Alumna Dr. Lisa Clark finds fulfillment in writing to help people teach

Dr. Lisa Clark’s path to Concordia University, Nebraska began on a sixth-grade field trip through South Dakota. The teachers and group of ten students spent one night of their trip at Concordia, and Clark never forgot the school.

Lisa Marie (Stock) Clark graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Secondary Language Arts and her Lutheran Teacher’s Diploma. She looks back on her time at Concordia with fondness.

When asked what her favorite part of the Concordia experience was, she mentioned the friendships. “I had no idea how many of my classmates would become lifelong friends.” She also stated that she was surprised by how well her degree was able to prepare her for life. While Clark knew when she graduated that she would be able to teach high school English through a Christian lens, she found that she was also well prepared for writing, editing, presenting and so much more.

She noted that her professors instilled in her “the joy of grace and the gift of God’s vocations. I rested assured that God would lead and call me according to His will and be pleased because of my identity as His child.” Clark said that even in the years since her graduation, she’s remembered the voices of her professors encouraging her and sharing the wisdom that she herself shares with those around her. 

In addition to the knowledge that the professors imparted, Clark also talked about how her professors impacted her faith by teaching her how to look at her content area through a Christian perspective and to dig deeply into scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. She also shared that beyond the teaching, everyone on campus constantly exuded their identity in Christ. Clark said, “They didn’t just tell us that our faith impacts how we teach and live; they demonstrated it continually.”

After graduation, she was called to teach at Lutheran South High School in St. Louis, Missouri, where she taught English and Journalism. When her husband, Rev. Dr. Matt Clark ’02, was ordained she took the opportunity to stay home with their young children. During this time, Clark was given the opportunity to work as a freelance copyeditor for Concordia Publishing House (CPH). She also began writing around this time as well. By 2010, Clark had started working with the CPH copyediting team, and in 2015, she was called to serve there as a curriculum editor. 

Clark says, “Even though I miss the classroom, I love being able to help other teachers teach the faith…What I love about this path that God has provided is that I see the many ways that He has equipped me through Concordia and other experiences to serve not only in my career but also throughout my life. That’s both satisfying and encouraging: no matter my job title, I’ve been able to utilize the training and gifts I’ve been given to serve.”

“I used to teach people how to write. Now, I write in order to help people teach. It’s a joy to know that people are using materials my colleagues and I developed so that a new generation knows more about Jesus.”

Clark now holds a master’s in English composition through the University of Missouri – Saint Louis and a Ph.D. in English (Creative Writing) through the University of Bristol, U.K. In addition to leading CPH’s curriculum team as the senior editor of curriculum resources, she writes books, devotions and hymns, among other things. Her daily vocation involves lots of researching and learning. Clark is always discovering new ways to serve the church. Sometimes, she’s helping to develop a curriculum from scratch. Other times, she’s coaching writers or editing, or writing. Sometimes, she’s training others on how to use the curriculum. Her vocation is constantly changing to meet the needs of churches, schools and families.

When asked what she finds fulfilling about her work, Clark said, “I used to teach people how to write. Now, I write in order to help people teach. It’s a joy to know that people are using materials my colleagues and I developed so that a new generation knows more about Jesus.”

Clark’s family has a history of serving the church. Both her mom and mother-in-law were Lutheran school teachers, and her dad and father-in-law have spent their lives serving their congregations outside of their workdays. She met her husband Matt at church, and they both attended Concordia Nebraska. He is currently the senior pastor at Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Missouri. They have both encouraged each other in their studies over the years and this past year they both completed doctoral programs. Their son, Noah, is a senior at Concordia University Chicago, and plans to become a Lutheran high school English teacher. Their daughter, Anna, is a senior at Lutheran South High School in St. Louis and plans to apply to Concordia Nebraska in the fall. They are excited to soon welcome Noah’s fiancée, Addie, to the family as well. 

Outside of her work, Clark loves to bake, sing, read and write. Of all the media she writes (books, devotions, etc.), she loves writing hymns the most. “It’s such a collaborative process: I write the texts, but I need composers to write the music. I often tear up when I get the chance to sing one of my hymns, combining two hobbies I love.”

Concordia University, Nebraska’s education program prepares teachers to lead, teach and serve from a foundation of faith that asserts the value of every individual. Education majors will sharpen their God-given gifts as they learn to minister to future students, families, churches and communities. Learn more about Concordia’s education programs here.