Tommy Cowan - Winston Sill

Fun in the Son has become a household name in Christian circles. However, promoter, Tommy Cowan, will tell you achieving that feat has been no easy task.

Cowan, who has been involved in music for the past 45 years, came up with idea for Fun in the Son as a means of giving Christian students an alternative to the annual Spring Break festivities. That idea became a reality in 2002 when the first show was held in Ocho Rios over a period of three weekends.

"Youngsters came here (Jamaica) for party, sex and drugs. I felt that we had to provide an alternative for Christians who could come here and enjoy God's word and be transformed," said Cowan.

Cowan, who once promoted the popular Gospel Train series said after coming up with the idea he threw it out to his son, Minister Che Cowan, who liked the concept and came up with the name. He added that he took the idea to the Jamaica Tourist Board, which also loved it and since it has been a calendar event.

The event has become so popular that is attracted more than 15,000 people last year. "As the years have gone by Jamaica Broilers saw it as an event that could transform youths of the country and youths from abroad would be transformed as well so they have come on-board," he said.

As a result of Jamaica Broilers' involvement, as of this year Fun in the Son now has a title sponsor. The event is now called Best Dressed Chicken Fun in the Son. This year is the first time it has attracted title sponsorship and the event will be held over two weeks starting on March 9 and going through to the 17th.

Too expensive

"We found that having the event over three weekends was too much and too expensive. So we are having it over two weekends. This year's event has a word and worship in the day, and in the night we will have a crossover party. The churches will be involved in the streets with us," said Cowan

He added that for this year they will be having Andrew Palau, son of evangelist Luis Palau.

Cowan, who is the father of seven children, said that the biggest challenge has been transforming the lives of young people. He added that for this year the event will be having peer-to-peer counselling where young persons will be trained as counsellors. The role of these counsellors is to talk to young persons who are newly converted to Christianity.

Aside from Fun in the Son, Cowan who is married to Dr. Carlene Davis wants to revive Gospel Train. He also has plans for a choir festival and other events.

He says, however, that at the end of the day what he wants more than anything is to transform Jamaica. "We want to bring gospel events to the next level where it has more effect on Jamaica. We want gospel to transform Jamaica. But, to do this we will have to use our abilities and depend on God to do the rest."