Jonathan Mpanzu: Leading and Serving for Christ by Cultivating Kingdom Diversity
By Malachi Nutter
From his arrival at IWU as an undergraduate student to his master’s program and multitude of work roles, Jonathan Mpanzu has been able to serve IWU’s student body, advance Kingdom diversity, and contribute to the godly culture of IWU that first impacted him when he arrived as a freshman in 2018. In summing up everything he does, Mpanzu simply said, “I just love Jesus.”
Mpanzu first came to IWU in 2018 after being recruited on a scholarship to play basketball. From 2018 to 2022, he pursued his bachelor’s degree, settling on English Education as the right program for his degree. During this time, he feels that IWU began to have a big impact on his faith. Jonathan finds that people like himself who haven’t been in a particularly godly community prior to IWU are especially able to benefit from that shift. In his words, “at IWU, godliness is the normal. Talking about Jesus is the normal.” While he admits that it isn’t always perfect, he believes the Christ-like focus at the heart of the university is something exhibited and championed by staff, faculty, and especially students.
“When you spend a ton of time around it, you’re going to pick up on some of that,” Mpanzu said, noting that just being around people who love Jesus and allowing that to be common practice was what had the biggest impact.
Mpanzu is also currently in the process of achieving his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership through IWU—an achievement he’s both proud of and considers a blessing. “My family came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, so to be able to potentially be the first person with a master’s degree in my family is pretty cool.”
In addition to being a student, Mpanzu became an IWU employee in 2023 and now serves in the Intercultural and Global Office (IGO). Coming from both an African background and a Black American background, Mpanzu is able to work in a majority white culture in a way that allows him to create a fusion of those three distinct cultural identities.
In his role as assistant director of multicultural access and retention for IGO, one of Mpanzu’s favorite parts of his jobs is simply getting to work with the people in his office. “I have a great leader in Mario Rangel and Camryn Bobiak is a great team member as well. I love who I get to work with.” Mpanzu also loves what he gets to do in his role, cultivating and sharing in representing Kingdom diversity in a way which reflects God’s heart for all tribes, all tongues, and all nations in a way that harmonizes them and allows for image bearers of God to come together, no matter what their ethnicity or cultural background may be.
In addition to his primary role in IGO, Mpanzu also serves as manager of The SPOT multicultural barbershop. This role involves communicating with barber Kalib Kemper, helping restock inventory, and making sure The SPOT is the best place it can be for students. Opening in fall of 2024, The SPOT provides a space for cultivating belonging for a diverse array of students, giving a sense of ownership for students of color to connect with peers, staff, and the broader IWU community. In addition to being a place for haircuts, The SPOT was created to foster intentional mentorship, leadership, and spiritual growth.
Mpanzu manages the co-curricular aspects of the Luther Lee Scholars program in partnership with the John Wesley Honors College. This program, aimed at students from a first-generation, low-income, or minority background, usually includes about 15 high-achieving students. Mpanzu organizes service projects, group activities, workshops with experts, and devotionals to foster spiritual growth and strengthen community ties.
In the seven years since he first arrived at IWU, Jonathan Mpanzu has completed one degree, begun another, and become an instrumental employee. Although he never could have predicted that he’d end up serving in all the distinct areas of IWU that he does today, his time here has always been defined by the desire to follow Christ and serve Him. Across IGO, The SPOT, and Luther Lee Scholars, Mpanzu is making a difference for Christ at IWU as he impacts culture, empowers community, and mentors the next generation of world changers.
