Partners in THE Truth

The Bible is God’s most complete and reliable revelation. Its pages show us who God is, His excellent plan for salvation, and how we should live in response to Him. Those who read God’s Word and adjust their lives to Its truth are living on a solid rock that will withstand the storms of life—but only if they understand it correctly.

Throughout his early years, Kent Edwards was surrounded by Christian influence. Yet, it wasn’t until he learned the importance of comparing what religious people were teaching with the truth of God’s Word that he discovered God’s purpose for his life.

The Search for Something more

Kent Edwards was born in Toronto, Canada, into a Christian home with three siblings. His parents were thoroughly evangelical and sat under the ministries of A.W. Tozer and Charles Templeton. Kent surrendered his life to Jesus Christ at The People’s Church in Toronto at twelve years old.

Before his high school years began, his mother became dissatisfied with the religious status quo and grew interested in “finding something more.” This led her to an exciting, widely endorsed, supposedly evangelical organization that Kent would later learn was twisting Scripture. 

After his junior year of high school, Kent’s parents encouraged him to spend the summer at the organization, during which time their influence grew, and he considered joining the organization. “It was the kind of thing that drew you in, and before long, you felt like there was no way out,” remembers Kent.

However, he returned for his senior year by God’s grace and began leading the InterVarsity chapter in his high school alongside his future wife, Nola. Being godly and wise laypeople, her parents began to ask simple, penetrating questions about the organization his parents were involved in. They were questions he could not answer.

At the end of Kent’s senior year, his future mother-in-law, who had been listening to the devotionals he had been giving at the InterVarsity meetings, said, “Have you ever thought of going to Bible school? I think I hear gift.” Kent was blown away. “Hearing these words completely changed my life,” he says. 

“Have you ever thought of going to Bible school? I think I hear gift.”

Scars Teach Important Lessons

The seventh chapter of Matthew teaches us to “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) Kent took this advice, changed direction, and enrolled at a Bible college. He started to understand how to interpret the Bible accurately. What he found stunned him and changed his perspective. Not only did he discover his parent’s group was twisting Scripture for their own purposes, but also the dangerous consequences of doing so.

“Sometimes, God uses scars to teach us important lessons,” he says. His eye-witness experience of the terrible consequences of people misusing God’s Word gave Kent a passion for accurately communicating Scripture. He knows that the only source of truth, the only book we can trust our souls to, is God’s Word—a truth that is near and dear to the heart of Gideons and Auxiliary.

“The only way I can protect God’s people from false prophets is to teach leaders in the Church how to understand and effectively communicate the Bible.” Kent’s love for studying Scripture has led him to over 25 years of serving in pastoral ministry (both pastoring and church planting), gaining three theological degrees and a Ph.D. in intercultural education.

“Sometimes, God uses scars to teach us important lessons.” 

It’s also the reason he founded CrossTalk Global—a non-profit ministry that seeks to “equip Biblical communicators, so every culture hears God’s voice.” When talking about CrossTalk Global’s purpose, Kent reminds people that an estimated 95% of Christian workers have no formal training—“This is why we do what we do,” he says.

In 2000, Kent was asked to serve on the faculty of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked with Dr. Haddon Robinson. In 2004, he and his family moved to Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology on the West coast, where Kent currently serves as a tenured professor of preaching and leadership. Alongside him and Nola are their two children, Nathan and Jonathan.

A shared Passion

 Dr. J. Kent Edwards

Kent’s purpose remains consistent—“to change people’s lives with the Word of God and help others do the same.” A similar passion exists with Gideons and Auxiliary worldwide.

When Kent sees the Gideon emblem, the first thing that comes to mind is the word partner. He says, “God calls all believers to minister in different ways. Some people translate the Bible, others place that Bible in someone’s hands, while others are skilled at helping people understand what the Bible teaches. We all play a part in the Kingdom of God.” He continues, “The most significant thing we can do to impact our world today is getting the Word in people’s hands and heads.”

“The most significant thing we can do to impact our world is the getting the Word in people's hands and heart.”