Jesus Arroyo, hailing from Raeford, NC, just graduated from Manna University with a Bachelor of Arts in Worship Ministry. We got to talk with him and learn about how Manna University has influenced his own spiritual formation and his leadership in service to the local church.
“I was baptized and truly accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior in January of 2017,” he shares. Although he broke his arm shortly after, it wasn’t long after Jesus’s arm had healed that a man attending his church offered to teach him to play the drums. “The Lord had given me the opportunity to learn how to play… After a few lessons, I joined our Church’s worship team… and have been serving in worship ministry since 2018.”
Jesus found Manna University by way of his sister, who is herself an alumnus. He was looking for formal education that would go beyond theory and help him in practice. “I wanted to pursue something that would not only help me grow in my musical journey, but equip me to serve in worship ministry in the best way that I can and lay a solid foundation for my future on Christ.” After graduating high school and completing work at Sandhills Community College, he enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Worship Ministry in the Summer of 2024.
Jesus shared that what he has learned has had a profound impact on how he leads. “Being a leader is not just a role to be appointed to, but a posture of influence,” he says, reflecting on a lesson from Professor Joel Wood. Jesus also notes that influence needs to be used wisely: “Character as a Christian leader is what draws people closer to Jesus… I make the effort to always pray with [my team] and remind them of the great reason that we serve.”
In his time at Manna University, what has stood out most to Jesus is that “worship is a lifestyle and that our worship is our giving of everything we have to God, it’s surrendering ourselves to Him to be used by Him to serve Him.” But worship is not the only healthy habit on Jesus’s mind. He also states that “One thing that I learned at Manna U that I think would really benefit people within the Church is learning how to follow the ‘Interpretive Journey’ whenever they read and study Scripture. It is a great way for Christians to learn and grow through their faith journey and properly grasp Scripture!”
Manna University is a biblical higher education institution dedicated to educating, equipping, and empowering emerging leaders to change the world. Jesus is just one alumnus who demonstrates what it means to take what he learns and put it into practice serving the local church.
Jesus Arroyo, Student