John Gowans
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General John Gowans |
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|---|---|
| 16th General of The Salvation Army | |
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In office July 1999 – September 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Rader |
| Succeeded by | John Larsson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
13 November 1934 Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | 8 December 2012 (aged 78) London, England |
| Religion | Christian |
John Gowans (13 November 1934 – 8 December 2012) was a Scottish clergyman, who was the 16th General of The Salvation Army from 1999 to 2002, succeeding General Paul Rader. He is also notable for pairing with General John Larsson in the composition of many songs and musicals.
Gowans was born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, on 13 November 1934, the third of five children. His parents were Salvation Army officers.
At age 18, he undertook national service, with plans to train for the teaching profession. He eventually decided to join the British Army, where his first choice was the Army Catering Corps. However, the Army recommended he join the Royal Army Educational Corps. He then spent his two years of national service in Germany.
In 1954, Gowans entered the Salvation Army International Training College (Soulwinners Session). There he met his wife Gisèle Bonhotal who, herself, was a qualified children's nurse. She was French by birth and her parents, like Gowans', were both Salvation Army officers. The couple were married in Paris in 1957 and have two sons, John-Marc and Christophe.
Beginning in 1967 Gowans demonstrated his writing capacity when, with John Larsson, co-authored ten full-length stage musicals. These were Take-Over Bid (1967), Hosea (1969), Jesus Folk (1972), Spirit (1973), Glory (1975), White Rose (1977), The Blood of the Lamb (1978), Son of Man (1983), Man Mark II (1985), and The Meeting (1990).
He has also written three books of prayer poems under the title of O Lord! and an autobiography, There's a Boy Here ...
Gowans and his wife served in various corps in the British Territory over a period of 16 years. He was then appointed national stewardship secretary, while his wife combined her role as organiser of the International Youth Fellowship with work in one of the Army's maternity homes in London.
After a period as divisional leaders in Manchester, UK, Gowans, then a lieutenant-colonel, became chief secretary of the France Territory. He was then appointed to Los Angeles in the USA Western Territory where he served as Secretary for Programme.
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