Ken Qualls is an ordained Southern Baptist bi-vocational pastor. While a junior in high school he answered the call to preach which was a surprise to his pastor and his wife, Ferdie and Margaret Schimpf, who thought that God would use Ken as a professional comedian. He attended Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

Qualls has pastored small rural churches for 30 years. In addition to his pastoral ministry with the help of his son and daughter he has promoted Southern Gospel concerts for more than 15 years working with the famous Blackwood family, Hovie Lister and the Statesmen, J. D. Sumner, whose Stamps Quartet sang with Elvis Presly, and many others. His secular jobs through the years have included house painting, lawn maintenance, floor maintenance, factory work and work in the mental health field. He has written many articles that have been published in a number of newspapers in the Midwest.

     Nicknames given to him by friends: “The Prime Minister”, “America’s other pastor”

The author was born in Murphysboro and raised in Centralia in Southern Illinois, known as Little Egypt.