Rev. Nathaniel A. Urshan

Nathaniel Andrew Urshan was born August 29, 1920, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Andrew David and Mildred Hammergren Urshan. Brother Urshan lived in Chicago through most of his childhood and teen years. The family then moved to New York, where his father became pastor of the Apostolic Christian Church on 92nd Street in Manhattan.

After graduating from high school, Brother Urshan enrolled in Columbia University as a pre-med student. He attended the university for two and one-half years, desiring to be a surgeon.

After being stricken with tuberculosis and then being miraculously healed, Brother Urshan realized that God had called him to preach and not to fulfill his own ambition to become a surgeon. Immediately, he began to preach revivals.

Nathaniel Urshan and Jean Habig were married on October 1, 1941. They conducted revivals in their early evangelistic days in Ohio, Idaho, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, Illinois, and West Virginia. The Urshans were blessed with four children: Sharon, Annette, Nathaniel Paul, and Andrew. Both sons became ministers, and both daughters became wives of ministers.

In February 1943 Brother Urshan became associate pastor to C. C. Kirby in Royal Oak, Michigan, a position he held for two and one-half years. While serving under Pastor Kirby, the Urshans still held revival services in several parts of the nation. After leaving Royal Oak, they returned to the evangelistic field for a short time.

Later, Brother Urshan became assistant pastor to R. G. Hoekstra at Calvary Tabernacle, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Urshans left Indianapolis in 1947, to pastor Apostolic Christian Church on 92nd Street in Manhattan, New York.

In July 1949, Nathaniel A. Urshan became pastor of Calvary Tabernacle, Indianapolis, Indiana. He pastored there thirty years. As pastor, he positively influenced the community through his involvement in the International YMCA, the Heart Fund Campaign, the Cancer Society, and the Indianapolis Ministerial Association. Government contacts such as these have resulted in Brother Urshans being instrumental in opening doors to mission fields, including Ethiopia.

During the years at Calvary Tabernacle, the Urshans had a fifteen-minute radio program called Hymns of Faith, which was aired five nights a week. The church also operated Calvary Christian School.

In the late 1940s, the Urshans, the Fred Kinzies, and the Norman Paslays formed the Gospel Melodies Record Company and made their own records.

Brother Urshan served on the Board of Education of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI)for a number of years and Indiana District Board as the presbyter of Section Five for twenty-seven years.

In 1960, Brother Urshan became the Harvestime Radio speaker, a position he held for seventeen and one-half years. For the following twenty-four years, he has shared the Harvestime pulpit with other speakers.

While pastoring Calvary Tabernacle, Brother Urshan served the UPCI as assistant general superintendent from 1971 to 1978. Honorary doctorate degrees were conferred upon Brother Urshan from Apostolic Bible Institute, Gateway College of Evangelism, and Christian Life College.

At the 1977 General Conference, the UPCI elected Brother Urshan as general superintendent, and he assumed that position January 1, 1978. The United Pentecostal Church International realized some major accomplishments during Brother Urshan’s superintendency. The following list gives tribute to his outstanding leadership:

Addition of third floor to World Evangelism Center

Acquisition of properties adjoining World Evangelism Center

Release of the Siberian Seven

Chaplaincy Program initiated

World Network of Prayer established

Registration of UPC in Russia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Jordan, and Bethlehem, West Bank

Publication of Spanish literature

Youth on Missions began

UPC Historical Center established

North American Youth Congress initiated

Junior Bible Quizzing instituted

Multicultural Ministries began

Endorsement of Lighthouse Ranch for Boys

Endorsement of Spirit of Freedom Ministries

Global Council began

Daughters of Zion initiated

World Evangelism Centers Information Technology Department established

Spanish and French Harvestime broadcasts began

Men’s Ministry introduced

Urshan Graduate School of Theology established

He passed from this life on March 11, 2005.