"You can only be loved to the extent that you are known."

Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado’s story stretches across borders, identities, and vocations. Born in El Salvador to adventurous parents, raised across continents, and educated in American schools, Jimmy longed for belonging—even if it meant leaving Santiago behind. An Olympic decathlete and later president of the Willow Creek Association, Mellado found himself at the center of the American church, but haunted by the quiet whisper: “That’s not you. Why are you running away from who I created you to be?” In this conversation with Nikki Toyama-Szeto, Mellado reflects on the journey of embracing his full name, heritage, and calling. He recounts powerful stories of instability turned to faith, of finding home in Jesus, of rethinking church, and of serving as CEO of Compassion International. Ultimately, his testimony reveals a profound truth: you can only be loved to the extent that you are known.

"You can only be loved to the extent that you are known."

“Moving that much is usually not good for a kid. But my life was incredibly stable, not because we were in the same place, but because we followed the same savior in all the places and that was Jesus.”

“I wanted to be white. I wanted to be Caucasian. I wanted to be Jimmy, not Santiago. Call me Jimmy.”

“That’s not you. At least not fully you. Why are you running away from who I created you to be?”

“I went for an athletic experience. I came home with a calling to serve the church.”

“We wanna extend the love of Jesus to everyone, but you can only be loved to the extent that you are known.”

Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado

Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado is President and CEO of Compassion International, a global child development organization serving over two million children living in poverty. A former Olympic decathlete representing El Salvador at the 1988 Seoul Games, he previously served as president of the Willow Creek Association, helping it grow from a network of 800 churches to over 7,000 worldwide. Mellado is passionate about holistic discipleship, church partnerships, and empowering the global body of Christ.

Nikki Toyama-Szeto

Nikki Toyama-Szeto is the host of Credible Witness and Executive Director of Christians for Social Action. She writes and speaks on leadership, justice, and faith in public life.

• Childhood across El Salvador, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Panama, and the Philippines
• Family church as a first church: “My life was incredibly stable… because we followed the same savior in all the places.”
• Fear, insecurity, and beginning daily Bible reading at age 12 in Panama
• Experiences of coups, hurricanes, and Noriega’s arrest of his father in Panama
• Competing in the 1988 Seoul Olympics as a decathlete for El Salvador
• Encounter with revival and prayer movements in Korea shaping his lifelong calling to serve the church
• Leadership at Willow Creek Association and the Global Leadership Summit
• “A safe place for dangerous questions” as a vision for rethinking church
• Diversity challenges at Willow Creek and the haunting whisper: “That’s not you.”
• Reclaiming the name Santiago and embracing full identity
• Transition to Compassion International: Christ-centered, church-driven, child-focused mission
• Vibrant faith of the global south church and lessons of humility for the western church
• Partnership as mutual healing: “It’s not the wealthy church helping the poor church. It’s the church healing each other.”
• The theology of names: “You can only be loved to the extent that you are known.”
• Hope for the global church as “little Christs” embodying Jesus together

Production Credits

Credible Witness is brought to you by the Rethinking Church Initiative. Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto. Produced by Mark Labberton, Sarey Martin Concepción, and Evan Rosa

Credible Witness is brought to you by the Rethinking Church Initiative. Produced and edited by Mark Labberton, Sarey Martin Concepcion and Evan Rosa. Hosted by Nikki Toyama-Szeto.

Special thanks to Fuller Theological Seminary, Christians for Social Action, and to Brenda Salter McNeill, whose book inspired the title of the show.

For more information, visit CredibleWitness.us.