Ché Cowan shares lessons on leadership in debut book

Following his presentation at a pastors conference in Lilongwe, Malawi in June 2025, Ché Cowan recalls being approached by several colleagues who were moved by what he said about the importance of leadership. “They were asking, ‘Can I have your notes? Can I have your notes?’. And it dawned on me that I should write something extensively on building leadership in the Church,” he told Observer Online. Cowan, a minister of religion, is the author of Beyond One Leader: Building a Church That Multiplies Leaders, his first book, which was released in September on Amazon. It was officially launched on October 7 at Church On The Rock in Ocho Rios. In it, Cowan gives advice on how to “grow as a leader”, something he believes is not always taught in religious circles. The 166-page book took him one month to complete. He called on his experience prior to becoming an ordained minister and his current role as a mentor, to reach a wide readership. “It’s an easy-read, I wrote it like me and a pastor sitting down and having coffee. I’m very excited about the book, because it’s really helping you to grow as a leader,” said Cowan. As a young man in the Church, Cowan said he found suitable mentors in Pastor David Keane, leader of the flock at Church On The Rock in St Andrew. When the affable Keane died in 2014, Cowan admits there was a void, which he eventually overcame. The Kingston-born Cowan is senior pastor of Life Church in Victorville, California. — Howard Campbell