Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Aguilar.
Hi Chris, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a broken, abusive home near San Diego, California, reliant on the services that churches and government agencies could provide. My single mother raised four rowdy kids despite severe mental health limitations, so we knew the ins and outs of Social Security, welfare, Section 8 housing, and more. But at the time, I didn’t consider how bad we had it. It just was. When CPS workers or pastors came by our door with bags of groceries or Christmas gifts, I always felt like God himself was dropping off those provisions for us.
When I became an adult, I moved to Texas to marry a beautiful Japanese songstress who was a single mother herself. I wanted to love her and her son well, so I got all the help I could. That’s when I turned to the church—and became a Christian. My faith inspired me to love the way Jesus loved, doing everything I could to be the father I never had and the husband I never got to see in action. The church did a great job of helping me become someone I could never be on my own. It also opened my eyes to the needs of people outside my family.
For a while, I was a “super” volunteer, saying yes to every opportunity to help—until my wife and I felt the call to ministry. We moved to Dallas to attend Bible college. From then on, we have served in small churches and large ones, in various ministries and camps, and we have produced several shows and resources for kids. But at the forefront of my thoughts has always been one question: How can I give back? How can I help?
That question has led me to where I am today: a founding pastor at Ember Co. Church, owner and operator of True Eagle Media, and—of course—executive director of Unite Ellis.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Unite Ellis is a convening organization, born from a heart for collaboration in Ellis County. We represent over 225 organizations across business, church, education, government, and nonprofit sectors, connected through nine monthly network groups—all working to meet community needs and create pathways to flourishing.
Getting so many different people and viewpoints to move in the same direction with one shared purpose is difficult enough. Funding that effort is a whole other ball game. We’ve had seasons where leaders are engaged and we have everything we need. But we are a nonprofit ourselves, and like any organization, we experience highs and lows.
What keeps us moving forward is our dream of a thriving Ellis County—where collaboration fuels lasting change. We haven’t seen that “lasting change” yet, so we press on, knowing that nothing worth doing is ever easy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I think of the movie Divergent, in which that society tried to keep everyone in isolated factions—but the Divergent ones belonged to everything and nothing at the same time. I relate to that deeply, and it’s why I feel I’m a good fit for Unite Ellis.
One side of me is creative and entrepreneurial. I started a marketing business called True Eagle Media to help clients’ stories soar to new heights. I also write books and do freelance catering from time to time. I’ve produced plays, skits, and podcasts—all driven by a deep need to create.
Then there’s the pastoral side: I want to feed the hungry, share the good news of God’s grace, and walk with people from crisis to flourishing. That’s why I served at a dozen churches before finally launching one with my wife in Midlothian, Texas, called Ember Co. It’s a place where people who feel like outcasts or misfits can truly belong.
The truth is, I never thought of myself as a nonprofit leader. I’d much rather cook a French buffet or watch a good movie. But Unite Ellis uses every aspect of how God made me for the benefit of every person in Ellis County. The cross-sector nature of our work makes every day unique and interesting.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
God gave me a wife who is a processor, so that I would have someone to balance my impulsive nature. In the past, I wouldn’t have called myself a risk-taker—I just love life and want to experience it to the fullest. But now that I’m more introspective, I realize I am one. I swing big, and I swing often. Sometimes it blows up in my face, but most of the time, my determination helps me succeed.
When it comes to taking risks, I believe too many people live in fear and hold themselves back as a result. I am not on this earth to simply exist, but to make a difference. No one ever achieved anything of importance by maintaining the status quo.
Let me use cooking to illustrate my point. I’m known by friends and family for my homemade mac and cheese. If I made it the same way every time, it would be good—but I’d never know if it could be better. One time, a friend gifted me some smoked cheeses he had made. Being the risk-taker I am, I decided to make a new batch using those smoked cheeses, and it was the best I’ve ever eaten. If I’d never taken the risk, I’d never have known.
Experimentation is crucial to progress. My wife tells me she’s glad I don’t treat my women the way I treat my food—otherwise, we wouldn’t have been married as long as we have. (Haha.)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://uniteellis.org
- Instagram: @unite_ellis
- Facebook: @UniteEllis
- LinkedIn: @chris-aguilar-25253910/
- Youtube: @unite_ellis
