Staff and Leadership
Our Pastoral Staff
DR. MANRIQUE SALAZAR
LEAD PASTOR
Manrique holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Phoenix Seminary. He served for thirteen years as a church planter and lead pastor in his home country of Costa Rica, where he worked diligently in nurturing the health of the Latin American church through expository preaching, theological training, and equipping the saints for evangelism and missions.
He served as the professor of expository preaching at ESEPA seminary in San Jose, where he held the Ramesh Richard’s Chair of Biblical Preaching, as well as on the ESEPA Board of Trustees. He trained pastors throughout Latin America through the ministries of IBAC (Bible Institutes of Central America) and RREACH, providing theological training to those who do not have access to traditional seminary training.
Prior to studying theology, he received a degree in Civil Engineering and worked for twenty years in the construction industry.
Manrique met his wife, Rebekah, in 2006 while in seminary at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina. They have three children, Gabriel, Isabel, and David.
Manrique has a heart for nurturing theologically healthy, missional churches and is dedicated to serve Christ in Emmanuel Bible Church through expository preaching, theological training, and intentional pastoral care.
Miguel Crespo
Associate Pastor of Family Ministries
Miguel Crespo is the husband of his high school sweetheart Dalia, father of two amazing young ladies, and a follower of Jesus Christ since 1995. Having served in various roles in children and youth ministry throughout the years, he now serves as the Family Ministry Pastor overseeing the Student (Youth) and Children’s Ministry.
Harold Trujillo
Associate Pastor Spanish Ministry
Harold Trujillo received the Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology from Moody Bible Institute in 2002. In 2015, he earned the Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Moody Theological Seminary. He was awarded a Doctoral Degree Honoris Causa in Divinity from India’s Himachal Bible College Seminary in 2019.
Harold works as a Master Trainer Facilitator for Bible League International where he trains local churches, denominations and others throughout the Midwest in Bible League’s proven evangelism and church planting methods. He and his wife Fatima have two children, Isabel and Jose Carlos.
Tino Ojeda
Worship Pastor
Tino Ojeda has a Master of Arts in Worship degree from Northern Seminary and has served as the Worship Pastor of Emmanuel Bible’s Spanish side since its inception and for both English and Spanish congregations for the last seven years. Pastor Tino combines the best of Christianity’s musical heritage with doctrinally accurate hymns along with the cutting edge of new, biblically sound worship songs to lead the entire church to the Throne every Sunday.
Pastor Tino composed and recorded a collection of English and Spanish songs that honor the Triune God – set for release in the Spring of 2020.
Tino is married to his High School sweetheart, Kathy. They have four children – Stephanie, Andrew, Emma, and Caleb – all serve with Tino in the Worship ministry.
Our Elder Team
Aminadab Lugo
Elder
Aminadab is married to Haydee and is the father of four children: Sergio, Emme, Matteo, and Jacob.
He and his family currently live in Orland Park since 2014. Previously lived in Cicero, IL, for nine years. He has attended EBC for approximately 10 years and became a Christian in 2011.
He has been a member of EBC since 2014, previously served in AWANA and as a Sunday school teacher, and also currently serves in the Men’s Ministry as a small group facilitator.
Ed Polanco
Elder
Ed Polanco and his wife Julie attend Emmanuel Bible Church since 2007 and became members in 2011.
They have four children: Sofia, Jonas, Elena and Benjamin and a granddaughter Isabella.
They currently live in Berwyn since 2004. In addition to serving as an Elder, he serves as EBC Men’s Ministry Leader. Ed also works part-time in the EBC office.
Deacons
Ernesto Bahena
Ernesto is married to his wife is Fabiola for 13 years. They have two children, Valeria and Emiliano. He has been attending Emanuel since July of 2016 and became a member in January of 2018.
Rogelio Contreras
Rogelio has been attending Emmanuel Bible Church since 2010. He is married to Nuri since 2000 and they have two grade school aged children, Rogelio Jr. and Regina. He has served in various ministries at EBC including The Route 66 Car Show outreach, Día del Nino (Children’s Day), and others. He and his wife are very family oriented and enjoy every opportunity the Lord brings to serve their Church family and others.
Francisco Ochoa
Francisco is married to Elizabeth and they have two daughters, Elizabeth and Inci. He has attended Emmanuel Bible Church for 11 years and became a member in February of 2017. He has also served Emmanuel in the usher’s ministry, small groups ministry as a group leader, and currently in the second service announcements ministry.
Damian Zalazinski
Damian has been married to his wife Amparo for 31 years and they have four adult and teenage children, Andrew, Ashley, John Allen, and Emily. He has been attending EBC for 2-1/2 years and became a member in August of 2021.
Deaconesses
Claudia Alonso
Claudia is married to her husband Rafael Alonso, and they have three grammar school-aged children. She has attended EBC since she was a teenager, and was baptized here as a young adult. EBC has been her church home for over 15 years and she has been a member for about 12 years. She has also served in the Children’s ministry teaching grades K thru two.
Elizabeth Ochoa
Elizabeth is married to Francisco and they have two daughters, Elizabeth and Inci. She has been attending EBC for 11 years and became a member of the church in February of 2017. She has previously served Emmanuel as a Sunday school teacher and as a small group leader apprentice.
Fatima Trujillo
Fatima is originally from Nicaragua and is married to Pastor Harold Trujillo who is from Colombia. They were married in 2007 and since then their priority as a family has been to serve their Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. They have two adult children, Isabel and José who live in Chicago. She has been attending Emmanuel since 2016 and has served at EBC as an usher, choir member, leader/teacher in the AWANA Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry Small Group Leader, and leader of the Women’s Small Group Leaders Ministry.
Ana Isabel Pulgarín
Ana Isabel has attended Emmanuel Bible Church since 2014 and became a member in March of 2017. She has served in the church with child care and as an usher for the second service. She has four sons, Jair, Jefferson, Jonathan, and Brian.
Our Staff
Dalia Crespo
Office Manager
