Vol 59, No. 3 100 Campus View Drive • Lincoln, IL 62656 Spring 2003

President’s DistinguishedService AwardsDr. Marion Henderson –Upon the occasion of his retirement from full-time classroom work, Dr. Marion Henderson was awarded thePresident’s Distinguished Service Award. His association with Lincoln Christian College and Seminary beganin 1945 when he entered Lincoln Bible Institute as one of the early pioneer students to study for the ministry.He graduated in 1948, whereupon he continued his education at Southern Baptist TheologicalSeminary and received a B.D. and a Ph.D. in 1951 and 1966 respectively. In 1951 Dr. Henderson was calledto Lincoln to serve as Professor in New Testament and Greek, where he served until 1976. During this time,he also coached basketball and baseball for 16 years, as well as serving as Athletic Director for 20 years.Dr. Marion HendersonHis pulpit ministries include the Chandlerville (IL) Christian Church, the Zoah Christian Church inScottsburg, Indiana, and nearly twenty-five years at the South Fork Church of Christ, Rochester, Illinois.In 1976, Dr. Henderson accepted the position of Chairman of the Biblical Department of Central FloridaBible College. In 1980 he assumed the presidency of the college, now known as Florida Christian College, Kissimmee, Florida. In 1986,Dr. Henderson returned to Lincoln Christian College and Seminary as Special Assistant to the President, a position he held until 2000.He also taught in the fields of New Testament and Greek through the 2002-03 academic year. He will continue to teach his Life of Christseries indefinitely each semester.As an expression of remarkable respect and as an acknowledgement of his Kingdom contribution, the very first Restoration Award waspresented to Dr. Henderson in 1966 in the field of Christian Higher Education. He was also named Distinguished Professor on May 4,1995, and is the only professor to date to hold this title. As another first, on February 1, 2003, Dr. Henderson became the first and onlyinductee into the Lincoln Christian College Athletic Hall of Fame, recognizing his distinguished service as a player, coach, and athleticdirector. The latest tribute to Dr. Henderson is a 24-chapter book, The Preachers’ Teacher, written in his honor by former students knownaffectionately as “his preacher boys.”Verlin Parker –Only a handful of Lincoln Bible Institute, Lincoln Christian College, and Lincoln Christian Seminary earlyleaders remain who can personally provide the stories of victory and sacrifice of the school’s early years. VerlinParker’s life takes in those early years, as his association with Lincoln began in 1952, when he enrolled as afreshman student. Responding to the cry for help and in response to Earl Hargrove’s promise, “The preachersare coming,” Verlin held student ministries in Easton, Beardstown, and East St. Louis, Illinois.Verlin ParkerFollowing graduation, he ministered with the Texas Christian Church in Clinton, Illinois, where, for twentyfiveyears, he coupled his pastoral responsibilities with employment at Lincoln Bible Institute and LincolnChristian College and Seminary. From 1959 to 1965, Verlin served as an Instructor in Greek, and from 1963to 2002, he served the College and Seminary in the office of Business Administration. He retired inDecember, 2002.This gentle and knowledgeable servant brought direction, honorable stewardship, and sustenance to the school’s financial condition in itsearly years. More than any other single person, Verlin can probably provide the best historical account of the financial pilgrimage ofLincoln Christian College and Seminary.As evidence of his knowledge of financial management for Christian schools, Verlin served a number of times on the AccreditingAssociation of Bible College’s evaluation teams. He was an organizer and the first President of the Logan County (IL) Schools FederalCredit Union and served from its inception as Lincoln Christian College and Seminary Alumni Association’s treasurer.Special honors include a 1975 Restoration Award presented to Verlin for Kingdom Service in Christian Education Administration andnow the 2003 President’s Distinguished Service Award, presented with great affection for 45 years of faithful service.3