caleb campbell |
Pastor Caleb Campbell graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Masters of Arts in Ministry from Phoenix Seminary in 2015 and is currently a doctoral student at Fuller Theological Seminary.
He has served at Desert Springs Bible Church, in Phoenix, AZ since 2006, serving as Lead Pastor since 2015. He also serves on the board of United Pastors of Arizona and as the state-wide regional director of the Surge Network. He has spoken at events hosted by Acts 29, African American Christian Clergy Coalition, the Surge Network, Grand Canyon University, Converge Arizona, Young Life and Phoenix Seminary
He has served at Desert Springs Bible Church, in Phoenix, AZ since 2006, serving as Lead Pastor since 2015. He also serves on the board of United Pastors of Arizona and as the state-wide regional director of the Surge Network. He has spoken at events hosted by Acts 29, African American Christian Clergy Coalition, the Surge Network, Grand Canyon University, Converge Arizona, Young Life and Phoenix Seminary
Premiered Jan 31, 2023
In this video, Caleb Campbell—lead pastor at Desert Springs Bible Church, uncovers false ideas animating Christian nationalism and his experience walking with people to disarm the logic and demonstrate a love that redirects them back towards the kingdom of God described by Jesus the Messiah.
— Caleb Campbell (@calebphx) February 23, 2023
Dec 14, 2022: The Independent: Evangelicals may be turning away from Trump, but Christian nationalism isn’t going anywhere
Since the heady days of Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, Caleb Campbell’s congregation has been split in two. The pastor of an evangelical church in the northern suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, he has watched his flock both energised and repulsed by the real estate tycoon’s political rise.
Since the heady days of Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, Caleb Campbell’s congregation has been split in two. The pastor of an evangelical church in the northern suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, he has watched his flock both energised and repulsed by the real estate tycoon’s political rise.
Caleb Campbell
“Our families were splitting in two. The church was splitting in two. It exposed a huge rift within the church. We had groups of people that would meet in homes that just couldn’t even stomach each other anymore.......Frankly, I think it’s because he lost..........And even though I think there are some leaders who are backing away from Trump, I don’t think they’re backing away from the power source. I think they’re just looking for a different headliner...........Within evangelical spaces, especially since 2020, there has been a huge shift of congregations basically going to churches where they believe the pastor aligns with their politics. There’s this homogenisation within evangelicalism where you’re getting less and less political diversity within each congregation..........Most of my work is pastoring people through the pain of split families. I have a laundry list of deep relationships that have either been frayed or fractured or no longer exist because of this stuff...........For us, the work is just beginning
--Caleb Campbell; The Independent; Dec 14, 2022
--Caleb Campbell; The Independent; Dec 14, 2022
Caleb Campbell
“When Trump would come to town, we had members of our congregation inside the building for the rally and some outside the building protesting. I was naive. I remember thinking that obviously people see right through this. I was shocked to discover that most people really earnestly supported not only his policies, but also his cruel and dehumanising rhetoric.........Christian nationalism promises power by the sword and the way of Jesus is not the sword, it’s the cross. So for me, as an evangelical pastor, the thing at stake is the message of the Gospel. You just look at people using Jesus’ name to grab government power, it’s directly antithetical to the teachings of Jesus.”
--Caleb Campbell; The Independent; Dec 14, 2022
--Caleb Campbell; The Independent; Dec 14, 2022
Nov 26, 2022: Salon: Evangelical pastor fights back against Christian nationalism
One pastor who is critical of the relationship between Trump and the Christian Right is Caleb Campbell of the Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona. According to a report from the Globe & Mail's Nathan VanderKlippe, Campbell is trying to counter the Trump/MAGA influence on evangelicals.
One pastor who is critical of the relationship between Trump and the Christian Right is Caleb Campbell of the Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona. According to a report from the Globe & Mail's Nathan VanderKlippe, Campbell is trying to counter the Trump/MAGA influence on evangelicals.
Caleb Campbell
“It’s a perpetual heresy. This one just is sprinkled with red, white and blue. This one tastes like apple pie.”
--Pastor Caleb Campbell; Desert Springs Bible Church defining "Christian Nationalism."
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Although American Christians advocating for conservative policies is nothing new, Campbell believes that this new Trump-led evangelism is more dangerous in that it evokes the spirit of white nationalism. "This is a mean-spirited, vulgar grab for power with violent rhetoric," he said. "I’m familiar with what it means to be enculturated toward violent behavior." -Raw Story; 11.22.22 |
Nov 22, 2022: Raw Story: Christian Trump event left evangelical pastor 'absolutely terrified and horrified'
In an interview with the Toronto Globe and Mail, Pastor Caleb Campbell revealed that he decided to make wooing Christians away from the MAGA movement his personal cause after he attended a Christian event hosted by Turning Point USA, the right-wing activist group founded by Charlie Kirk. During the event he attended, says Campbell, Kirk misappropriated quotes from the Bible in order to make it sound like God wanted Christians to be armed to the teeth with firearms. |
Religion News: A ‘missionary to Christian nationalists,’ Phoenix pastor urges conversion, not confrontation Phoenix pastor Caleb Campbell has a theory about the growing number of Americans who are labeled as Christian nationalists.
Most would rather go to Cracker Barrel than storm the Capitol.
Many see themselves as good Christians who love their country. But somewhere along the way, they began to think being a good American and being a Christian were one and the same.
11.12.22
Most would rather go to Cracker Barrel than storm the Capitol.
Many see themselves as good Christians who love their country. But somewhere along the way, they began to think being a good American and being a Christian were one and the same.
11.12.22
Oct 31, 2022: Christianity Today: Christian Nationalism Debates Expose Clashing Views of Power
Caleb Campbell didn’t know he needed the term Christian nationalism.
He’d heard it, here and there, but it hadn’t really registered. It was at the edge of his awareness and his vocabulary as he tried to understand the disputes over racism, the pandemic, and the election that rocked his evangelical church in suburban Phoenix throughout 2020.
Then the new year started, a mock gallows was erected at the Capitol, and his social media showed some in the mob carried signs that said, “JESUS SAVES.” His mind strained to make sense of the two things together, and he remembered from somewhere that there was a term.
Christian nationalism.
“I needed that phrase to name it,” said Campbell, pastor of Desert Springs Bible Church. “This is a heresy. It’s a complete distortion of Jesus’ doctrine of power. I think Christian nationalism started in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was reaching for the Cross, and Peter, who loves Jesus, thought he should protect him with a sword.”
Caleb Campbell didn’t know he needed the term Christian nationalism.
He’d heard it, here and there, but it hadn’t really registered. It was at the edge of his awareness and his vocabulary as he tried to understand the disputes over racism, the pandemic, and the election that rocked his evangelical church in suburban Phoenix throughout 2020.
Then the new year started, a mock gallows was erected at the Capitol, and his social media showed some in the mob carried signs that said, “JESUS SAVES.” His mind strained to make sense of the two things together, and he remembered from somewhere that there was a term.
Christian nationalism.
“I needed that phrase to name it,” said Campbell, pastor of Desert Springs Bible Church. “This is a heresy. It’s a complete distortion of Jesus’ doctrine of power. I think Christian nationalism started in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was reaching for the Cross, and Peter, who loves Jesus, thought he should protect him with a sword.”
Nov 27, 2019: Arizona Capitol Times: Time is running out for Congress to pass law to protect ‘Dreamers’
I (Caleb) serve as lead pastor of a church in north Phoenix. Maria previously volunteered as one of our staff leaders, serving our congregation’s children and students. She was an excellent teammate, a diligent employee and a growing leader. She is a vital part of our church family and community.
The Bible calls us to stand for justice, especially for immigrants. Our values require a solution, which would benefit not only Dreamers but also the native-born Americans who attend church with and work alongside them.
The economic contributions of Dreamers in Arizona are strong. The Center for American Progress estimates that deporting all 27,865 Arizona DACA recipients would result in a more than $1.3 billion loss. This would devastate not only those directly affected by deportation, but also many other families who call Arizona home.
I (Caleb) serve as lead pastor of a church in north Phoenix. Maria previously volunteered as one of our staff leaders, serving our congregation’s children and students. She was an excellent teammate, a diligent employee and a growing leader. She is a vital part of our church family and community.
The Bible calls us to stand for justice, especially for immigrants. Our values require a solution, which would benefit not only Dreamers but also the native-born Americans who attend church with and work alongside them.
The economic contributions of Dreamers in Arizona are strong. The Center for American Progress estimates that deporting all 27,865 Arizona DACA recipients would result in a more than $1.3 billion loss. This would devastate not only those directly affected by deportation, but also many other families who call Arizona home.