35 From DBU to Nashville, Chris Clayton has spent a lifetime blending worship, ministry, and music. Long before writing songs in Nashville studios or collaborating with churches around the world, the Dallas Baptist University alumnus, ’00, ’19, was a pastor’s kid immersed in church life. “I was raised in an incredible family with amazing parents and siblings,” Chris shared. “From the start I was immersed in ministry. As a pastor’s kid, I found myself at church events, student gatherings, potlucks—you name it.” Chris came to know Christ at a young age, but during high school, he began to understand what it truly meant to follow Jesus. His student pastor, Andy, gave him his first opportunity to lead worship on Wednesday nights, an experience that shaped his calling and future ministry. Chris’s connection to DBU began through his father, Michael Clayton ‘74, also a DBU graduate. Though attending DBU required a financial step of faith, Chris saw God provide. “God was faithful to provide every dollar for me to attend. It was one of the first of many times I have seen Him be faithful to provide in my life,” he recalls. Chris graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and later completed a Master of Arts in Worship Leadership in 2019. At DBU, he became involved in the Baptist Student Ministry, led worship for campus events, and met Kara ‘00, his future wife. The couple married in January 2001 and celebrated 25 years of marriage this year. After graduation, Chris worked with producer David Parker while leading worship at camps and churches. In 2005, he launched his own production and worship ministry, later serving on staff at 121 Community Church and teaching in DBU’s Music Business program. A new chapter began in 2015 when Chris signed a publishing deal with Michael Farren and relocated to Nashville. Most recently, in February 2026, he signed an exclusive publishing deal with Story House Publishing, led by Matthew West in partnership with Essential Music Publishing, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Chris Clayton’s Journey in Songwriting and Music Production FROM DBU TO NASHVILLE: “ “ The most fulfilling part of my job is sitting with artists and worship leaders and helping bring life into their songs. Taking simple ideas, work tapes, and demos into a full-blown song never gets old. -CHRIS CLAYTON SCAN TO READ FULL STORY
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