best selling author
What the World Needs Now
Redefine leadership and character.
Discover a path to a more connected and meaningful life with What the World Needs Now. Written by Clay Stauffer, a seasoned pastor, professor, husband, and father, this book explores moral leadership, character, and values that transcend generational and cultural divides.
With 30 concise chapters covering topics such as love, hope, diversity, and joy, Stauffer invites you to reflect on how we can improve our relationships, reshape culture, and build a sustainable future for generations to come. Blending Christian wisdom with universally accessible principles, the book illuminates the importance of virtues, emotional intelligence, and spiritual growth.
What the World Needs Now inspires readers from all walks of life to embody values of decency, civility, and mutual respect.
best selling author
What the World Needs Now
Redefine leadership and character.
Discover a path to a more connected and meaningful life with What the World Needs Now. Written by Clay Stauffer, a seasoned pastor, professor, husband, and father, this book explores moral leadership, character, and values that transcend generational and cultural divides.
With 30 concise chapters covering topics such as love, hope, diversity, and joy, Stauffer invites you to reflect on how we can improve our relationships, reshape culture, and build a sustainable future for generations to come. Blending Christian wisdom with universally accessible principles, the book illuminates the importance of virtues, emotional intelligence, and spiritual growth.
What the World Needs Now inspires readers from all walks of life to embody values of decency, civility, and mutual respect.
Clay Stauffer
Author
About
Clay Stauffer is the Senior Minister of Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and teaches moral leadership at Vanderbilt University. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University (2002), a Master of Divinity from Princeton Seminary (2005), and a Doctor of Ministry from the University of the South at Sewanee (2015). His doctoral work explored the intersection of faith and politics and the growing polarization within American culture. Known for his preaching and leadership ability, Clay is a community leader in Nashville and serves on many nonprofit boards. He is a regular columnist for The Tennessean Newspaper, writing articles about faith, values, spirituality, and culture. Clay is married to Megan, and together they have three children.
My Books
This book addresses the deeper issues that matter most in life: faith, wisdom, values, spirituality, relationships, connection, and self-reflection. As our world becomes more and more secular, people remain restless and hungry to discuss these important topics. What does it mean to grow spiritually? What does it mean to do meaningful soul work? What are the values and priorities that should matter most? What type of culture will our children and grandchildren inherit? Here are a few insights that I believe to be true.
-All human beings long for meaning and deeper purpose in their lives.
-Jesus Christ continues to speak to and challenge our culture.
-Issues of character and integrity are very important.
-Growth in the spiritual life has become much more challenging in this busy age of technology, multi- tasking, and over-commitment.
Religion, politics, and money. Three things you’re never supposed to discuss in polite company. But what if you’re a pastor? Forget red state/blue state divisions, what happens when your church members disagree about politics? In this age of prosperity preaching, how do you preach, “You cannot serve God and money?” Clay Stauffer addresses the challenges that preachers face when serving a politically diverse congregation in Preaching Politics. Money, materialism, and their effects on modern-day faith and spirituality are viewed through the teachings of Jesus, as well as the work of Methodist minister Adam Hamilton and Duke University ethicist Stanley Hauerwas.
Posts from Clay
Finding the Christmas Spirit
In less than two weeks, on Dec. 11, a forty-year Christmas tradition makes its return to Nashville and to our church. Woodmont has hosted Walk Thru Bethlehem since 1982. What started as a small live nativity scene put on by a youth group has grown and evolved into a...
Living With Genuine Gratitude
Thanksgiving week is upon us! Thanksgiving is a time for us to slow down and count our blessings in life. We are often guilty of taking those blessings for granted. Deep down, we appreciate these things but sometimes, we start to overlook them. We get caught up in the...
Investing in the Next Generation
Over the past five years, I have had the chance to do some intentional work with high school seniors in Nashville. These are seventeen and eighteen year olds who are busy filling out college applications and preparing to make that major life transition in the near...
The Pandemic’s Lasting Impact on Churces
Leading a congregation through Covid was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Other faith leaders that I have talked to agree. Nobody took a class in seminary focusing on church leadership during a global pandemic. Over the past two years, many...
Bethlehem is Coming Back!
This year, one of our MAJOR church ministries returns after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. For 39 years now, Woodmont has been putting on Walk Thru Bethlehem for the Nashville community, and many who travel from out of town. What first started as a live...
New sermon series “The Fruits of the Spirit”
How do others know you are a Christian? Is it because you go to church? Is it because of the beliefs you hold? Because you know the lingo? Or, is it by the way you talk, behave, and treat other people around you? This Sunday, we will begin a new sermon series at...
Board & Leadership Update
The Woodmont Board held its second meeting of the fiscal year on Monday night. Our church remains in healthy financial shape even though pledged giving tends to lag behind in July and August each year. A financial summary will be provided after September books are...
Shine Light & Keep Liza’s Legacy Alive!
On Friday morning, September 2nd, thirty-four year old Liza Fletcher got up early to go for a run as she often did many mornings. Running was her passion and her outlet. It was the way she stayed in shape and handled stress as a pre-k teacher at St. Mary’s School, a...
Frederick Buechner’s Legacy of Vulnerability
One early morning in the fall of 1936, ten-year-old Frederick Buechner and his younger brother were playing happily in their room. Their father walked down the hall, checked on them, and then he proceeded down to the garage where he started the family Chevy and waited...