Edwin E. Judd

Edwin Ervie Judd was born in Tualatin, Oregon, on May 7, 1923, and married Evelyn Irene Minor on November 24, 1943. Six months after his marriage, he was conscripted into the army in 1944. He spent sixteen months in India, Burma, and China.

Simultaneous with serving in the military, he was called to ministry. He served as a chaplain during the majority of his time in service. This position brought him in touch with many missionaries in the areas where he was located. This exposure had a major impact upon Brother Judd and his future ministry.

Following his military discharge in the fall of 1946, he enrolled in Pentecostal Bible Institute in Tupelo, MS. He graduated from PBI in 1949, and along with twenty-one other seniors receiving their diplomas, he and five graduate students received Bachelor of Theology degrees.

The baccalaureate sermon was delivered by George L. Glass, pastor from DeRidder, LA, on May 8, 1949. He encouraged the graduates from God’s Word to expect an “open door” of opportunity, an “effectual door with many adversaries,” but nonetheless, an effectual door of opportunity. (I Cor. 16:9.) The principal, C. D. Soper, delivered the diplomas assisted by Floyd Newsorn, dean of faculty, and A.D. Gurley, retiring president of the school. Our newly elected Board of Directors was represented by E.E. McNatt, president of the Board, and several members who took part in this fine service.

On Thursday afternoon, May 12, he and the other members of the senior class of 1949, presented a newly remodeled Chapel as a gift from the senior class. Eugene J. McClintock, president of the class made the presentation. The principal, C.D. Soper, accepted the gift on behalf of the school and introduced E.E. McNatt, president of the Board of Directors, who delivered the dedication message.

Brother Judd was the Valedictorian of the class, Edwin E. Judd, and the Salutatorian, was George M. Sponsler. The graduation exercises closed the most successful term of school in the history of the Institute. A revival climaxed the last few weeks of school with a blessing that will be long remembered.

Upon his graduation, Brother Judd continued his involvement with PBI, and became the Dean of Faculty and supervised the Journalism and Printing Departments. He was constantly encouraging involvement in missions and many missionaries were called to service through his influence.

He was licensed as a minister with the United Pentecostal Church International in 1947 and was ordained in 1951. He was a charter member of the Mississippi District and served in official capacity.

In 1952, after a one-year leave of absence from PBI, he was graduated from Cascade College, Portland, Oregon, with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and returned to his duties at PBI.

In 1954, he became Dean-Registrar of the newly formed Conquerors Bible College in Portland, Oregon, and filled that position for twelve years, and in 1966, he became president of CBC.

From his early days in Bible College, he felt definitely called to become a strong supporter and promoter of the Foreign Missionary cause. Consequently, throughout his 19 years of Bible college ministry, he was instrumental in keeping the challenge of the “Great Commission” integrated into the entire Bible college program. He sought to engrain the concept that every believer had a responsibility to be involved with missions, either by going as a missionary or supporting and sending those who were called to go. Consequently, a relatively large number of former students became, and still are, missionaries at this time.

In 1956, he founded the United Pentecostal Church in Oregon City, Oregon, in addition to his full-time ministry at CBC. However, after four years, he turned this church to another pastor who would have time to develop its full potential. In 1963, he was appointed as a Pastoral Member of the Foreign Missions Board. He conceived and activated the Faith Promise giving concept in the neighboring pastors in their annual missions conferences in their churches. At the same time, the concept was put into practice among the student body of CBC with a tremendous impact upon the students as they became actively involved in the support of missions.

In 1968, at the request of the Foreign Missions Board, he resigned from the presidency of CBC and became the first Promotional Director of the Foreign Missions Division with the express mandate to introduce the Faith Promise Concept throughout the organization. Soon after assuming this position, under the directorship of General Director Oscar Vouga, he was instrumental in designing the Partners in Missions program, and introduced it during the 1969 UPCI General Conference. The growth of missionary support grew exponentially from hundreds of thousands of dollars to many millions annually.

After serving in this capacity for nearly four years, in 1972, he was appointed the first Regional Field Supervisor for the Latin American Region, which, at that time, included South America, and Central America. The Judds based out of Quito, Ecuador, and he and Sister Judd lived in the residence of Missionary Daniel Scott.

Brother Judd became the General Secretary of Foreign Missions in 1976 and served for 20 years until he retired at the age of 73, in 1996, and served the remainder of his life as an honorary member of the UPCI Foreign Missions Board.

When his son, Stephen Judd, became the President of Tupelo Children’s Mansion, Edwin and Evelyn Judd moved to Tupelo where they had lived for eight years at the start of their ministry. He filled an active role on the staff at TCM, serving as Senior Advisor, Financial Assistant, and Payroll Manager.

In honor of his many accomplishments in ministry and great contributions to the UPCI, Bro. Judd was inducted into the Order of the Faith in 2012. His legacy lives on through those whose lives he touched.