Fetters, Jenkins to address Huntington class of 2008

Huntington, Ind.-Huntington University will hold its 110th commencement exercises at 3:00 p.m. on May 17 in the Field House of the Merillat Complex for Physical Education. The annual commencement address will be given by best-selling author Dr. Jerry Jenkins. His address is titled, "Lessons I Learned from a Leader." The public is invited to attend the commencement ceremony.

Dr. Luke Fetters, Huntington University associate professor of ministry and missions, will deliver the baccalaureate sermon to graduates and their parents at 10:30 a.m. in the Zurcher Auditorium of the Merillat Centre for the Arts. Fetters' address is titled "Laying Down Our Lives...One Day at a Time."

Huntington University will award associate, bachelor's and master's degrees to approximately 200 graduates on Saturday. Four honorary doctorates also will be awarded.


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Dr. Jerry Jenkins, former vice president for publishing and currently writer-at-large for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, is the author of more than 170 books, including the 65,000,000-selling "Left Behind" series and "The Jesus Chronicles."

Also the former editor of Moody Magazine, Jenkins' writing has appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye were profiled in a May 24, 2004, cover story in Newsweek magazine titled "The New Prophets of Revelation."

Jenkins' non-fiction books include as-told-to biographies with Hank Aaron, Brett Butler, Bill Gaither, Orel Hershiser, Luis Palau, Walter Payton, Nolan Ryan, and Sammy Tippit, among many others. The Hershiser and Ryan books reached the New York Times best-seller list. Jenkins also assisted Dr. Billy Graham with his memoirs, "Just As I Am," also a New York Times bestseller. Beginning in 1993, Jenkins spent 13 months assisting Graham with his autobiography.

Jenkins owns Jenkins Entertainment, a filmmaking company in Los Angeles, which produced the critically-acclaimed movie "Hometown Legend," based on his book of the same name. "Hometown Legend" was listed as one of the top 10 family films of 2002 by Good News Communication's MOVIEGUIDE (R).

Jenkins also owns the Christian Writers Guild, which aims to train tomorrow's professional Christian writers and has nearly 2,000 members worldwide. The centerpiece of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild is a brand-new, e-mail correspondence course. Students are personally mentored by a seasoned professional writer or editor via e-mail throughout the two-year program. Coursework is also available for young writers, ages eight to 12, as well as a program for teens.

As a marriage and family author and speaker, Jenkins has been a frequent guest on Dr. James Dobson's "Focus On the Family" radio program.

Jenkins wrote the nationally syndicated sports story comic strip, "Gil Thorp," from 1996-2004.

He and his wife Dianna have three grown sons and four grandchildren and live in Colorado.


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Dr. Luke Fetters, associate professor of ministry and missions, joined the Huntington University faculty in 2000. He was awarded the Professor of the Year honor in 2005. He is a graduate of Huntington University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and religion and a Master of Christian Ministry degree. In addition, he holds a Master of Arts in intercultural studies/China from Wheaton College Graduate School. Fetters earned his Doctorate of Education in adult, higher and community education from Ball State University.

He has served the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in a wide variety of ministry roles. In the summer of 2007, Fetters led a group of faculty members, alumni, and students on a three-week teacher training event for English teachers in Zhuhai City Schools in southern China. Fetters will lead an expanded program this summer, continuing a growing partnership between Huntington University and the Zhuhai City Bureau of Education.

Fetters lived in Macau with his family from 1986 until 1997. During his time in Asia, in addition to church planting, Fetters was involved in teaching English and serving as a consultant for teaching English as a second language to school districts in southern China. Fetters understands the administrative side of ministry, having served as field director of a multicultural leadership team in Macau and as the executive assistant to the president of Huntington University from 1997 through 1999. Fetters currently chairs the Global Ministries Leadership Team for the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

He and his wife Audrey have three children, Bridger (20), Piers (18) and Bronwen (14). They reside in Huntington.


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