“We learn by listening to one another—from within our cultures and cross-culturally as well,” said Dr. J. Nathan Clayton.

Clayton speaks from personal experience. Before pursuing his biblical teaching ministry at North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS), he was raised in France as a missionary kid, his parents serving in theological education across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He spent his formative years surrounded by many cultures in the evangelical French church and beyond.

These days, Clayton brings his intercultural background and understanding of diverse ministry settings to his role as associate professor of Old Testament and chair of the Bible field, helping students faithfully engage in the historical and grammatical interpretation of God’s Word.

“I grew up learning different languages and being exposed to many Christian ministry and worship traditions,” explained Clayton, whose artifacts from biblical sites and other cross-cultural mission trips are displayed in his office.

We learn by listening to one another—from within our cultures and cross-culturally as well.

“God has shaped me in these unique ways, as He has called me to teach at North Park, where I have the joy of interacting with students from a wonderful variety of cultures from around the country and the world,” he said.

A travel course based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is where Clayton said he found his “sweet spot,” co-teaching—with Professor of Missiology Dr. Paul De Neui—a combined class of North Park and Congolese students in both English and French.

Clayton enjoys teaching in every way, including in-person mini-case studies, prerecorded video lectures, small-group discussions in digital breakout rooms, and tours of the University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, West Asia & North Africa.

“In all of these formats, I seek to bring students in contact with the living Word of God,” he said, “by helping them get a sense of the clear flow of biblical history, grow in their ability to recognize and interpret various literary genres and canonical contexts, and faithfully build a bridge from the past meaning of Scripture to its present significance in ministry.”