attended his first Southland event in 1999 at the Middle School Retreat as a 6th-grade student. He joined the leadership of Southland in 2014. Josh loves that Southland is Christ-centered and gives the blessing of Christian community for leaders and students for life!
Julz Zagra
Southland Media Director // julz@southlandcamps.org
Julz is the Female Discipleship Coordinator at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, FL. She has been working in student ministry since 2018 and attended her first Southland camp in 2019 as a volunteer. She joined our team shortly after her first event with us. Julz loves how Southland creates friendships that go beyond a weekend retreat, but rather carry out for years, not only for the students but leaders as well. She enjoys how Southland creates a Christ-focused environment through staff, sermons, worship, breakouts, and even competitions! If you have any great pictures or videos of your students or group at a Southland event, then please email them to Julz!