English
Korean
Spanish
When Jorge and Elizabeth Santillán first arrived in Malakoff in December 2024, they found something very different from what they expected.
After years of serving in Hispanic ministries and completing a church-planting residency through Send Network SBTC, the family had been praying to discern where God wanted them to start a church. When they heard about an opportunity in Malakoff, they imagined a larger city. Instead, they found a small rural community in East Texas.
But there was one detail that immediately caught their attention. They were told there were no Spanish-speaking Christian churches there.
“That gave us confirmation,” Santillán recalled.
Originally from Vicente Guerrero, Baja California, Jorge and Elizabeth arrived in Texas in 2015. For years, they served in various ministries at Prestonwood en Español in Plano while carrying a growing burden to help Hispanic families connect with God. That desire took a clearer direction when their pastor, Gilberto Corredera, encouraged Jorge to pursue an opportunity through Send Network SBTC to be assessed as a church planter.
Jorge joined the vision of planting Hispanic churches and completed a church planting residency at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston. After finishing the program, the family continued praying for God’s direction regarding where He would lead them next. Soon afterward, Pastor Esteban Vázquez shared with them that First Baptist Church in Malakoff was praying for a Spanish-speaking church planter with a burden to reach the area’s Hispanic population.
Reaching a hard-to-find community
The move to Malakoff required faith, as the family left behind nine years of life in Lewisville and relocated to an area where they knew no one. One of the first challenges was locating the Hispanic population.
“People told me there were Hispanics, but I didn’t see them,” Jorge said.
Unlike other communities, Hispanic residents were not concentrated in a single neighborhood. Many families were scattered across ranches and rural communities throughout the region.
To begin connecting with them, Jorge and Elizabeth walked through the town, did prayer walks on the streets, and looked for opportunities to meet people.
Little by little, they began to build relationships. The strategy focused on creating spaces where Hispanic families could feel welcome. With the support of FBC Malakoff, they organized a Mexican festival featuring ranchera music and community activities. About 70 people attended.
The following year, they celebrated Hispanic heritage featuring traditional dishes from Latin American countries. More than 200 people from Malakoff and neighboring communities participated in the event. In addition to sharing food and culture, the goal was clear: to serve families, pray for them, and share the hope found in Jesus Christ.
“These past two years have been about connecting with people,” Jorge said.
“These past two years have been about connecting with people.”
A vision larger than a single city
Although Malakoff has approximately 4,000 residents and a Hispanic population of nearly 16%, the church’s vision extends far beyond the city limits.
Nearby communities such as Athens are home to thousands of Hispanic residents, and many families from nearby towns and ranches are already participating in the church’s activities.
“Malakoff is like the hub,” Jorge said. “We’re reaching out to the surrounding communities.”
That regional vision recently led the church to organize a soccer camp in collaboration with Walter Loyola, a former professional soccer player who helps ministries connect with Latino families through sports. Over the course of two days, dozens of children and young people participated in sports training while hearing the gospel. At the same time, church members built relationships with parents and shared the message of Christ.
The outreach efforts began to bear fruit.
In February 2025, the church organized a dinner for married couples that sparked the interest of several families. Subsequently, Bible studies for married couples and families in the community began.
During the Easter Sunday celebration in 2025, the church officially launched its Sunday services in Spanish with 18 attendees.
Currently, between 20 and 25 people regularly attend each Sunday, while the congregation continues to focus on discipling families. One of those families came to know the church in a providential way.
While shopping at the only supermarket in the area, Jorge and Elizabeth met a woman there and invited her to join them at church. They discovered that this woman had just spoken with her mother on the phone, who was at that moment encouraging her to find a church.
Today, that family serves faithfully in the congregation, and their children eagerly look forward to participating in the children’s activities each week.
‘We will serve the Lord’
The Santilláns said they are deeply grateful to FBC Malakoff, its senior pastor, Ed Fenton, and the church leadership for opening their doors to them and supporting them throughout the entire church-planting process.
“They have embraced us as family,” Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth also noted how their entire family has been involved in the ministry. Their children help with multimedia, design, and projection, while she serves in worship and disciples women in the congregation.
Despite the challenges of leaving friends, home, and stability behind, the family continues to hold fast to Joshua 24:15: “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
With new outreach activities already planned for the coming months, Jorge and Elizabeth remain convinced God called them to a place where there was a clear need. Today, they find strength in seeing how God is forming a congregation that reaches not only Malakoff but also the surrounding rural communities.
