-- literally. Rachelle, Charissa, Jonathan, and Jessica Traylor were raised
in a Christian home by parents who love music. The two oldest sisters,
Rachelle and Charissa, started singing in church when they were children.
By the late 1990s, Jonathan and Jessica had joined their sisters in music
ministry. In 2000, the group chose the name “The Arrows.” Their name
comes from Psalm 127:3-5: “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the
fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are
the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of
them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the
gate.”
Since 2000, the Lord has brought The Arrows a long way. This year, they
have ministered in churches in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. They are
excited about encouraging the believers and spreading the good news of
Jesus Christ. “Our mission is to touch hearts and lives for Jesus through
music,” says lead singer, Rachelle, “We want our songs and our lives to
bring glory to God because He is worthy of all praise!” The Arrows
minister through old hymns, praise and worship music, and some
contemporary songs. They love to sing the hymns a cappella. Jonathan is
The Arrows’ bass singer and their only male member. He demonstrates his
talent on the piano and guitar on many of their songs. The Arrows’ have
been influenced by the fast vocal blend of the The Martins, the rich
harmonies of The Cathedrals, and the beautiful melodies of Selah.
Each of The Arrows was home educated from kindergarten through high
school. They attend church at Bethel Baptist in Lillie, LA. Each one of the
group members is a committed Christian. They are dedicated to serving the
Lord by worshipping and ministering in song. “Having a family singing
group has been a unique experience,” says Charissa, The Arrows’ tenor
singer, “I’m glad God gives us the chance to minister to people. I love to
sing! It is joy to sing praise to the Lord!”
Rachelle and Jonathan were able to go on a mission trip to the eastern-
European country of Romania in May 2005. Jonathan speaks about the
way the trip changed his life, “It really opened my eyes to the physical and
spiritual needs of people around me. This trip made me want to be more
active for God, because I realized that there are people out there waiting to
hear the gospel message. It reminded me that there are plenty of needs to
meet and not a lot of time to do it.” While they were in Romania, The
Arrows learned a Romanian song that has become the cry of their hearts:
A pure heart, Lord, is all that I want from You
A heart in which no wickedness can stay
A heart in which You reign
A sincere heart for You, my Lord
To raise hosannas to You, Almighty God
The Arrows are also excited about the release of their first album, Justice
Met Grace. The CD has twelve tracks, including the Romanian song listed
above. This album is a compilation of some of their favorite and most
touching songs. Jessica is The Arrows’ alto singer. She hopes “that God
will use this album to bless people.” She says, “More than anything, we
want to be used by Him.”
The Arrows would love to lead a worship service at your church on a love
offering basis. To schedule a ministry time with The Arrows or to share
your comments or prayer requests, visit the Contact Us page.
The Arrows have a special request for you, “Please remember us in your
prayers as we seek to serve Jesus! We know that no one can be an
effective minister of God’s love without the power of His grace. Please
pray that the Lord will use us for His glory!”
