Rev. Dr. Kirk M. Clayton
Assistant Professor of Theology
Director of the Pre-Seminary Program
Rev. Dr. Kirk M. Clayton is a steady, caring guide for students discerning their next steps. Whether they are wrestling with questions about faith, ministry or their future in the church, he meets them with patience, honesty and care.
Before coming to Concordia University Chicago, Dr. Clayton served 24 years in parish ministry, first in Central Illinois and then for many years in Southern Illinois. Today, he walks alongside pre-seminary students as they learn to care for God’s people with a true pastoral heart.
Dr. Clayton specializes in Christian apologetics. In The Defense of the Christian Faith, students wrestle with real objections to Christianity, discuss them thoughtfully in class and learn to respond with truth and grace. In Systematic Theology, they study Scripture carefully, examine what the Church has confessed through the centuries and grow more confident in proclaiming Christ crucified and risen. His goal in both courses is to help students stand firm in what they believe and speak clearly about the hope they have in Jesus.
His preparation has taken him around the world. He studied for three summers at the International Academy of Apologetics in Strasbourg, France. He has spoken at Higher Things youth conferences, appeared on KFUO Radio and Issues, Etc., and in summer 2025 he taught apologetics in Australia. These experiences deepen the way he prepares students to serve faithfully wherever God may lead.
Beyond the classroom, Dr. Clayton serves as Director of the Pre-Seminary Program and leads CUC’s annual Apologetics Boot Camp. He guides students through the rhythms of daily chapel, conversations with local pastors over shared meals and time spent serving in area congregations. Inside and outside the classroom, he invests in students personally, helping them grow in both a faithful theological foundation and a compassionate pastoral heart as they discern their call to serve the church.