After dropping out of high school at 16, Felipe was convinced he could never get into college. “I dreamed about it,” he admits, “but never thought it was possible for me to obtain [a degree] or even attend college.” He eventually earned his GED at 18, but the road ahead still felt daunting.
A kid from the west side of the San Fernando Valley and East Los Angeles, surrounded by two parents and five older siblings, he never saw himself as the guy diving into the college life. “I’m the only one in my immediate family who has done so, and I couldn’t have gotten this far without Jesus. [College] was never on the ‘Things I can do’ list, but it was on God’s list for me.”
Growing up in church as a pastor’s kid, Felipe heard about Jesus a lot. But when he was 16, something changed in him and the message of Jesus became personal: “I always had the Gospel around me, but it wasn’t until I was 16 that I decided I’d try to know Jesus and let Him into my life as Lord and Savior.” Felipe began the personal journey of following Christ. “It didn’t go perfect,” Felipe recalls. “I had a lot of things to work through, and there was a lot of struggle. But at 19, I completely surrendered my life to the Lord right before I entered into a Christian Recovery program called the Victory Home.” This decision marked the turning point that opened doors to new possibilities.
While serving full-time with a church plant in Hollywood, Felipe began to feel a need to be better equipped for the work of ministry. His coaching pastor encouraged him and others to pursue education. With LPU alumni connections in his community (Felipe’s pastor and some friends are alumni), Felipe began looking at LPU as one of his college options. “I added it to my list of schools to consider, unsure if it would be the right fit. I wasn’t even certain I’d qualify or be accepted.”
Felipe applied and began as a student at LPU, still uncertain of his future and his footing—until a divine moment gave him divine assurance: “I went on a tour with my first-year seminar class at Angelus Temple [and] the Lord brought clarity and showed me that LPU was the right choice.”
Today, Felipe is a Worship Arts and Media major with a passion for music and ministry. “Music is my passion,” he shares. “I’m not the best musician or singer, but when I see people worship the Lord and find Jesus through an atmosphere of worship, it lights a fire in my heart. I would love to serve not just as a worship pastor but as a pastor of worshippers, creatives, and dreamers.”
Felipe’s calling is rooted in serving others and sharing Jesus. “People have always said that I have a pastoral calling,” he admits. “I’ve kind of fought that idea, but then I saw a need. People need Jesus. Worshippers need Jesus!”
In addition to being an LPU student, Felipe serves not only in his local church, Victory Outreach Hollywood (Third Wave Hollywood), but also at LPU as a Resident Assistant. “Serving as an RA this year is really bringing out some of the pastoral ministry, caring for a floor of young men,” Felipe explains. “Not only when they’re locked out of their rooms, but also when they need someone to help them stay spiritually connected and locked in to the Lord and their schoolwork.”
Reflecting on his first year, Felipe says his perspective has grown significantly. Faculty have challenged him both academically and spiritually, and he’s experienced firsthand the value of a Christ-centered, Spirit-filled community. “What happens here at LPU isn’t easy. It requires a lot of support from staff and student leaders,” he says. “Yet, they all work hard together and truly lean in with the Lord to care for the students and community here. Having a place where you can find community is a huge need for my generation, but a healthy, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled college community may be hard to find. However, here at LPU, it’s an everyday reality. And it takes work and a whole lot of love and grace to build and maintain a community like this.”
Some of the most notable moments for Felipe have come in the classroom: “I’ve been blessed to learn from some incredible faculty and thinkers who have not only challenged my academic skills but also my spirituality. I’m studying music theory not just to become a better musician but because I believe God might one day speak to someone through a simple act of worship, making the learning experience much more meaningful for me. I now truly understand what Paul meant when he told Timothy to be ‘a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.’”
Looking forward, Felipe hopes to enroll in LPU’s “4+1” program to continue into graduate studies and deepen his ministry training. His journey—once thought impossible—is now a reality. And it’s a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the opportunities created when students have access to Christian higher education. To Felipe, the connection is personal. “My generation needs what LPU offers.” And he’s eager for what’s next: “I’m excited to see how the Lord opens doors of ministry after this. I have no doubt that the Lord is guiding me toward the work of the ministry.”
Felipe Saenz is a full-time student at LPU in San Dimas, CA. When not studying hard or serving his fellow students, he can be found watching Sci-Fi/Fantasy movies, making music with friends, or snacking on a pickle and Dr. Pepper with lo-fi hip hop in the background.
If you’d like to support students like Felipe, visit https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/LPUgive25 or text “LPUgive25” to 71777.
