Dr. Billy Kim and HCBA President Walter Grubb to address spring graduates

Carson-Newman University has announced its May 10 spring commencement speakers. Dr. Billy Kim will address undergraduates at 9:00 a.m. in Burke-Tarr Stadium. President Walter Grubb will speak during the University’s Graduate Student Commencement at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Jefferson City. Both distinguished speakers will receive honorary doctoral degrees from C-N.

“We are blessed to hear from these two individuals who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers as servant-leaders with a heart for Christ,” said Carson-Newman President Randall O’Brien. “We seek to instill in our students the importance of becoming servant leaders. Therefore it is most fitting that our new graduates receive parting wisdom from Dr. Kim and President Grubb, each who exhibit the finest characteristics of Christian leadership and service.”

Dr. Billy Kim served as the president of the Baptist World Alliance from 2000-2005, and is founder of Youth for Christ in Korea. He currently serves as chair of the Far East Broadcasting Company in South Korea. Having a heart for sharing the Gospel, he has spent his career engaged in ministry. Born in Korea in 1934 near the end of the Japanese occupation, Kim came to the United States to pursue an education. After earning both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bob Jones University, he returned home to Korea with his wife Trudy to begin their ministry in Suwon.

Evangelism, pastoral work and youth ministry highlighted Kim’s first year. When he and Trudy began serving at Suwon Central Baptist Church in 1959, the church had only a dozen members. The congregation has now grown to over 15,000. He continues to serve as pastor emeritus of the church.

Kim developed a gift of interpretive skill incorporating speed, accuracy, and enthusiasm. In 1973, he translated for Dr. Billy Graham during that year’s crusade. Each night the crowd grew to a maximum attendance of 1.1 million. Thousands of people gave their lives to Christ through the crusade, greatly contributing to church growth in Korea.

That same year, Kim was installed as director of the Far East Broadcasting Company in Korea. FEBC-Korea now has eight stations and continues to faithfully preach the Gospel. FEBC-Korea reaches 3 billion people, speaking 130 languages in 50 countries around the world.

Having become known as “The Billy Graham of South Korea,” Kim’s speaking and preaching engagements have taken him from Amsterdam to India, and from Anaheim to Atlanta.

He and his wife have two sons and one daughter.

Kim will receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from C-N during the ceremony.

President Walter Grubb will speak during the Friday Graduate Student Commencement. Grubb serves as headmaster of Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy (HCBA) in Seymour, Tennessee. He served as HCBA principal from 1987 until 1994, when he was appointed president. Throughout his 26 years at HCBA, Grubb has provided devoted leadership for the academy, which began doing business as The King’s Academy in 1993, and also operates the Bible Training Center for bi-vocational ministers and the Chilhowee Retreat Center for churches and schools. The King’s Academy is a K-12 school with an international reach.

The Blount County native is an alumnus of California Baptist University in Riverside. In 1975, following a year of graduate studies at the University of Tennessee, he earned teaching certification in social studies. He continued his education earning the Master of Science degree in counseling from California State University, Fullerton. A 2,000-hour internship led to licensure as a marriage, family and child counselor. Grubb currently is licensed as a marital and family therapist in Tennessee. His subsequent graduate studies at California’s Azusa Pacific University led to certification in school administration in 1985.

While living in Riverside, he served as a licensed marriage, family and child counselor in private practice, dean of students at CBU, and principal of Riverside Christian High School and Monroe Christian Elementary School. He was named CBU’s Alumnus of the Year in 2011 and was also named as one of 40 of the institution’s Outstanding Alumni. He is an active member of his church, Madison Avenue Baptist Church, as well as his community.

He and his wife, Diane, have two sons.

Grubb will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree during the graduate ceremony.