GUEST SPEAKER: CLAYTON KING
Born in 1972, Clayton was adopted at 3 weeks old and raised in a Christian home
in Fountain Inn, SC by Joe and Jane King. He grew up in the country and learned
the value of honesty, hard work, and keeping your word. His parents were
Southern Baptist, he attended a Presbyterian Christian school, and his
grandfather was Pentecostal. He had an interesting perspective on God and
church from a very young age, as you can imagine! God saved him when he was
14 years old and the same night he was saved he felt God call him into the
ministry. He surrendered to that call and has preached to almost 2 million people
in 25 countries and 45 states.
Clayton speaks to over 200,000 people annually on college campuses for FCA, InterVarsity, BSU, and Campus Crusade for Christ. He also speaks at numerous national youth conferences, camps, and retreats, as well as dozens of youth rallies and churches of different denominations. Audiences of all ages respond to his honest and clear style of sharing the Gospel as well as his warm personality and quick sense of humor. He speaks on various topics depending on his audience, including marriage, missions, music, dating, motivational talks for non-religious events, and discipleship. But above all, he is called to preach the gospel and call people to salvation in Christ.
Clayton is the Founder and President of Crossroads Worldwide. This non-profit, interdenominational ministry now includes Crossroads Summer Camps, Winter Conferences, Ministry Summits, Ministry Forums, and Mission trips. He is the author of 3 books and the founder of two bands; Monogamous Fish (1995-1997) and Adam’s Housecat (1997-present). The bands have recorded a total of 8 records; 3 of all original songs and 5 praise and worship albums. Their sound has been compared to Third Day, Train, and Vertical Horizon. Clayton’s “The ‘Rassling Song” was heard regularly for 3 years on the Johnboy and Billy Big Show (but Clayton has since quit watching wrestling for obvious reasons).
He loves to read theology, apologetics, and adventure. His favorite authors are C.S. Lewis, Eugene Peterson, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jack London, Watchman Nee, Ravi Zacharias, G.K Chesterton, John Piper and Mark Twain. His favorite bands are U2, Third Day, Mike Knott, The Lost Dogs, Alison Kraus, Vigilantes of Love, Delirious, King’s X, and Johnny Cash. He loves the outdoors, dirt bikes, good movies, backpacking, bass fishing, cold weather, the Grand Canyon, the Smoky mountains, and people. He collects action figures and would rather work on a tractor than just about anything in the whole wide world. He is thankful for God’s faithfulness and cannot wait to see what God will do in days to come.