Kent Parks is President and CEO of Beyond. Kent and his wife Erika worked among Muslims in Asia for 20 years. They regularly lead church planting movement trainings around the world. He also equips people to better understand mission strategy, and biblical theology of missions.
Previously, he served as a strategy coordinator focused on catalyzing Disciple-making Movements among unreached people groups (UPGs) in Southeast Asia. He continues to help facilitate various trans-national, trans-organizational networks focused on Unreached People Groups (UPGs), including serving as Co-Facilitator for Ethne, a global UPG network and as one of the leaders in the 2414 Initiative which is focused on launching “Book of Acts” movements in every unreached people and place.
Kent pastored in Texas for seven years before going to the mission field. He has been a seminary professor and the academic dean of a seminary and has also taught internationally in graduate schools. He earned his B.A. in English and History from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas as well as his M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Kent and Erika have two adult daughters and a son-in-law who love and serve Jesus and are active in making disciples too.