John George Govan
Encyclopedia
John George Govan was a Scottish businessman and evangelist
who founded The Faith Mission
.
He was inspired on hearing accounts of the Holiness movement
from friends who had attended the Keswick Convention
of 1884. With the goal of leading a life wholly devoted to God
, he then set about removing all personal and worldly ambition from his psyche. After several months of this, one night he came to a point where he knew that his life had been changed forever. "My friends," he later wrote, "get into this position of entire surrender to God
, and real trust in Him, and then He will show you when to wait upon Him, and how long to wait upon Him; and He will visit you and bless you in a way perhaps you have little idea of now".
A typical day involved "morning watch" from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., then work, then revivalist meetings in the evening. "He came to know the voice of God"; said his daughter, Isobel.
In 1886 Govan decided to leave the business world and devote himself full time to evangelization. To this end he founded The Faith Mission
, a Protestant evangelical
Christian
organization initially based in Rothesay
, Scotland
. Among its principles were that its evangelistic workers should "live by faith".
Married to Annie Martin in 1894, he had four children: sons Frank and Ellis, and daughters Isobel (who wrote the book, Spirit of revival, about his life and work) and Sheena
.
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
who founded The Faith Mission
The Faith Mission
The Faith Mission is a Protestant evangelical Christian organization founded in Scotland in 1886 by John George Govan. It emphasizes evangelism of rural areas and operates a Bible College in Edinburgh....
.
He was inspired on hearing accounts of the Holiness movement
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
from friends who had attended the Keswick Convention
Keswick Convention
The Keswick Convention is an annual gathering of evangelical Christians in Keswick, in the English county of Cumbria.- History :The Keswick Convention began in 1875 as a catalyst and focal point for the emerging Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom. It was founded by an Anglican, Canon T. D....
of 1884. With the goal of leading a life wholly devoted to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, he then set about removing all personal and worldly ambition from his psyche. After several months of this, one night he came to a point where he knew that his life had been changed forever. "My friends," he later wrote, "get into this position of entire surrender to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, and real trust in Him, and then He will show you when to wait upon Him, and how long to wait upon Him; and He will visit you and bless you in a way perhaps you have little idea of now".
A typical day involved "morning watch" from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., then work, then revivalist meetings in the evening. "He came to know the voice of God"; said his daughter, Isobel.
In 1886 Govan decided to leave the business world and devote himself full time to evangelization. To this end he founded The Faith Mission
The Faith Mission
The Faith Mission is a Protestant evangelical Christian organization founded in Scotland in 1886 by John George Govan. It emphasizes evangelism of rural areas and operates a Bible College in Edinburgh....
, a Protestant evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
organization initially based in Rothesay
Rothesay, Argyll and Bute
The town of Rothesay is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay which offers an onward rail link to Glasgow. At the centre of the town is Rothesay Castle, a ruined castle which dates back to the 13th...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Among its principles were that its evangelistic workers should "live by faith".
Married to Annie Martin in 1894, he had four children: sons Frank and Ellis, and daughters Isobel (who wrote the book, Spirit of revival, about his life and work) and Sheena
Sheena Govan
Sheena Govan was an informal spiritual teacher, and the daughter of evangelist John George Govan. Later in life she became an early influence on what would become the Findhorn Foundation...
.