Tabitha Adeyemi is a SERVE team member at Manna Church Newport News. While she works full time as an informaticist, she shared that outside of her career, she is “passionate about discipleship, leadership development, and helping people experience healing and restoration through Christ.” Tabitha is a current DMin Student at Manna University and was kind enough to tell us a bit of her story, how she came to be a Manna U Student, and how Manna U is helping her in her role serving in the local church.
Tabitha told us that she decided to become a student after going on a Manna Church mission trip with her husband and encountering Manna U students and faculty. “I overheard several students talking with Dr. Serrano about their experiences, and what stood out to me was how highly they spoke of the program and the impact it was having on their lives,” she says. “At the time, I had spent several years feeling spiritually hungry. I was growing in my faith, but I felt like I was missing deeper discipleship and theological growth. Ironically, I had always said I would never attend Bible school. Yet during that trip, I sensed the Holy Spirit gently nudging me to take a step I had never considered. Looking back, that moment became the beginning of a new season of growth in my relationship with God.”
Even though that moment was just last year, Tabitha says that she has already seen development in her gifts and skills when it comes to leading in the local church. “I serve as the Small Groups Director at Manna Newport News,” she explains. “What I love most is seeing people grow spiritually, discover community, and become active participants in God’s mission. Manna University has strengthened my ability to lead, disciple, and help others engage Scripture with greater confidence. The theological foundation I have received has helped me serve people more effectively and guide them toward spiritual maturity.”
Among all the things Tabitha has learned across her classes so far, she says what stands out most to her is the “importance of staying grounded in Scripture.” She continues, “Manna University has taught me not to accept an idea simply because it sounds spiritual or inspiring, but to ask how it aligns with God’s Word. A theological discussion that deeply impacted me centered on the immutability of God and whether God changes His mind. It was a question I had wrestled with for years. Through studying Scripture and theology, I gained a deeper understanding of God’s unchanging nature and faithfulness. That experience reinforced the importance of carefully examining what I hear, teach, and believe through the lens of Scripture.”
While Tabitha shares that her leadership ability and grounding have grown at Manna University in a way that helps in her context, she feels these are foundational skills that can benefit anyone within the local church. “I believe more people within the Church would benefit from a deeper understanding of theology,” says Tabitha. “Theology is not simply an academic exercise; it helps us know God more deeply, understand His heart, and discern truth in a world filled with competing voices. We live in a time when many people are seeking revelation and spiritual experiences, but those experiences must be anchored in Scripture. Sound theology helps believers remain grounded, grow in maturity, and faithfully live out God’s mission.
Daniel McBride, Student Life Director