Our Founder

Woodrow Kroll’s Biography

Woodrow Kroll served as President and Senior Bible Teacher of the international radio ministry Back to the Bible for 23 years. He was heard by millions daily on more than 1250 radio stations in the United States and almost anywhere the English language is spoken in the world. Author of more than 50 books, today he is retired and enjoying his life in Florida.

The passion of Dr. Kroll’s heart continues to be connecting people with God through His Word. This has become more challenging over the decades because of the growing plague of Bible illiteracy in America. Recently Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, said: “God has chosen Woodrow Kroll to be the man to sound the alarm of Bible illiteracy and awaken us to a vision of better days ahead.” George Gallup added: “Woodrow Kroll has been a frontline leader in the effort to bring back the Bible as the foundation of faith.” Dr. Kroll continues to teach the Word and touch the world.

Woodrow Kroll served as president of Davis College (Binghamton, NY) for a decade before joining Back to the Bible (Lincoln, NE) and as chairman of the Division of Religion at Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA) before that. He and his wife Linda reside in Titusville, Florida. They have four married children, sixteen grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren.

“My greatest privilege,” says Woodrow Kroll, “is preaching the Word of God.”

Woodrow Kroll’s Vita

Family Information

Born and raised in Pennsylvania I married my childhood sweetheart, Linda, in a beautiful June wedding not so long ago. Together we have four Children. Our oldest Daughter Tracy is married to John and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. Timothy, our only son, is married to Lisa and they also have 5 children and 5 grandchildren. Tina married Matthew and they have 3 furry kids in the form of cats. Our youngest, Tiffany, is married to Barry and they have 6 children.

Educational Information

1965 – Diploma in Theology, Davis College, Binghamton, NY
1967 – BA in General Languages, Barrington College, Barrington, RI
1970 – M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA
1971 – Th.M. Geneva-St. Albans Theological Seminary, Byfield, MA; London, England
1973 – Th.D. Geneva-St. Albans Theological Seminary, Byfield, MA; London, England
1978-80 – Ph.D. studies at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Additional graduate studies:

Bridgewater University (MA)
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL)
Princeton Theological Seminary (NJ)
Harvard Divinity School (MA)
University of Strasbourg (FRANCE)

Ministry Information

1965-68 – The Kroll Evangelistic Team (traveling evangelist with brother, Jerry)
1968-70 – First Baptist Church, Middleboro, MA (Pastor)
1970-73 – Practical Bible College, Bible School Park, NY (Chairman of Bible Department)
1973-75 – The Christian Jew Foundation, San Antonio, TX (Associate Director)
1975-80 – Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA (Professor, Chairman of Division of Religion)
1981-90 – Davis College, Binghamton, NY (President)
1990-2013 – Back to the Bible International, Lincoln, NE (President/Senior Bible Teacher)
2013-2018 – Woodrow Kroll Ministries, Ashland, NE
2018-Present – Retired, Titusville, FL

Ministry Activities

Bible Conference Ministry
Bibletown (FL), Montrose (PA),
America’s Keswick (NJ),
Rumney (NH),
Word of Life (NY),
Maranatha (MI),
Camp-of-the-Woods (NY),
Harvey Cedars (NJ),
Word of Life Florida (FL),
Gull Lake, (MI),
Moody Founder’s Week (IL),
Sandy Cove (MD),
Ocean City (NJ),
The Cove (NC),
The Gideons International (TN),
Central Manor Campground (PA),
Ocean Grove (NJ), et. al.

International Ministry

Bible conference and preaching in:
Australia, India, Sri Lanka, England, the Philippines, France, Germany, Jamaica, Indonesia, Japan, Switzerland, Italy. 112 countries in all.

Video Ministry

Filmed on location, Bible teaching videos include:
– “Matthew: Come Follow the King!” (ISRAEL)
– “Romans: What the Christian Life is All About” (Rome, ITALY)
– “Faith of Our Fathers” (ENGLAND/SCOTLAND)
– “Ephesians: Enjoying Right Relationships” (Ephesus, TURKEY)
– “1 Corinthians: Developing Spiritual Maturity” (Corinth, GREECE)
– “After the Darkness . . . Light” (GERMANY/SWITZERLAND)
– “Music of the Masters” (GERMANY/AUSTRIA)

Writing Ministry

– The Liberty Bible Commentary, General Editor (Nelson)
– Prescription For Preaching (Baker)
– Early in the Morning (Loizeaux)
– Tested By Fire (Loizeaux)
– The Vanishing Ministry (Kregel)
– Bible Country (Back to the Bible)
– The Twelve Voices of Christmas (Back to the Bible)
– Prodigal People (Kregel)
– The Twelve Voices of Easter (Back to the Bible)
– Empowered to Pray (Baker)
– Is There a Man in the House (Back to the Bible)
– Struggling With Selfishness (Back to the Bible)
– Journey Into Life-A Study in Romans (Back to the Bible)
– Proverbs: God’s Guide for Life’s Choices (Back to the Bible)
– The Joy of Belonging (Back to the Bible)
– When God Doesn’t Answer (Baker)
– Jesus Shall Reign (Ambassador)
– Little People, Big God (Back to the Bible)
– The “I AM” God (Back to the Bible)
– Prime of Your Life (Baker)
– Seven Secrets to Spiritual Success (Multnomah)
– Back to the Bible: Turning Your Life Around With God’s Word (Multnomah)
– FaithWalk (Back to the Bible)
– Hope Grows in Winter (Kregel)
– Read Your Bible, One Book at a Time (Servant Publications)
– Surviving the Prodigals in Your Life (Back to the Bible)
– God’s Guide to Life’s Choices (Servant Publication)
– An Interview with God (Moody)
– How to Find God in the Bible (Multnomah)
– The Face of God (Elm Hill)
– The Heart of God (Elm Hill)
– The Hand of God (Elm Hill)
– Bible People (J. Countryman)
– Bible Places (J. Countryman)
– Bible Events (J. Countryman) (2007)
– Taking Back the Good Book (Crossway) (2007)
– Facing Your Final Job Review (Crossway) (2008)
– Marginalized! (Xulon) (2014)
– KrollQuotes (Xulon) (2014)
– Steroids for Your Soul (Xulon) (2014)
and various other print media (e.g. Decision Magazine)

Radio/Television Ministry

Woodrow Kroll is the former Bible teacher for the international radio broadcast Back to the Bible, heard daily throughout the world. Dr. Kroll also was the speaker on the daily short feature program The Bible Minute and Bible teacher on the syndicated weekly television program, also called Back to the Bible.

The Bible Engagement Center

Woodrow Kroll has been burdened about creeping Bible illiteracy in America, and especially in the American church, since his days as the department chair of religion at Liberty University in the 1970s. “When I administered a Bible comprehensive exam to 1100 incoming freshmen and only 45 of them passed, I knew something was wrong. Since these were incoming freshman, I knew the problem germinated in the church and in the home.” From that day, Dr. Kroll has been battling Bible illiteracy through his preaching, writing and conference ministries.

In November 2003, the Board of Back to the Bible gave their president permission to establish a research center to answer the question, “Why do so many people own a Bible and so few read it?” As a result, Woodrow Kroll founded the Center for Bible Engagement, a multifaceted research and development facility that gathers and analyzes hard data using telephone interviews, personal interviews, surveys, focus groups and other proven means to determine what is causing the lack of engagement with the Bible.

Woodrow Kroll’s Philosophy

Early in life my parents motivated me to love God and His Word. At age 15 I knew God had called me to teach His Word and for more than 50 years I have been privileged to consider that both my avocation and occupation.

During my early years of ministry I adopted a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) that was larger than life. “I want to teach the Bible to the world so that people’s lives are spiritually and eternally changed, and to inspire and facilitate a corps of skilled and dedicated Bible teachers to do the same throughout the world.” That is a gargantuan goal, but I have learned that the audacity of our goals, if properly motivated, never exceeds the ability of God to achieve them.

As a result, in 1990 when I began teaching the Word daily to millions through the ministry of Back to the Bible, I prayed this prayer, printed it, and it has remained on my desk ever since:

“LORD, give me a task larger than myself, wisdom greater than my years, friends to share my vision, sufficient funds to realize it, and length of days to accomplish it. Amen.“

Experience has taught me that what God wants me to do I can’t do, and that makes me a perfect candidate for His service. For what I can’t do, He can. My personal ministry philosophy is to live a blameless life (not sinless, but blameless) as God told Abram in Genesis 17:1, to keep my hands clean and my heart pure as described by David in Psalm 24:3-4, and to wait for God to do with me whatever pleases Him. So far, it’s been a pretty amazing ride!