Damon Horton, PhD

D.A. Horton, PhD serves as an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Intercultural Studies program at California Baptist University.

He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Theology with a North American Missions emphasis at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His dissertation was titled, The Quantitative and Qualitative Measuring of Spiritual Capital Among Latinas/os in Higher Education.

He earned his Masters Degree in Christian Studies and B.S. in Biblical Studies from Calvary University. He has authored nine books, taught Bible studies virtually through Family Life, Lifeway, and RightNow Media, and is frequently invited to speak at various conferences. He and his wife Elicia have been married for 22 years, and they have two daughters and one son.

CITI Certification. (2020 - Present). I have been approved to conduct Social and Behavioral-Educational research.

ICS 105 - Introduction to Global Studies
ICS 205 - Global Discipleship
ICS 305 - Global Christianity
ICS 330 - Missiology
ICS 410 - Global and Urban Ministry
ICS 435 - Evangelism and Church Planting

Previous Semesters:
ICS 205 - Discipleship Methods
ICS 405 - Marketplace Strategies for Global Advancement
ICS 431 - Cross-Cultural Immersion

Chicano Studies, Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), Cultural Apologetics, Ethnic Conciliation, Global Missions, Missiology, Misión Integral, and Majority World Theology.

Adjunct Professor at Calvary Bible College (2009-2012)

- Contemporary Theology
- Biblical Philosophy of Urban Ministry
- Intro to Urban Ministry
- Survey of Theology
- Systematic Theology I, II, & III
- Urban Apologetics
- Urban Church Planting

PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS
2025 - Understanding Christian Apologetics: Five Methods for Defending the Faith (2025). Contributing author of the “Cultural Apologetics” view and reviewed the other perspectives submitted.
2025 - Let Justice Flow Like Water: Toward a Theology of Biblical Justice, B&H Academic. Co-editing alongside Dr. Joshua Greever and Dr. Justin McLendon and contributor of chapter titled, “The Pastoral Team and Mercy Ministries as Tangible Expressions of Justice”
2023 - The Hispanic Faculty Experience: Opportunities for Growth and Retention in Christian Colleges and Universities, Abilene Christian University Press. Contributing author of Chapter 7, “Igualmente: Similar Struggle, Shared Success”
2023 - Grace Culture: Transformed by the Love of Jesus, Lifeway Press
2022 - Are You Good with God? revised and expanded edition of G.O.S.P.E.L. (Moody Publishers)
2021 - When the Universe Cracks: Living as God’s People in Times of Crisis (NavPress), contributing author for chapter titled, “The Current Season of Crisis”
2021 - The Gospel Project: Paul in Prison (Lifeway Press), contributing author of two chapters
2021 - The Gospel Project: Facing Adversity (Lifeway Press), contributing author of two chapters
2020 - For God So Loved the World: A Blueprint for Kingdom Diversity (B&H Academic), contributing author of chapter titled, "Apologetics in Twenty-First Century Evangelicalism"
2019 - Intensional: Kingdom Ethnicity in a Divided World (NavPress)
2018 - Islam and North America: Loving our Muslim Neighbors (B&H Academic), contributing author for the chapter titled, “Getting
to Know You: How Can I Explore and Appreciate Other Culture(s) Across the Street”
2017 - To the One Who Conquers: Teen Bible Study: Freedom from Sin through the Revelation of Christ (Lifeway Press)
2017 - Letters of the Revelation: To the One Who Conquers (Lifeway Press)
2017 - Authentic Love: Christ, Culture, and the Pursuit of Purity (Lifeway Press)
2016 - The Gospel Project: God Among Us: A Gospel Exploration of Jesus’ Ministry (Lifeway Press)
2016 - Bound to Be Free: Escaping Performance to be Captured by Grace (NavPress)
2016 - Gospel for Life: Racial Reconciliation, (B&H Publishing), contributing author for the chapter titled, “What Does the Culture Say”
2012 - DNA: Foundations of the Faith (Moody Publishers)
2011 - G.O.S.P.E.L. (Moody Publishers)

PUBLISHED INTERVIEWS AND PRESENTATIONS
2025 - "Neglected Wealth: Discovering and Positioning Spiritual Capital in the Community Cultural Wealth Model" at the 5th Annual Integration in the Academy Conference, for California Baptist University (August 2025)
2025 - "Addressing the Needs of the Unhoused with a Theology of H.O.M.E." at MSW Residency for California Baptist University, in Riverside, CA (April 2025)
2025 - "Layered Diversity: An Interdisciplinary Framework for Understanding God's Design for Diversity" at The 3rd Annual Educate With a Purpose Symposium, for California Baptist University (February 2025)
2024 - "When Faith Divides: Reaching People Across Cultures" at Amplify 2024, in Wheaton, IL (October 2024)
2024 - "The Sustainable Pastor: Dealing with Burnout in your Organization and in Yourself" at Amplify 2024 in Wheaton, IL (October 2024)
2024 - "Neglected Wealth: The Forgotten Treasures of our Faith" at the Legacy Conference, in Miami, FL (October 2024)
2024 - “The Imago Dei and our Ethnic/Racial Identity” at Resident Life RA training at California Baptist University, in Riverside, CA (August 2024)
2024 - "The Bible and Mental Health" at Woodcrest Christian High School, in Riverside, CA (May 2024)
2024 - “Agents of Hope: Transforming Communities through Applied Decarceration” at MSW Residency for California Baptist University, in Riverside, CA (April 2024)
2024 - "Teaching Youth to Press On (Philippians 3:10-14) at Youth Pastors Summit, in Dallas, TX (April 2024)
2024 - “Developing a Biblical Worldview” at Student Leadership University, in Orlando, FL (January 2024)
2023 - "Oneness in Grief" with Elicia Horton at Presidents Retreat for Family Life, in Banff, Canada (October 2023)
2023 - “The Imago Dei and our Ethnic/Racial Identity” at Resident Life RA training at California Baptist University, in Riverside, CA (August 2023)
2023 - “Refreshed: How Love Should Behave an Exegesis of Philemon 4-7” at Faculty Workshop for the College of Nursing, with Elicia Horton at Magnolia Church (August 2023)
2023 - “Redirectional Missiology: A Refreshing Approach to Living on Jesus’ Mission in our Community” at North Carolina Baptist Convention Missions Conference, in Charlotte, NC (April 2023)
2023 - “Another Way Forward: Developing Biblical Guard Rails for Inquiry and Interaction with Critical Race Theory” at the William Jessup University Faculty of Theology’s Annual Spring Lecture Series, in Rocklin, CA (February 2023)
2023 - “The Gospel and Justice” at The Apollos Institute, in Orlando, FL (January 2023)
2022 - “Somos Discípulos: A Life-Long Discipleship Strategy” at LaVida National Conference in Albuquerque, NM (November 2022)
2022 - “Redirectional Apologetics, Roman Catholicism, and Raza: Approaching the conversation on truth and culture with compassion and nuance” at Gateway Seminary for the Intersection Conference in Ontario, CA (November 2022)
2022 - “Our Beatific Mission: Revelation 21:22-27” at the SCORR Conference hosted by Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA (October 2022)
2022 - “The Nexus Between Faith and Culture, and the Intersection of the Gospel and Justice” at The View Church, in Menifee, CA (July 2022)
2022 - “Confession and Repentance: Responding to Christian Calls for Racial Justice and a Beloved Community in the American Church and Academy, at The Christian Scholars Conference in Nashville, TN (April 2022)
2021 - "Insights on Ethnic Studies in Education" for The Orange County Department of Education's "With Liberty and Justice for All: A Colloquium on Ethnic Studies", (Virtually Presented July 2021)
2021 - “The Cross and Ethnic Conciliation”, The Urban Hope Conference (Virtually Presented February 2021)
2021 - CRT: Finding Clarity for the Christian” on Equipped with Chris Brooks, Moody Radio (February 2021)
2020 - “Ethnic Conciliation: Reframing the Conversation on Race in America”, Doctoral of Social Work Presentation, California Baptist University (December 2020).
2020 - “Urban Islam: Assessing the Moorish Science Temple, Nation of God’s and Earths, and Nation of Islam”, The Evangelical Theological Society (November 2020)
2020 - "Otra Vez: What Does Ethnic Conciliation Look Like". The Immigration Coalition National Conference, (Virtually Presented, October 2020)
2020 - “Embracing our Kingdom Ethnicity”, Ed Stetzer Live (August 2020) Moody Radio
2020 - "Holistic and Locally Present Engagement: A Near-Term Analysis". The Send Institute: Leading the Church in the Post COVID-19 Era, (Virtually Presented, June 2020)
2020 - "Gospel Clarity and Church Revitalization" and "Breaking Down Walls to Build up the Church". Revitalize: Church Revitalization Conference, (Virtually Presented May 2020)
2020 - “Founder’s Week 2020 – D.A. Horton”, Moody Radio (February 2020)
2020 - “Intensional” on Chris Fabry Live!, Moody Radio (February 2020)
2020 - “Kingdom Ethnicity in a Divide World”, Equipped with Chris Brooks, Moody Radio (January 2020)
2019 - "Making Your Marriage a Picture of the Gospel" with Elicia Horton Pts 1 &2, Focus on the Family (July 2019)
2018 - “Fighting For a Gospel-Saturated Marriage” with Elicia Horton, Family Life Today Radio (September 2018)
2018 - “F.E.A.R.” with Elicia Horton, Family Life Today Radio (September 2018)
2018 - “The Weight of Debt” with Elicia Horton, Family Life Today Radio (September 2018)
2018 - Enter the Ring” with Elicia Horton, Chris Fabry Live!, Moody Radio (January 2018)
2017 - “How Can Churches Become More Multicultural or Multiethnic?”, The Gospel Coalition (October 2017)
2017 - “Freedom in Christ”, In the Market, Moody Radio (June 2017)
2017 - “The Most Common Misconception about Urban Church Planting”, The Gospel Coalition (March 2017)

PUBLISHED ARTICLES
2023 - "Examining Models of Multiethnic Churches: How Immigrants Join Existing Church Communities", Evangelicals Magazine, Winter 2023/2024, Vol. 9, No. 3
2021 - “A Missiological Assessment of Critical Race Theory”, a four-part missiological interaction with CRT, “The Exchange with Ed Stetzer”, Christianity Today (March 2021)
2019 - “Obedience as Kingdom Citizens”, The Call, CBU School of Christian Ministries (October 2019)
2018 - “Remember, We Are Family”, Outreach Magazine (November 2018)
2016 - “It’s Trump: A post-election blueprint for evangelical conservatives” with Dr. Bruce Ashford, Fox News (November 2016)
2016 - Why I Engage the SBC”, NAMB (November 2016)
2016 - “The Abuse of Authority in Prosperity Gospel Churches, Nine Marks Journal (Fall 2016)
2014 - “Nine Marks of Prosperity Gospel Church”, Nine Marks Journal (Winter 2014)

INVITED PANEL DISCUSSIONS
2021 - Exponential | Virtual Panel - A Different Fluence: From Christendom to Secularity with: Glenn Smith, D.A. Horton, Jeff Christopherson, and Jessie Cruickshank
2020 - The Send Institute Think Tank | Virtual Presentation - Church Planting Manifesto with: Linda Berquist and Scott Moreau
2019 - Epiphany Panel | Riverside, CA - Race and Ethnicity from a Biblical Perspective with: Dr. Doug Wallace, Dr. Dhati Lewis, and Dr. Alma Zaragoza-Petty
2019 - Love Like You Mean It Panel | Belize City, Belize - Seasons of Drifting with: Voddie Baucham, Juli Slattery, Elicia Horton, and Ron Deal
2019 - Love Like You Mean It Panel | Belize City, Belize - Frustrations with Intimacy with: Voddie Baucham, Juli Slattery, Elicia Horton, and Ron Deal
2019 - City Conversations Panel | Little Rock, AR - City Conversations: Conversations about God, Life, and Faith in the City with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr.
2018 - SBC Baptist 21 Panel United and Diverse: Critical Issues for our Cooperative Future with: Russell Moore, Matt Chandler, Al Mohler, Kevin Smith, Trillia Newbell, & Danny Akin
2018 - SBC NAMB Panel Undivided Panel with: Dhati Lewis, Jose Abella, Kevin Smith, and Ed & Kathy Litton
2016 - The ERLC National Conference Every Square Inch: How Cultural Engagement Intersects with Everyday Life with: Trevin Wax, Daniel Patterson, Matthew Lee Anderson, Jackie Hill-Perry, and Jared Wilson

PUBLISHED DIGITAL RESOURCES
2023 - Art of Marriage, FamilyLIfe
2019 - Woo Marriage, Lifeway Resources
2017 - Control, RightNow Media
2015 - The Discipleship Toolkit, Urban Youth Workers Institute
2015 - Awaken, RightNow Media
2014 - Life on Mission, with David Platt, RightNow Media

Licensed and Ordained into ministry by Mt. Washington Baptist Church in 2007.

Pastored in: Kansas City, MO from 2007-2012; Long Beach, CA from 2016-2020; and Riverside, CA from 2020-2025.

The National Association of Evangelicals Board Member (2023 - Present)
The And (&) Campaign. (2020 - 2023). Advisory Board Member
The Send Institute. (2020 - 203). Advisory Board Member

I have been married to my best friend Elicia for 22 years. We have three kids Bella, Lola, and Duce. We enjoy going to Dodgers games, traveling, making each other laugh, and eating good food at local spots.

"So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." - 1 Thessalonians 2:8