He worked briefly as an investment banker at First Boston in New York City before returning to Houston for a job at the bond firm of Hibbard, O'Conner and Weeks.
Caldwell felt called to Christian ministry,[citation needed] attending the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and receiving a master's in divinity in 1981.
[5] A major theme in Caldwell's preaching has been the need for his congregation to follow Jesus Christ's example with active involvement in community service.
In 1996 the Wall Street Journal ran a front-page story on Caldwell,[citation needed] which prompted Simon & Schuster to approach him about a book.
[citation needed] Bush spoke at the 1996 opening of the Power Center, and they agreed that a partnership between religious organizations and government could have positive social results.
Alan Dershowitz wrote, "The plain message conveyed by the new administration is that George W. Bush's America is a Christian nation, and that non-Christians are welcome into the tent so long as they agree to accept their status as a tolerated minority rather than as full equal citizens".
[citation needed] Caldwell again offered the benediction at Bush's second inauguration; this time he prayed, "respective of all faiths, I submit this prayer in the name of Jesus.
[citation needed] Caldwell endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary,[12] supporting him against John McCain in the presidential election.
Caldwell organized a food drive, Operation Compassion, with other churches in the Houston area to feed and pray for those living in the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Astrodome.
[17] Caldwell, the Pyramid Residential Community Corporation and Ryland Homes built a Houston subdivision named Corinthian Pointe during the first decade of the 21st century.
Located outside the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8 near Reliant Park, it is the largest residential subdivision in Houston developed by a non-profit group.
[19] In March 2018, Caldwell and financial planner Gregory Allen Smith were accused by federal prosecutors of defrauding investors of $3.4 million through worthless bonds.
According to the 13-count indictment, Caldwell and Smith made millions selling historical Chinese pre-Communist government bonds as if they were valuable investment instruments.