Nashville mourns 49-year-old pastor who led at-risk youth away from life of crime
City leaders in Nashville, Tennessee, are mourning the death of a 49-year-old Nashville pastor who is widely known for helping lead at-risk teenagers and former gang members away from a life of crime.
Bishop Marcus Campbell, pastor of The Church at Mt. Carmel in North Nashville, died on Saturday. His family says he suffered from a heart condition that required him to get a new heart. He died after spending much time in the hospital for the last several months.
Campbell was also the founder of a nonprofit program called Gentleman and not Gangsters (GANG), which partnered with the court system to help troubled youth. As a teenager growing up down the street from the church he eventually pastored, Campbell was arrested for dealing drugs and spent time in prison.
"I am deeply saddened to hear of Bishop Campbell's passing," Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted. "Bishop was an unwavering source of light, love, and leadership for the Nashville community. He touched countless lives, inspiring us all to be better and work for the greater good. His legacy will not be forgotten."
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Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johnson said Campbell's death will be "very hard" because the "city has lost a true impact servant leader."
"Bishop Campbell touched so many youth through his G.A.N.G. outreach initiatives, the homeless and anyone who needed a helping hand," Johnson tweeted. "As a faith leader and friend, he will truly be missed. His legacy is great, and I join Nashville in mourning this great loss to our city."
Campbell's wife, Stacy, told WKRN that her husband suffered from cardiomyopathy, a condition that impacts the heart muscle and makes it more difficult for the blood to pump blood through the body.
"Everyone knew about my husband's heart, but I never thought it would get to this point," she said.
As a teenager, Campbell dealt drugs and served four years in prison, according to a 2016 profile published by The Tennessean titled "Dealer-turned-minister makes saving Nashville's youth his mission."
City leaders in Nashville, Tennessee, are mourning the death of a 49-year-old Nashville pastor who is widely known for helping lead at-risk teenagers and former gang members away from a life of crime.
Bishop Marcus Campbell, pastor of The Church at Mt. Carmel in North Nashville, died on Saturday. His family says he suffered from a heart condition that required him to get a new heart. He died after spending much time in the hospital for the last several months.
Campbell was also the founder of a nonprofit program called Gentleman and not Gangsters (GANG), which partnered with the court system to help troubled youth. As a teenager growing up down the street from the church he eventually pastored, Campbell was arrested for dealing drugs and spent time in prison.
"I am deeply saddened to hear of Bishop Campbell's passing," Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted. "Bishop was an unwavering source of light, love, and leadership for the Nashville community. He touched countless lives, inspiring us all to be better and work for the greater good. His legacy will not be forgotten."
Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johnson said Campbell's death will be "very hard" because the "city has lost a true impact servant leader."
"Bishop Campbell touched so many youth through his G.A.N.G. outreach initiatives, the homeless and anyone who needed a helping hand," Johnson tweeted. "As a faith leader and friend, he will truly be missed. His legacy is great, and I join Nashville in mourning this great loss to our city."
Campbell's wife, Stacy, told WKRN that her husband suffered from cardiomyopathy, a condition that impacts the heart muscle and makes it more difficult for the blood to pump blood through the body.
"Everyone knew about my husband's heart, but I never thought it would get to this point," she said.
As a teenager, Campbell dealt drugs and served four years in prison, according to a 2016 profile published by The Tennessean titled "Dealer-turned-minister makes saving Nashville's youth his mission."
After leaving prison, Campbell had a near-death experience in 1997 because he ingested too many drugs.
"You know, people say they see this bright light, this light at the end of the tunnel, but all I saw was dark, and it was hot," he said. "I guess I was going to hell. I knew then that my time was up, that I had to change. It was my Independence Day."
In a 2019 video testimony, Campbell said it brought him to tears to realize that he went from being a kid that "was loved" to "looking for love in all the wrong places."
"I didn't have a father. All the other kids in high school, the other kids got their father at the football games and wrestling matches. I didn't have anybody," he said, adding that he hadn't seen his father since he was 4. "It really hurt me not to have that father in my life. ... I felt like God didn't really love me."
In 2008, after receiving his ordination, the Campbells launched the GANG program, which partners with the Nashville juvenile court system to offer a 12-week diversion program to help at-risk youths and former gang members involved in the Gang Resistance Intervention and Prevention program.
"We've had a lot of kids that got in trouble for truancy," Campbell said in a 2021 interview with the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance. "Since they've been in the program they're back in school and their grades have improved. We've had some graduate from the program and go on to college, others have joined the military."
Jamil, who was a junior at the time he was interviewed by The Tennessean in 2016, said Campbell was like a "father figure."
"I liked how he would keep it real with me, like a father figure, because my father's not around," Jamil said. "Sometimes when I have a lot of stuff on my mind I can come to him about it, and he'll break it down to me, and he'll let me know different choices I could have made, but he'll always let me know the right choice about it."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Campbell arranged a makeshift classroom at the church for children to attend school virtually and provided breakfast and lunch every day for dozens of children, according to a GoFundMe campaign that raised $45,000 to support the Campbell family during the pandemic.
According to the campaign, Campbell had not taken a salary from the church in three years due to limited funds.
After leaving prison, Campbell had a near-death experience in 1997 because he ingested too many drugs.
"You know, people say they see this bright light, this light at the end of the tunnel, but all I saw was dark, and it was hot," he said. "I guess I was going to hell. I knew then that my time was up, that I had to change. It was my Independence Day."
In a 2019 video testimony, Campbell said it brought him to tears to realize that he went from being a kid that "was loved" to "looking for love in all the wrong places."
"I didn't have a father. All the other kids in high school, the other kids got their father at the football games and wrestling matches. I didn't have anybody," he said, adding that he hadn't seen his father since he was 4. "It really hurt me not to have that father in my life. ... I felt like God didn't really love me."
In 2008, after receiving his ordination, the Campbells launched the GANG program, which partners with the Nashville juvenile court system to offer a 12-week diversion program to help at-risk youths and former gang members involved in the Gang Resistance Intervention and Prevention program.
"We've had a lot of kids that got in trouble for truancy," Campbell said in a 2021 interview with the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance. "Since they've been in the program they're back in school and their grades have improved. We've had some graduate from the program and go on to college, others have joined the military."
Jamil, who was a junior at the time he was interviewed by The Tennessean in 2016, said Campbell was like a "father figure."
"I liked how he would keep it real with me, like a father figure, because my father's not around," Jamil said. "Sometimes when I have a lot of stuff on my mind I can come to him about it, and he'll break it down to me, and he'll let me know different choices I could have made, but he'll always let me know the right choice about it."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Campbell arranged a makeshift classroom at the church for children to attend school virtually and provided breakfast and lunch every day for dozens of children, according to a GoFundMe campaign that raised $45,000 to support the Campbell family during the pandemic.
According to the campaign, Campbell had not taken a salary from the church in three years due to limited funds.
