Testimony to our personal faith is important for others to hear.

Pastor Linn: 00:00 -Video plays-

Pastor Linn: 00:44 We have a really really cool Sunday for you and we're going to have just a blast just unpacking life with a guy by the name of Calais Campbell. But before we get there I just want to welcome all of our multi-sites, the Scottsdale campus, the San Tan campus, the 5 p.m. service and we're just glad that you guys are all part of this conversation that we're going to have today together. Hey, also want to tell you next week is a big deal, we're launching our parenting series that we're calling Grounded for Life. And guys I don't know about you but this has got to be the scariest time ever to have to raise kids. Our kids see stuff, get exposed to stuff, have to navigate peer pressure that most of us never saw or experience until we were adults. So what does it mean to raise kids who can grow up in a time like this and actually land on their feet? So we're having that conversation. It's a little bit different this time, we on purpose said you know what? Rather than it just being like a six week sermon series we want this to be like a marriage conference. So it's going to be six weeks. I took my three most critical talks about parenting, we've got those as a part of it but then we brought in three just top of the drawer experts to be here for this series. We got a guy by the name of Ted Cunningham who has tons and tons of stuff. It's all about relationships and parenting. And he's hilarious. I'm just telling you you're going to be crying and laughing and then all of a sudden you get to go wow and that was really insightful and powerful. You're going to really enjoy him. We've got a gal by the name of Megan Fate who is probably one of the strongest... women are all clapping because they've heard her before. One of the most powerful communicators you ever going to hear, she is a brand new mom. She's going to be here on Mother's Day for us. And then we've got a guy by the name of Kevin Leman, Kevin Leman. Yeah. You ready for this? 52 books. So the guy's got some sort of a disease going on but 52 books and tons of on parenting, he's got one book it's called hey, Better Kid by Friday. And look, if he can pull that off I'm just telling you that's remarkable, so we've got that going on, kind of like a marriage conference. And then what that does too because I get to be around and floating. We're going to have breakouts so you can come to the service one hour then you can have a breakout. We're going to go after stuff like what does it mean to be a single mom and parent? How do you do blended homes? And what do you do when you've got a teenager that has just gone crazy? And so we're going to be able to offer you all sorts of breakouts during this series that are going to drill down and specialize in some of the more specific things you've got going on in your life.

Pastor Linn: 03:11 So guys I'm just telling you it's huge. And I know we've got some people in the room and you say, "Hey I'm not even married yet." You know it's OK, it's OK. A lot of this stuff applies to the rest of your life. But here's the other part. Wouldn't you want to know this before you jump out of the plane? I'm just thinking, you know you pack a parachute before you leap and then, you know, some of you who are grandparents and are going, "Man, I've already screwed my kids up." I know you have, I know you have. But you may be the only hope for your grand kids. So you're going to, you're going to want this, I'm just telling you. It's good for all of us. So next week be back. It's huge. All right, today we got a guy in the House by the name of Calais Campbell. Guys, this guy is a gentle giant. You're going to fall in love with him because he's like 6 foot 100 inches tall and he's just mammoth and yet he's probably one of the kindest guys you're ever going to meet. He's a two time Pro Bowler, he's played in the Super Bowl. The only thing we have against this guy is that he left Arizona this year and is going to Jacksonville, but we're praying against him. We're praying for a horrible season and then he comes back, right? On the deal. They trade him back ... Anyways give a Cornerstone welcome to Calais Campbell.

Pastor Linn: 02:40 We love you being here, love you being here. OK, OK. So I don't know if everyone got it in that little bumper thing that we did about you. Did we do the bumper? Did we show the bumper? We showed the bumper. OK. So there's this moment when Colin Kaepernick comes up to you and he says to you, "Hey, leave me alone today." And I'm just telling you that's got to be the ultimate respect when one of your peers on the other team has watched film, they played against you game after game because they're in our conference and says you, "Dude, just have a bad day today. I know what you can do." So man we're thrilled to have you here and thank you for taking the time to have this conversation. I want to fill everybody in because I don't think anybody knows your story. You're one of those linemen guys that sometimes doesn't, you know, people don't know. You actually went to the University of Miami. Apparently ASU give you any scholarships. I don't know what you were thinking there but you went to the University of Miami and you didn't play a whole lot till your junior year, your junior year and I thought this was interesting. The team at Miami was stacked with returning guys coming back to play. There was one position on the field. You took it, your junior year. You were the only new starter on that particular team. You ended up being the MVP of the University of Miami Hurricanes that year. Tell us a little bit about that.

Calais Campbell: 06:02 Actually there was a guy that was a starter my position that returned. He was a really good player.

Pastor Linn: 06:09 And he resents you to this day.

Calais Campbell: 06:14 He's a good guy. H actually helped me become a lot better football player. But yeah it was pretty cool. Love the game of football, been a football fan since day one and I get to the University of Miami and I realize, you know, these guys are good, they have the top, top quality guys. So I wanted to be a part of the team and not let the guys down and so when I got out there, you know, just got my opportunity and never looked back, give it my all and find a way to make a difference.

Pastor Linn: 06:43 Here's what I thought was interesting in your story. So you finish that junior year, everybody is now noticing you and you've got a lot of people coming to you and saying, "Hey go in the draft because you are a shoe-in for the first round." You made a decision not to go in the draft that year. Why did you decide not to?

Calais Campbell: 07:10 Yeah, I wanted to get my degree. You know, I promised my dad I was going to get my degree. So I decided to come back and go to my junior year, you know, try to help help the team. You know, win the championship which we didn't do. But it was definitely a good choice. I'm very proud of my degree now. Things obviously worked out for me.

Pastor Linn: 07:27 Yeah. Here's what I thought was interesting about that decision though. So your junior year you get all the notice then that slacks off, right? So that second year, the year you stayed to finish your degree, you don't play quite as well. And we were talking about that you said, "Hey Linn, it had nothing to do with deciding to stay. It had a little bit more to be with getting a big head.

Calais Campbell: 07:27 Yeah, it happens...

Pastor Linn: 07:52 Wait, before you tell us about that that, I'm just wondering when you're 6 foot 8 how big does your head have to get for it to be big? How big is that head? Now tell us what you said, you said got a little big headed and it took your game down a little bit.

Calais Campbell: 08:02 Yeah, you know 21 year old kid. Just had amazing success. I'm just accomplished things I never thought I could accomplish, MVP of Miami, you know I mean there's guys that played there, you know, Michael Irvin I know came here before, his name is on the wall. Ray Lewis, these guys I looked up to, his name on the wall and now my name was on that wall for being the MVP of the team. Then everybody was telling me how good I am and I started to believe it and started to think it was just me. I was I was born with it. It wasn't the, you know, the effort and the work I put in, it wasn't the time that I sacrificed, you know, and I had to be humble. You know I think that God made sure that, you know, He humbled me before I ever got to this level, you know, the NFL, just ground level. So it was good for me. You know but I tell you it would have been nice to have been first round pick and all that good stuff but I know everything works out the way it's supposed to and I ended up in Arizona having an amazing 9 year career.

Pastor Linn: 09:03 So your rookie year we go to the Super Bowl. Last time, but we we went to the Super Bowl. Your, your rookie year. How fun is that to come into the NFL and then find yourself playing on its biggest stage, how fun is that?

Calais Campbell: 09:16 It's a dream come true. You know I've been playing football since I was 6 years old and I've been driven to play in the NFL and be in the Super Bowl ever since that moment when I was 6. And it was everything I've dreamed about and then some. It was amazing and I really enjoyed myself.

Pastor Linn: 09:32 So you were telling me when we were talking that you thought that you're actually part of the success of the Cardinals, and part of their motivation was that when you guys got to the playoffs that year Chris Collinsworth, who is a commentator, got on ESPN and basically said that you guys were the worst team in the playoffs.

Calais Campbell: 09:51 The worst team in the history of the playoffs. Yeah, that one hurt a little bit but what it did was it brought us closer together though. When you're a team you work hard for something and then they tell you that you're not good enough or you don't deserve to be there. All it did was it drew us closer together. And we gelled and man we were on a special run. Larry Fitzgerald, I mean he's still one of my heroes to this day because I have just seen him do some amazing at times.

Pastor Linn: 10:20 Here's a pastor's confession. I am still bitter about that Super Bowl. Because there's that moment when James Harrison intercepts the ball in the end zone, runs it back for a touchdown and I'm convinced two Steelers clipped on that play and they should have called it, we should get a redo of that Super Bowl on the deal.

Calais Campbell: 10:20 I agree.

Pastor Linn: 10:42 Just so we're together on that one. Hey we were talking and you talked about the idea that not too long after you get there, I think two years to get there. Kurt Warner retires and just the loss of his leadership and the idea that, that put the team kind of in a huge rebuilding mode that maybe people didn't even realize how big an effect that was so talk to us about Kurt Warner's influence.

Calais Campbell: 11:04 Yeah, you know I got a chance to sit next to Kurt on the plane. We used to fly, you know, every game he let me sit next to him. This big tall goofy rookie and he was definitely very inspirational for me personally especially when it comes to understanding the word. And that was huge you know. He was definitely more than just a football player. He's a great leader in the locker room. So losing him definitely set us back a lot and I think the team has finally in last four or five years has become the predominant team again. When he retired it left a big hole.

Pastor Linn: 11:39 Have you ever hit somebody so hard that you thought to yourself. I think I just broke that guy.

Calais Campbell: 11:47 There was a couple times when I was like wow I hope he's not hurt. I could think of quite a few times actually.

Pastor Linn: 11:53 You were telling me some time when like Alex Smith like started slobbering me out of his...

Calais Campbell: 11:59 Yeah, there was a time, Alex Smith, when I got him real good. And I was afraid he wasn't going to get up but he got up and played pretty good for rest of the game too. I was very impressed, he's a tough guy.

Pastor Linn: 12:07 Talk to me about when you're 70 years old Calais and you're sitting on the front porch rubbing Bengay on all of you. What's going, what's going to be one of your best football memories?

Calais Campbell: 12:21 Yeah. Probably quite a few memories I'm going to have. But there is this one time growing up, I've been a big football fan, a huge football fan since I was 6 years old. I loved the game and I grew up watching Brett Farve the Hall of Fame quarterback just an amazing player. He played for the Vikings, it was my second year in the league 2009. And, you know, there was this play I just knew I was going to work. I told Coach, "Coach I know this was going to work." So the coach called it and I got in there, got my sack, took him down. I mean you can imagine sacking Brett Farve, this hall of fame quarterback, this guy I used to grow up watching, was a fan of, it was pretty special.

Pastor Linn: 13:03 I think I remember that sack and I think I remember you laying on him for an extra long time just to soak in the moment. Hey, here's what I don't know that everybody knows about you is that, you know, as much success as you had in football and all that stuff, you've had a spiritual journey in your life too. Talk to us a little bit about your spiritual journey.

Calais Campbell: 13:29 Yeah, you know growing up, you know, I grew up in a church. You know my parents are very adamant about going to church and hearing the word knowing the word. And my mom especially, you know, she taught me some great things just about life. You could never have anything go wrong which as long as you believe in God, you know, everything is just a lesson if you believe in God. And my dad, you know, had us together, we ate together every night. Growing up, I had five brothers and two sisters, a big family. My parents are adamant about eating together spending time together. We went around and my dad would say the blessing or my mom. And then all the kids would go around and say a verse in the Bible. And it was instilled on us at a young age. So it was pretty cool growing up just with the word attached to me, you know.

Pastor Linn: 14:19 When we were talking I had said, "Hey Calais, tell me about some people in your life that have been the most influential." And it was interesting to me that you immediately just popped back, "None of them were NFL players," right? It was other points in your life. You immediately said your parents, you said Mom and Dad but then you also went over to dad pretty quick. You just said man dad marked my life. Tell us a little bit about that.

Calais Campbell: 14:45 Yeah, you know there are countless stories and just different things that made a difference to my life. Times where he just would say the right thing and motivate me and, you know, made me so, you know, incredible. There are times where it made me feel like I have to do better too when I thought I was doing really good.

Pastor Linn: 15:06 Tell us when you're, when those moments with your dad you look back and you just smile when you think about it, what's one of those moments?

Calais Campbell: 15:14 Oh man. Honestly I feel like you know there are lot of different moments I can go to. One in particular is, I'm a 13 year old kid, you know, I told my dad I want to make it to the NFL. This is a dream of mine. And I remember him telling me there are thousands of kids around right now that want to be in the NFL one day. There are kids working hard. You have talent but so do they so what are you going to do that is different? What are you doing to do to set yourself apart? And so he was making me go out and run sprints and work super hard every day. And I just remember those times, the sacrifice he made that were so huge and incredible to me because, you know, I mean I know he just got home from work and had a long day and he'd be like, "Come on we're going to the track," you know and, "We're going to run some sprints." So we go and we work. And I remember one time I told my dad, you know, like I was doing stuff like with storage and moving some boxes and doing some stuff. I asked my dad like, "Why do I have to this? I have five brothers and I'm like why do I have to be the one to do this?"

Calais Campbell: 15:14 And he was like, you know, "Because I know you'd do it the right way, I'm not going to have to tell you the right way." And obviously of course I'm doing it the best way I can after that because it just made me feel incredible at the moment.

Pastor Linn: 16:32 Here's, here's why I think that's big because I think a lot of us looking we got six foot eight, huge guy, huge success, doesn't need anybody and yet it's so obvious when you talk to you that your dad had a mark on your life when you're young but he still has a reference point for you to this day. And I just think it speaks to the dads in the room to say, "Hey guys, you're making a mark. You're making a mark. Whether you're trying to or not, you're making a mark and part of what you've got to decide is am I making a mark in the right direction for my kids, am I making the mark that I want to make? And I just think, I just think your story just pushes into all of us the power and the influence of a father. And especially when a father decides to make the right Mark. I think that's a big deal.

Pastor Linn: 17:20 When we were talking to you I said, "All right, so who else, who else really imfluenced your life? And you immediately talked about this guy named Joshua Barnes who had been a buddy all through high school and all that and you said, "Man, Joshua Barnes, big deal in my life."

Calais Campbell: 17:26 Yeah. You know when I go to speak to kids I always tell them, you know, surround yourself with people who are have the same goals you have, who want to go to the same places you want to go to. You know, because I mean your friends are such a big influence on you. And that's because I have a great friend. I have a great friend in Josh Barnes. And I remember, you know, just being 14, 15 year old in high school and you have all these people trying to pull you in different directions and people doing the things they're not supposed to do. Doing drugs and ditching class and you know stuff I don't want to be a part of, you know, I just remember like, you know, so many times, countless times where, you know, going to a group party or doing something and guys doing stuff that we don't agree with. And I mean me and Josh would just, you know, would go off, you know, just take a walk or go our own thing, you know, and I think that was really important for me because, you know, life is hard. And people start pointing you in directions, you need people you can count on to see things the same way you see them and can pull you in the right direction.

Pastor Linn: 18:26 I thought one of the most powerful friendship moments that you told me about was a moment when Josh's mom was dying and you had a chance to speak into his life. And then later he spoke to you. So tell us tell us about that.

Calais Campbell: 18:45 Yeah, you know, end of my junior year, always been very spiritual, very religious and my best friend we're very tight, real close knit. You know, and, you know, his mom just suddenly... I mean I'm sitting at a table, we're eating and he gets a phone call. His mom died. Surprisingly, just out of nowhere. You know, she was sick that morning. You know, kissed her good morning and went to school and we're just hanging out like we always do. And his mom passed away, you know, and, you know, being a spiritual person I believe in heaven and I believe that God makes no mistakes and when it's your time it's your time. So for me I told him like, you know, you have to understand she's in a better place, you know, and that this was God's will. And you know, you have to be happy for her because heaven is a total happiness. And that's what we all strive for. You know, and so, you know, literally, you know I could see him, you know, he hears it and believes it and, you know, he's growing from it. You know, and literally six months later, you know, my senior year, you know, my senior year, in November my dad passes away, you know, and as a 17 year old kid my dad was my rock, you know, my biggest motivator, the person I look up to the most. And so when he, when he passed away it was very tough for me. You know, but then there was Josh Barnes, you know, saying the same thing to me that I said to him six months earlier, you know, and just being able to depend on each other and help get through that moment with you.

Pastor Linn: 20:11 So I just say I just think with all the pressure that comes with being a star athlete in high school, being a star athlete and college, in the NFL and for you to look back and say, "Hey, I've had a friend, I've had a guy who in the moments of temptation this is a guy who lifted me up. You know, he helped me make a good decision in the moments when maybe I would have made a tough decision or a regretful decision. And I just think that speaks so much to the power Calais of who we surround ourselves with. Because I guarantee you every one of us has friends that we lean into. The bigger question is are there the right type of friends? Are those the people that if I was at the worst moment of my life, if I was struggling to get right, if I was getting ready to make a bad decision would they in that moment had the courage to say, "Hey dude come on. come on..." And help me navigate that moment well. Or are they the type of ones who go, "Yeah everyone else.." and navigate me down and I just think there's power in where your life has gotten to because you've had the right type of friend in your life that challenges us to say who are my friends and then maybe, maybe more importantly am I that type of friend is someone else, am I a Joshua Barnes to somebody else in their life?" So that's just powerful story dude.

Pastor Linn: 21:22 Hey, you said to me that your faith stopped being your parents' faith and kind of became your faith somewhere in high school, somewhere in high school to decide hey, do I believe the stuff that Mom and Dad have been feeding me the whole time? Tell us a little bit about that.

Calais Campbell: 21:39 Yeah, you know, it's been huge for me. You know, I remember back in high school, you know, you start to thinking for yourself. You know, everybody, you know, you're a teenager you're figuring out what you want to do with your life, you know. The parents, you know, really have so much say, you know, you have to really become your own person. And I believed in, you know, from day one that, you know, what my parents were talking about was true. You know my mom told me I heard a noise one time, you know, in the house and I was scared. I was believing, you know, that something was happening. My mom told me as long as you say, "The blood of Jesus. You know, you can never be hurt, never be harmed." Still to this day, I mean, if it does go wrong or I feel I'm out of control I just whisper to myself like the blood of Jesus, I'm covered by the blood of Jesus and I know that everything's OK. You know, and it's, I mean, there's so many times throughout my life where I've had to, I've had to say that, you know, and but I think the high school is where I really started praying and talking, to communicate with God on the regular every day, you know, multiple times a day just about every little thing. You know it wasn't like I was getting on my knees and praying every day, it was small conversations. And I do, you know, get on my knees and say my prayers as well. But I mean just, I'm driving my car, you know, I say a prayer to myself, you know. We're going into a classroom or, you know, any moment and I know that God is always listening and always there with me, always protecting me and that makes, that makes a difference in my life because, you know, I wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for God giving me the many blessings that he blessed me with.

Pastor Linn: 23:08 Can I just say how funny it is to think about a 6 foot 8 guy saying blood of Jesus, blood of Jesus. I'm just sayin'. Hey, you've, you've expressed when we've talked, and you just talked about hey I'm an NFL football player but that's not who I am, and I'm using what God is letting me do right now as a platform to touch other people's lives. Talk to us about that for just a second.

Calais Campbell: 23:36 Yeah, you know, I mean this football is awesome job. I've wanted to play football since I was 6 years old and to be able to do this is a dream come true. But I know the reason why I have this opportunity is because God has a bigger plan for my life. You know this is, this is, just gives me a platform, is a stage where I can tell my testimony and say how important God has been to me just the things I've been through, you know, and God has always been there for me and never, never went away even when I wasn't as religious as I needed to be or wanted to be. And I was always spiritual and I knew God had my back and I was going to come back around. You know, today, you know, I think about all the many blessings I have. And they're, they're great. You know, I love, you know, being able to live my dream and play football and all the cool things that comes with it you know, but in the end, you know, I'm just a guy, that, that, you know, is hoping to make it to heaven one day, a guy who wants to experience that total happiness, you know, and to see my father again and all the other great people who have passed away, you know, that have influenced my life you know, and that's something that I know is going to happen one day. We all are going to die, right? And it's going to come sooner than later for a lot of us. We don't know what is going to happen when God's going to call you. So in the meantime I'm just living my life the best way I know how to before God so I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able in front of you guys and speak at a lot of places and I'm always saying my prayers and just being grateful for the many blessings.

Pastor Linn: 25:18 Here's the question we got. You accomplished stuffs that most of us in this room are never going to accomplish. You know you've played in the Pro Bowl twice. You've stood on a Super Bowl field, you've made money that most of us are never going to make. You've got athletic ability coming through your eyeballs. I mean how many people are 300 pounds and like 6 percent body fat? How often does that happen, right? And you've been successful in your field and we're all trying to be successful in our lives. And yet at the end of that you're standing here telling, and sitting here telling us today you're still going to want Jesus. If you have all that success, if you accomplish all those things, you're still going to want Jesus in your life. Help us, help us understand because that doesn't make sense to some of us.

Calais Campbell: 26:15 Simple for me. I wouldn't be where I'm at, you know, if Jesus didn't give me the opportunities, give me the many blessings he's given me. Good parents, athletic ability. I think to myself, I ask myself all the time because I have five brothers who all play college football who are great athletes. I ask myself like why God chose me to be very successful, you know, and I just, I know it's because, you know, he has big plans for my life that are much bigger than football and much bigger than money and everything else. I mean I feel like things I value in life are family and friendships and just enjoy life and spreading love and joy. You know, and I think you can kind of get caught up in, you know, trying to do better financially so much. And I feel like, you know, all my finances do is allow me to spread more love. Number one for me has always been, you know, can I be the best person I could be that would bring me to total happiness in heaven? And I feel like I'm just trying to do my part. Every little bit everyday just trying to strive to be the best person I can be.

Pastor Linn: 27:08 Calais, thank you man. Thank you for sharing, for being open. Before you go I just want to say I want to pray for you real quick OK? OK, so I'm going to reach up here and I'm going to pray for you OK? Hey, dear Heavenly Father thank you for calling us. Thank you. Thank you for a guy who loves you. Thank you for a guy who in humility says, "Hey, I get it. I get that being in the NFL is just a God given platform for me to be able to tell my story, to share my testimony." And God I just, I just ask that something that Calais said here today would just touch a heart, would move a person just kind of think about life differently than they have before God. We ask that you bless this guy and use him in powerful, powerful ways. And this we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Calais Campbell: 27:59 Thank you. Thanks.

Pastor Linn: 28:16 Hey go ahead and grab a seat real quick. Here's the deal. I would hate for us to come here and just go man that was just kind of a cool time talking to a pretty cool guy. Because I think there was more that went on in that conversation than just that. And so let me just nudge a couple of things in your life. For you to think about as you leave here. I thought it was really really cool when he talked about his dad and the incredible influence of his dad. And so I just wanted to take one more pass and say man, you're making a mark. You just got to decide what type of mark. And how powerful would it be if every dad walked out this room and just said hey, I'm going to make marks in my kid's life. Move them forward, that challenge them every day of their lives that would be a good day for us dads.

Pastor Linn: 28:59 And then friends, I mean he told you, I mean think about all the regret and all the mistakes he had the potential to make in his life. And he had a friend who in the hardest moments pulled him up. And so the question is do you have a friend like that? And what would it take for you to have one? And are you a friend like that for someone else? Those are huge life lessons. But guys maybe, maybe the most important thing you heard today, and I'm just going to ask you to consider it, is a guy who has had crazy success, who's achieved things and isn't the truth we're all in this and we're not playing in the NFL but we all are either trying to climb the corporate ladder or raise better kids or have a, you know, where we've all got the things we're trying to succeed at. And you get a guy who's been successful,he's gotten to the top of that ladder and is telling you that even when you get there, no matter how much money you make you're still going to want Jesus. And my question is you go and just to ponder, is to say, "What does that mean?" And do you need to spend the next 40 years climbing the ladder of success or accomplishment to figure out what he just helped you with. That you're still going to want Jesus when you get there. Some of us in the room would say, "You know what Linn? I don't need to go and ponder. I get it. I get it. When he said it I knew I. I need Jesus in my life." And so I just want to give that opportunity to us in the room, so I'm going to ask us to bow our heads and just close our eyes and I'm just going to lead us in a really simple prayer. And if, if today something hit home for you, something struck for you and you just say, "You know what? I get it. No matter how far I go, no matter how much success I have there is a gap, there is a hole in my life that only God will fill. And I'd like to get that done today." And you could pray a prayer or something like this. Dear Lord Jesus. I've always known that there was something that I needed in my life. And I was hoping, I was hoping if my marriage was good enough, if my career went far enough, if I could buy enough things that somehow that would fill that part of my life up and I'd feel good. And it suddenly occurs to me that that hole is shaped like you. And so I'm just asking you right now to come into my life, to be my savior, to forgive me for my sins, to give to me what Calais has, a relationship with you. And this I pray in Jesus name, amen.




Recorded in Chandler, Arizona.