Ken Urbansky

After receiving the highest grade in his eighth-grade creative writing class, Ken set aside writing for nearly fifty years in pursuit of other interests. His saxophone and involvement in the high school marching band were traded in a few years later for an electric guitar and rock and roll. The guitar surrendered to an M-16 when he enlisted in the US Army in 1968 and the M-16 gave way to the Bible when he and his wife Randi committed themselves to Jesus Christ while Ken served as a Military Policeman in Berchtesgaden Germany. After they returned home in 1971 they found the traditional protestant churches unwelcoming to two converted hippies who believed “1st century Christianity could be restored in the present time.” Undeterred, they planted their first church in 1972 in Avon Lake Ohio and spent the next forty years in Christian ministry. Ken served as pastor and worship leader in the churches they planted as well as the Assemblies of God, Methodist, and several independent denominations.

One of the couples that was a part of that first church plant in Avon Lake was Bob and Ann Mertes. Bob and Ann’s spiritual journey soon separated them from Ken and Randi as they pursued God’s plan for their lives on the west coast and Florida. Thirty years later they were reunited and discovered that their love for one another remained as strong as ever. Visiting often with Bob and Ann at their home in North Carolina Ken and Bob frequently spoke of the radical journey that God had taken them on.

“There’s a book in there somewhere.” Ken said, one day after a particularly interesting conversation about the “whole creation waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.” (Rom 8: 18-24)

“Well, then let’s write it!” Bob said.

That was eight years ago and the beginning of EDEN QUEST. It is a story that has been churning for years in the hearts and minds of both authors and is now a reality.