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
Nominating Woodmont Leaders
This has been quite a winter storm this week bringing some frigid temperatures! On Monday night, January 15, the Woodmont Elders met on Zoom because of the road conditions. We talked about church leadership, and I specifically asked them what qualities they look for...
10 Key Principles for 2024
I try to begin each new year with two basic questions. First, what lessons did you learn in 2023 based on your experiences? Second, what are your top three priorities as we begin 2024? The new year is a time to start over, wipe the slate clean, leave the past behind,...
Taking Jesus Seriously
Happy New Year and welcome to 2024! I like to begin the new year with two questions: 1. What did you learn in 2023? How did you grow? 2. What are your main priorities or goals as we begin 2024? On Wednesday night, Jan. 10, Jay and I will lead a special session in the...
Christmas Eve at Woodmont
Christmas Eve is the holiest night of the year as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ – the light that shines in the darkness. This is when our preparation all comes together for Christmas. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday so we are making a few minor...
Experience the Wonder of Christmas
Thank you to everybody who participated in Walk Thru Bethlehem. It was an amazing year and we welcomed thousands to our church. I am grateful for all of the leaders who helped make it happen and to everybody who volunteered. It remains one of Woodmont’s greatest...
Why Walk Thru Bethlehem?
For roughly 40 years now, Woodmont has been putting on Walk Thru Bethlehem for the Nashville community, and many who travel in from out of town. What first started as a live nativity scene up at South Hall in 1983 put on by our youth (to honor Anne Keith) has grown...
Seek the Light this Christmas
I hope you and your family had a good Thanksgiving. Mine was very difficult. Last Wednesday night, I lost one of my long-time, closest friends Zach Muckleroy. He and his family were driving from Fort Worth to Johnson City, TX, to visit family when a truck suddenly...
Envy, Gratitude, & Contentment
Thanksgiving week is a perfect time for us to acknowledge the fundamental difference between envy and gratitude, coveting and contentment. American culture has a consumer-driven economic system that, to some degree, fuels itself on coveting and wanting what others...
Being Spiritually Connected in Anxious Times
When we started the Philippians series, I asked individual people and groups what bothers them the most about our culture and the current state of society. I shared some of these responses on Sunday. The answers will vary but here are some of the most common responses...