A. Ross Brent was born in Bunceton, Missouri and attended college at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He received his doctorate degree in divinity from Western Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He first married Doris Brent, and later married Beulah Brent.

He was listed as a Baptist minister in Sedalia, Missouri in the 1930 Federal population census. Rev. Dr. Brent was announced as the pastor for the new Maple Street Baptist Church at E. 16th and Maple St. in the Des Moines (IA) Tribune of January 1, 1933. An unknown disagreement led to his attempted removal in the spring of 1938. He retained his position and served until March of 1941.

Rev. Brent took a position at Shiloh Baptist Church in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1941. He registered for Selective Service in World War II in 1942 with that church listed as his employer. He occasionally conducted services at other churches in the region. Plainfield declared an A. Ross Brent Day in 1976. He died there on December 3,1984. The Bridgewater (NJ) Courier-News reported his death on December 4, 1984. The obituary noted his role as a founder of the Progressive National Baptist Convention that conducted international outreach. He is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.