Caleb Kaltenbach is the Lead Pastor of Discovery Church in Simi Valley, CA. He’s the author of God of Tomorrow: Changing the World by Loving Nobodies, Somebodies & Everybody In Between (releasing Oct. 2017 from WaterBrook Multnomah). He’s also the author of Messy Grace: How a Pastor With Gay Parents Learned to Love Others Without Sacrificing Conviction.
In Messy Grace, Caleb talks about being raised in the LGBT community, coming to Christ, and learning that love doesn’t require a shift in theology. Caleb is a graduate of Ozark Christian College, Talbot School of Theology (Biola Univeristy) and is finishing his Doctor of Ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary. Besides speaking at conferences and churches, Caleb has also contributed to or been a guest with the New York Times, Fox and Friends, The Glenn Beck Show, The Blaze, Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, Church Leaders Podcast, The 700 Club, Life Today, Moody Radio Show, Q Podcast, & more.
Caleb and his wife Amy reside in Southern California with their two children. Caleb and his family can usually be found at Disneyland or the beach. You can find Caleb on Twitter HERE.
Listen to Caleb on FamilyLife Today with Dennis Rainey here: Loving our Gay Friends and Neighbors, Loving My Gay Parents, Embracing the Truth.'
Watch Caleb on Life Today with James and Betty Robison HERE.
WATCH: Messy Grace Talk @ Talbot Chapel
“There is no shortage of books on how Christians can lovingly and meaningfully engage their gay family members and friends. Caleb Kaltenbach has an important message for everyone who shares a commitment to both grace and truth.” —Jim Daly, president, Focus on the Family
“Caleb Kaltenbach ‘came out’ to his parents. This is the story of that coming out. Only this time, it’s was a Christian teen coming out to his gay parents. The book combines undeniable experiences with clear biblical arguments. Add the gracious tone throughout and you have a powerful book.”
—Mark Dever, pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC, president of 9Marks.org
“Caleb Kaltenbach cuts through the confusion and talks about what it really means to love people and what is really means to follow God—and how they’re not mutually exclusive ideas. The answer the world is looking for is messy and it’s full of grace.” —Reggie Joiner, CEO and founder of Orange
“Caleb’s story is surprising and unique, and he weaves it together compellingly. He states his views clearly, leaves room for disagreement, and champions love no matter where you are in this conversation.” —Jud Wilhite, senior pastor, Central Christian Church
“Messy Grace, written by my friend Caleb Kaltenbach, is a personal story of God’s incredible grace and a call to love people as God loves. The message of this important book combines grace and truth and offers hope to a broken generation. Messy Grace is pure truth spoken in love and will help you relate to every person in a way that pleases God.” —Jack Graham, pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
“Caleb Kaltenbach ‘came out’ to his parents. This is the story of that coming out. Only this time, it’s was a Christian teen coming out to his gay parents. The book combines undeniable experiences with clear biblical arguments. Add the gracious tone throughout and you have a powerful book.” —Mark Dever, pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC, president of 9Marks.org
“Caleb’s story down categories, crushes stereotypes, and will make you think differently than you thought before—regardless of your convictions. Anyone who loves Jesus and loves friends and family members who are LGBT is going to want to read this fascinating book. Okay, scratch the conditions. I think anyone is going to want to read this book.” —Carey Nieuwhof, author of Leading Change without Losing It, blogger and lead pastor of Connexus Church
“There may be no greater mess for the church than the question of how to engage with the LGBT community. Messy Grace shows how grace can enter into the mess of life and draw people to God’s love and goodness of God.” —Darrell L. Bock, executive director for cultural engagement and senior research professor of New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary
“I loved Messy Grace! These pages are filled with humility, compassion, and powerful insights as Caleb’s story profoundly demonstrates that grace is both messy and beautiful.” —Mike Foster, People of the Second Chance
“This is an important conversation for the church today and no one’s story makes them better suited for it than Caleb Kaltenbach. In a world that tries to force everyone to take sides, Caleb speaks from the inside of both worlds. Gay or straight, Christian or non-Christian, everyone can learn from and be impacted by Messy Grace.” —Lane Jones, director of North Point Strategic Partners, North Point Ministries, and co-author of Communicating for a Change
“Pastor Kaltenbach gives his readers much help on what to do and what not to do among LGBT people. At the same time, he recognizes, and emphasizes, that this is a ‘messy’ world, and that God calls us to affirm Jesus in the midst of the messiness, rather than to expect a precise answer to every question.” —Dr. John Frame, J.D. Trimble professor of Systematic Theology & Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary
“Some authors have inspirational stories to tell while others have insightful points to make, what makes Caleb’s writing so powerful is that God has given him both.” —Kyle Idleman, author of Not a Fan and teaching pastor at Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY
“No matter what your opinion is on the Bible and sexuality, this book provides a very worthwhile and refreshing look into a very amazing grace-filled story threaded with compassionate truth.”
—Dan Kimball, pastor, Vintage Faith Church and author of They Like Jesus But Not the Church
“I appreciate how Caleb has personally walked in the midst of this issue. He does a good job balancing compassion with those who are self-proclaimed homosexuals and the church’s response.” —Chap Clark, professor of Youth, Family & Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary
“The church needs to get this issue right. Messy Grace is an outstanding book that every Christian needs to read. Not only will you enjoy Caleb’s casual and humorous writing style, you will be challenged to live in grace and truth, just like Jesus.” —Sean McDowell, PhD, professor at Biola University, popular speaker, and the co-author of over fifteen books including Same-Sex Marriage
