Graham J. Rowles FCA: 1936-2025
One of Bristol’s much-loved and respected Baptist Lay Pastors has died at the age of 89
Graham J. Rowles, a Chartered Accountant by profession and former Senior Partner of Evans and Partners Chartered Accountants which acted for many national and local Christian charities, played a pivotal role in Baptist churches and Christian mission across south Bristol for over 50 years.
Graham was a Christian more content to be working behind the scenes, serving, resourcing, helping, encouraging and cheering others on, making sure the wheels kept turning, the plates kept spinning for the Kingdom – rather than being the ‘platform man’.
Graham’s heart was always for the south of the city, often seen as the poor relation to the north - and from where very little was expected. But in 1983, Graham set up the South Bristol Outreach Trust, a registered charity to support Christian mission and ministry. Never high profile, but a faithful, steady ministry for the good of local people. It supported Baptist evangelist Mike Dorgan, paid for Christian literature and bibles for schools, and funded, usually anonymously, Christian missions.
In 1984, whilst over 50 south Bristol churches were gearing up to take people to hear Billy Graham at Ashton Gate Football Stadium (12-19 May 2024), Graham was already thinking way ahead. Through his friend and Baptist networking doyen, Maurice Rowlandson, Billy Graham’s UK Director, Graham heard of an opportunity in 1985 for a week-long local mission, deep into small communities. Billy Graham was to preach in Sheffield, with the service and sermon beamed via Satellite Relay into any building local churches could arrange to erect a massive satellite dish on top! Graham brought together a small team to pray and to plan for a South Bristol Satellite Relay Mission in 1985.
Crossways Tabernacle in Bishopsworth, a Baptist chapel was the chosen venue and in Spring 1985 the doors were open every night for a week. Hundreds heard the gospel – many for the first time.
Graham later learnt of another gospel opportunity, this time from Billy Graham’s Scotland mission. With support from local pastors and vicars, he persuaded the owner of a private cinema in Knowle to cancel a week’s film viewings, and allow Christians erect a 2m-wide x 2m-high dish on top the roof! After two missions based in the western part of south Bristol, Graham felt the time had come for the eastern side to hear the gospel. Over 1,000 people attended, with many responding and nurtured by local churches, including Knowle Baptist, Totterdown Baptist and Counterslip Baptist churches.
Through Graham’s friendship with Rowlandson, Graham was invited onto the Trans World Radio UK Board. His financial expertise was brought to bear both as Treasurer and as Company Secretary for several decades.
Whilst Graham’s ministry now included a global focus via Christian radio, his heart for the lost in south Bristol was as passionate as ever. In the early 1990s, his South Bristol Outreach Trust coordinated a fortnight of mission, including door to door and children’s events in Hartcliffe and Withywood, two of the most deprived council estates in the city. Local evangelist Graham Loader was asked to preach, and an 8-day tent mission took place on a large grass area dividing the two estates which local gangs frequently used as their fighting turf! Local police, in attendance each night, had nothing to do – but to listen to the gospel. Dozens were prayed for, many unemployed, homeless and with addictions. All found a warm welcome in local churches. The two estates became mission fields to be prayed for, encouraged and rejoiced over that year by churches across the city.
In the mid-1990s, Graham was invited to become the Treasurer of the There’s More To Life Bristol mission with International Evangelist Luis Palau. His careful management of finances saw the mission through a rocky early stage, but by the end all bills were paid, and a small donation was sent to the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association to help with other missions.
In the middle of the Satellite relays and the pre-Luis Palau mission season, the trustees of West Street Baptist Chapel approached Graham. Their congregation had dropped to single figures, and the Baptist Union was encouraging the trustees to sell up. Graham believed the land had been given and consecrated for mission in the area – and not to be sold for another kebab shop!
Through marshalling financial and legal resources, Graham brought into being the South Bristol Christian Centre. Based in the rooms of the chapel all sorts of Christian ministry flowed for many years from the new charity, with Graham acting as both chairman, and treasurer.
Graham, as a lay preacher, was heavily involved with East Street Baptist Church from 2004-10, and the past two decades, he was Lay Pastor of Dundry Baptist Chapel. There, whilst numbers had dropped, the congregation was still a faithful flock, with a good number from the village itself. Graham’s last year was spent liaising with the BU Trustees over the future of the chapel building.
In Psalm 116, verse 15 we read: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.” Graham was one of the most selfless, humble servants that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and of working with. It has been a real honour to have called him my friend and mentor.
His funeral took place on 11 November at Salem Chapel, Bedminster. He is survived by his widow, Patricia, and daughter Susan.
The Revd Paul Eddy, Vicar of Stanford in the Vale, Oxfordshire, a Public Relations Consultant to Christian Charities, and a life-long friend of the Rowles family.
11 November, 2025