Resume


Janis Hutchinson is an award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with B.th and M.A. degrees in Theology. She is also credentialed with the Assemblies of God.

Awarded “Writer of the Year” (2008) by the American Christian Writers Association, she is in demand as a speaker on Christian radio and TV. She is author of The Mormon Missionaries: an inside look, and Out of the Cults and Into the Church: Understanding and encouraging ex-cultists. Her debut novel is Ultimate Justice, a suspense thriller, and is inspired by a true story in which she played a role. She lives near Seattle, Washington. Her blog is wwwjanishutchinson.blogspot.com (no dot after the www). She loves to hear from her readers at: janishutchinson@comcast.net.

Her knowledge of Mormonism comes from having been an active Mormon for thirty-five years during which time she served in the Sunday school, Primary, Relief Society, Genealogical program, and Young Women's departments. Her more prominent functions were serving as Gospel Doctrine teacher (adult Sunday school teacher) and Director of Teacher Development. She also served two local missions, married a returned missionary (now deceased), and sent a daughter on a full-time Mormon mission. However, all of her children left Mormonism to embrace biblical Christianity.

She is recognized as an expert on cult recovery and the serious problems former cult members face when converting to traditional churches. She is a frequent guest lecturer in the Bible college classroom and at Christian conferences, has been interviewed on Christian radio and TV, has counseled many former cult members, and served twelve years with the Institute of Religious Research in their Mormon Mentoring Program. She has been twice widowed and is the mother of three. She is retired and lives in Everett, Washington.

Academic Credentials

  • B.Th  Degree from International Bible College (Valedictorian)
    Thesis: "Universal Principles and Their Application to Theology" (165 pages)
  • M.A in Theology from St. Mary’s University Graduate School. (Summa Cum Laude, and       Distinguished Student)
    Thesis: "Mormon Metaphors and the Identity Crisis in Defecting to Christianity" (244 pages)
Other Academics
  • Library Technology Course, San Antonio Community College, TX
  • Fiction writing, Everett Community College, WA. Ariele Huff, Instructor
  • Fiction III course, Everett Community College, WA. Kevin Craft, Instructor
 Awards
  • "Writer of the Year" 2008, American Christian Writers.
  • Two of her books awarded "Outstanding Read" by Faithwriters.com.
  • First place winner for essay, Reflections in Counterpoint, in the (WA) Arts Commission, 2002 Write on the Sound Writers' Conference Literary Contest.
  • First place winner for short story, Passages of the Heart, in the (WA) “Arts Commission, 2002 Write on the Sound Writers' Conference Literary Contest.
  • International Honorable Mention for God’s Love Surprise, in the LITT World 2002 Writing Competition. (Competition from five continents)
  • First place winner for Lullabies and Warm Rice, in the St. Mary’s University Short Story Writing Contest.
  • Honorable Mention in the 2009 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Escape From the Cult. . . . and more.
Books   
  • Out of the Cults and Into the Church: Understanding and encouraging ex-cultists. (Kregel Publications, Inc., 1994. Worldwide distribution. Compulsory reading for the Christian Counseling course at the New Zealand Jubilee Training Institute.

  • The Mormon Missionaries: An inside look at their real message and methods (Kregel Publications, Inc., 1995. Worldwide distribution) Required reading at Samford University Divinity School. 

  • Second Edition of The Mormon Missionaries: An inside look at their real message and methods (Cross and Pen Ministries, 2012).

  • Misioneros Mormones: Lo nunca dicho de sus verdaderos metodos y mensaje (Kregel    Publications/Editorial Portavoz, 2000).  (Latin America distribution.)

  • Ultimate Justice, a historical suspense novel (Cross and Pen Ministries, 2012)
Booklets (self-published)
  • Strategies of the LDS Church
  • The Political Agenda of the Mormon Church
  • Joseph Smith's Involvement with Magic, Masonry and the Occult
  • The Witnesses to the Book of Mormon: What did they really see?
  • Do the Archaeological Ruins of the Americas Validate the Book of Mormon?
  • The Mormon Testimony
  • Seven Seductions of a Cult
  • Aftereffects of Coming Out of a Cult
  • Escape from the Cult
  • Ex-cultist Post Conversion Problems in Ill-equipped Churches
Radio Appearances (Call-In Shows)
·         Life’s Perspectives with Don Hawkins
·         Issues with Don Matzot
·         Talk Back with Bob Larson
·         Talk Line with Frosty Fowler
·         Mornings with Tim and Al
·         Defend the Faith with Don and Joy Venoit
·         and others.

Television Appearances
·         Polygamy, What Love is This? (Shield & Refuge Ministries, Salt Lake City, UT

Speaking
  • Flame Fellowship International Convention, Dallas, TX
  • Camarillo Presbyterian Church, Camarillo, CA
  • Aglow International District Conference, Mt. Vernon, WA
  • Aglow, local chapters
  • Flame Fellowship International Convention, Dallas, TX
  • Delta Community Church, Everett, WA
  • Memorial Community Church, Everett, WA
  • Pinehurst Baptist Church, Everett, WA
  • Peace Lutheran Church, Sylvana, WA
  • Northwest Christian Church, Everett, WA
  • New Life church, Everett, WA
  • Bethany Christian Assembly, Everett, WA
  • Conducted workshops on cult recovery at both EMNR (Evangelical Ministries to New Religions) and the American Family Foundation conferences.
  • Various churches throughout Utah, Texas, Washington, Missouri and Georgia

Other Activities
·    Twenty years intensive study on the effects of imprisonment and prisoners’ problematic reentry  into society, analyzing a comparison to ex-Mormons.

·     Twelve years as worldwide mentor for the Institute for Religious Research, counseling Mormons and ex-Mormons via e-mail.

·      Interviewed by other authors for their articles in Christian magazines: Alive, Bible Advocate, Evangelism, and many others.

·      Taught the Colossians course at International Bible College, San Antonio, Texas

·      Appeared as expert on Mormonism in a DVD entitled, Lifting the Veil of Polygamy, produced by Living Hope Ministries, Brigham City, Utah.

·      President of Pro-Life Chapter, Quincy, California

Workshops And Critique Groups Attended

  • Pacific Northwest Writers Conference
  • Write on the Sound Writers Conference
  • Writers Information Network Conference
  • Gloria Chisholm Kempton writing workshop (Writers Digest instructor.). 
  • Critique group, Everett, Washington.
Writing Organizations
·         Member of Seattle Freelances, Seattle, WA (past Board Member and Directory Chairman)

Writing Credits

  • The Resplandecer Magazine. "Consecuencias de Salir de una Secta" (Aftereffects of Coming Out of a Cult) Ministerio Apologetico Internacional (International Apologetics Ministry) 2002. David Mora & Angeles Vallet Spanish Christian Ministry
  •  Media Associates International. "God’s Love-Surprise." Honorable Mention winner in 2002 world-wide competition sponsored by LITT-World, and published in book, “Words that Changed my World.”
  • Panache, a St. Mary's University magazine. "Lullabies and Warm Rice,” winner of St. Mary’s University short story contest. Reprints requested by a High School literature course in their section, "Literature as Art;" also by other authors for inclusion in their own books. 1986
  • Utah Evangel, Marlow, OK. “My Escape from the Cult.” (the author's own story) 1999. Also requested for publication on various websites.
  • The Improvement Era (LDS official magazine. written when I was a Mormon) Four short stories: "Mommy Likes Mud Too!” (requested for inclusion in books by other authors), “Thanks for Those Neat Skippin’ Rocks,” “Project Family Night,” and “Lullabies and Warm Rice.” 1967 – 1969.
  • Mutual Improvement Association’s Young Marrieds Manual,  Salt Lake City, UT. "mommy  Likes Mud Too!" (When  I was a Mormon)
  • Illinois High School Literature text book. (Can't recall name) "Lullabies and Warm Rice."
  • Guideposts. (Don't recall title.)
  • San Antonio Express-News  (a newspaper), Special issue, The Encouraging Word: “Jesus and Johnny Rico.” 1981
  • Wherever: In the World for Jesus’ Sake (magazine) “Confronting the Cult Representative,” and “The Bible as a Yardstick,” two articles in, magazine that emphasizes missions for young adults, published by TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) 1995.
  • Bible Advocate magazine  "Seven Seductions of a Cult" and "Escape From the Cult."
  • reFOCUS Forum (Recovering Former Cultists Support) Branch of American Family Foundation and Cults Awareness Network: “The Aftereffects of Coming Out of a Cult.” 1997.
  • Take Heed Ministries Journal (Merged with Watchman Fellowship) Three articles: "Understanding and Encouraging Ex-Cultists,” “Strategies of the Mormon Church,” and “Update on the Worldwide Church of God.” 1996 and 1997.
  • Vestnik Centra Apologeticheskikh Issledovaniy.  "Understanding and Encouraging Ex-cultists." Center for Apologetics Research, St. Petersburg, Russia. Article for their website; also, their  newsletter to pastors 
  • St. Mary's University. 195 page Dissertation for 1987 M.A. degree, entitled "Mormon Metaphors         and the Identity Crisis in Defecting to Christianity."
  • International Bible College. 165 page thesis for 1985 B.Th degree entitled, "Universal Principles and Their Application to Theology." Includes voluntary preface and recommendation by Dr. Franklin D. Watts, Academic Dean.
  • Copywriting for website, KensBookKorner.com, an extension of Digital Book Designs, Ken J. Small, owner.
                                                                               End


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