Bishop Paul A. Bowers

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

1929 ~ Present

Bishop Bowers was born in Oxford, Pennsylvania in 1929, and was saved under the ministry of Elder R.L. Hancock. He was called to the ministry in 1946, and attended his first PAW Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in 1947, where he slept on the floor of the church, then pastored by Elder Francis, for the lack of delegate housing.

Bishop Bowers was ordained in 1950, at the PAW Annual Convention held that year in Boston, Mass., becoming the youngest minister to ever be ordained with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. He served as a National Evangelist from 1950 to 1956 and began pastoring Greater Emmanuel Apostolic Temple in Cincinnati in January, 1957. In January, 1992, The Greater Emmanuel Church Family celebrated Bishop Bower's 35th Pastoral Anniversary.

Bishop Bowers attended Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a B.S. Degree, and Aenon Bible College where he earned a B.Th. Degree. He taught High School Social Studies in the Cincnnati Public School System several years. In 1962, he was elected PAW Assistant General Secretary serving along with Bishop James A. Johnson who was then PAW General Secretary. He was elected General Secretary in 1968, when Bishop Johnson was elevated to the Bishopric.

Bishop Bowers served as PAW General Secretary until 1976, when he was also elevated to the Bishopric in Chicago at the Annual Convention that year. He was assigned Diocesan over the Carolinas Council. Since his appointment several new churches have been established and several others have been directly helped financially and otherwise by Bishop Bowers. He was married to the late Sister Elma Jean Bowers, and is the father of three daughters. In 1992 Bishop Bowers was elected Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. He served as the Prelate until 1998. Audio and Video Recordings of Bishop Bowers are available in the audio/video library