EMQ » July–September 2023 » Volume 59 Issue 3
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Summary: George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilisation, passed away on April 14, 2023. His impact in global missions reverberated far beyond the boundaries of OM. God used him to help shape its multicultural and multinational the future.
By David Greenlee and Greg Kernaghan
George Verwer had a peculiar combination of character and personality that made him unforgettable, but, more importantly, inspirational to untold thousands around the world. Greg Livingstone, who as a Wheaton College sophomore in 1959 was one of the first to join George, challenges us: “George is not inspired; many of us are inspired, and even inspiring. George is anointed. There’s a huge difference.”i
Since his passing at his home south of London on April 14, 2023, numerous tributes have been posted detailing the life and activities of Operation Mobilization’s founder.ii Rather than repeat biographical facts contained in those accounts, we offer a brief overview of the global impact of this unique man.
How can we go about “marking George Verwer’s contribution to world mission?” We attempted that twenty years ago, with that phrase the subtitle of Global Passion,iii a volume exploring twenty themes close to George’s heart and presented to him in August 2003 as he graciously and gladly turned over the leadership of OM to Peter Maiden, OM’s International Director until 2013. George evidently felt Global Passion hit the mark; he had it translated into Spanishiv and reprinted in India,v purchasing over the years thousands of copies to give to pastors, leaders, students, and missionaries.
In his introduction to the book, Peter Maiden referred to George as a man of one passion but with many proofs of his calling and his heart. He rhetorically asked what one thing we will remember about George’s leadership, and then recognized the impossibility of narrowing it down to one as he explored several themes.
Ten Qualities that Define George’s Legacy
1. George was innovative.
He was not the first to consider short-term missions; but along with Loren Cunningham of YWAM, he pushed that approach into the mainstream. George and Wheaton graduate Roger Malstead made a trip into the USSR in 1961, were promptly accused of being spies, and deported. Back in Vienna, Austria, George climbed a tree to pray and saw a group of young people boarding a bus. In that moment, the idea of mobilizing busloads of youth into missions led to Operation Mobilization becoming a reality.
Starting in 1963, OM became famous for overland trips from Europe to India, but George had bigger plans: a ship for spreading the gospel. Overcoming numerous obstacles, George pressed on, and in 1970, OM bought the 2,300-ton Danish ship Umanak, renamed Logos (“the Word” in Greek). Since then, nearly fifty million people in 152 nations, from princesses and presidents to street children and the homeless, have been welcomed aboard OM’s ships – Logos, Doulos, Logos II, Logos Hope, and now Doulos Hope – in over 1,580 visits to 489 different ports.
In the 1990s, sports ministry innovator Eddie Waxer, formerly a professional soccer athlete and Olympic Games chaplain, offered funding if George would launch a sports ministry in OM. Martin Bateman, a British OMer based in Spain, responded to George’s challenge and SportsLink was born.
Not long after, on George’s invitation, Dr. Patrick Dixon, founder of the ACET network,vi spoke to the OM General Council of the mounting issue of HIV and AIDS. A year-long investigation by OMers Rosemary Hack and Deborah Meroff led to the forming of AIDSLink with George’s ongoing support. Along with streams focused on the arts, business, and community development, these fruitful catalytic ministries globally influence OM.
2. George was a man of prayer.
Both OM’s birth and growth in its formative years can be traced to all-night prayer meetings centered on world maps. OM co-founder Dale Rhoton remembers that these were the secret to fundraising, developing indigenous leadership, and mobilizing thousands of untrained young people to blanket whole countries with literature and testimony.vii
George never let that zeal for intercessory prayer wane. Few preachers will sacrifice preaching time to pray at length for the world, but that was George’s passion, particularly as a form of worship. When questions arose, George’s infectious “small faith in a big God” carried the day; someone forgot to tell him it was impossible.
Patrick Johnstone credits George for his significant role in promoting Operation World, the highly popular resource and prayer guide for every country. Reflecting on the first of many Operation World conferences, held in Singapore in 1979, Patrick writes:
I have always found it hard to push for sales of the books I have written; far better that such a passionate man of God do it than blowing my own trumpet! I wonder how many volumes of Operation World George has distributed in sales and passed on as gifts over these four decades – probably a good proportion of the 2.5 million to 3 million that have been printed!viii
3. George had incredibly diverse personal connections and a unique ability even years later to remember the names and details of thousands of people.
Consider the number of people globally who can say, “I remember when George called me, wrote to me, took a picture and prayed for me, or sent me a stack of books.” He communicated with thousands of ordinary people, particularly former OMers who were struggling. Coupled with a massive telephone bill, much of his considerable time travelling was devoted to this ministry, which encouraged many at pivotal points in their lives.
George had a significant influence on many widely recognized Christian leaders. Robert Coleman,ix whose career and warm heart bridged academia to street evangelism, once referred to George as “my favorite missionary.”
“He had a great heart for reaching the unreached and a rare ability to get people together,” Coleman told us recently, “a great influence across the whole spectrum of mission.”
John Piper also speaks of Verwer’s “raw passion” and “indomitable faith,” but it was passion flavored by kindness. “More than once, he called me out of the blue (once while [someone was] driving him along a Los Angeles freeway) just to encourage me.”x
As Dean Douglas Pennoyer said in his introduction of George to the Biola University graduating class of 2009, the university having just granted him an honorary doctorate, “George Verwer never lost his love for the individual in the midst of the crowd. He has been a true friend.”xi That sort of friendship and loyalty often took him where few other Christian leaders would even think of going.
4. Remarkably, for a highly visible Christian leader, George was candid in confessing personal weaknesses.
Whether in the writing of books or speaking from pulpits, he was quick to acknowledge his failures – and the God of grace who sustained him. Many think of his open talk about sex and morality, but George’s tender heart and willingness to change his mind were seen in other areas too.
From its inception, OM had followed a financial policy traced to the dictum of J. Hudson Taylor that “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”xii During the 1986 General Council of OMers, George called on OM to change its policy and allow thoughtful presentation of financial needs to partners. With tears flowing, he asked forgiveness sensing that he had hurt hundreds over the years through that policy, those who sensed God’s call but could not join OM because they did not see the breakthrough of giving. God will provide, but George said that he had caused OM to draw the circle too small, not allowing churches and partners to be part of God’s way of supply.
George’s empathy for ordinary people as well as leaders was groundbreaking. His “hunger for reality” became the title of a book emerging from his Urbana ’67 address,xiii which helped countless people rediscover it. Later, “messiology”xiv was how he described the way believers live and work together: “Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, there’s a mess.”
5. George had a passion for the Word of God, both immersing himself in it and giving others that privilege.
Wherever George went, tons of literature was distributed. He virtually never began a speaking engagement without a lengthy book push of ten or more favorite titles, usually offered on a donation basis. However, he was quick to embrace new technologies. He believe the unchangeable message should utilize every possible medium, including web and social media.
Through his influence, Scripture portions and gospel literature have been central to OM’s strategy. While that first exploratory trip inside the USSR outwardly failed, as noted earlier, before long OMers began successfully smuggling Bibles into Eastern Europe. They were the first organization to do so according to Richard Wurmbrand.xv This discretely hidden ministry flourished, eventually delivering untold tons of Scripture and other literature into Communist countries.
OM’s ships and their widely appreciated onboard bookfairs have distributed over 43.8 million educational and Christian books. Harder to count are the books distributed and the lives touched through creative approaches like the “floating Holy Bible exhibitions” hosted for several years on a Nile riverboatxvi or by approaches such as door-to-door outreach that blanketed countries like France in the 1970s.
6. George was devoted to mentoring others at every level of responsibility, his relationships marked by deep loyalty.
As Sri Lankan author and leader Ajith Fernando recently wrote to us,
“There has been a lot of talk recently about the need for kingdom seekers rather than empire builders. But it is rare to find people who are genuinely concerned for the welfare of the ministries of people outside their own circle and who proactively do things to grow those other ministries. George Verwer belonged to this rare breed of people we could call genuine kingdom seekers.”
One way George lived this out was by recruiting each year a young, promising man to be his assistant, or gofer, helping him in research and traveling together. This not only was a moral safeguard but offered training by osmosis. Many such gofers became leaders in ministry.
Beyond those in his close circle of life and ministry, countless pastors, missionaries, and leaders look back to the impact of George on their calling and commitment. A few hundred launched new ministries, such as Terry Ascott of SAT-7, Pablo Carrillo of PM International,xvii and Greg Livingstone of Frontiers. They and leaders of smaller groups all found an ardent supporter in George.
Perhaps in India George had his deepest impact. Patrick Johnstone notes that “India has become one of the largest missionary-sending countries in the world – much of it supported from within India.” What role did George Verwer play in this? Patrick continues:
“Out of the thousands of OM ‘graduates’ in India have come many leaders, pastors and pioneers. Many indigenous organizations and churches today are led by OM graduates … . In the last two decades, the number of Indian nationals who are involved in pioneer outreach – often in cross-cultural situations – has increased dramatically. Only eternity will reveal how much of this was due to George Verwer’s original vision for India, for starting an evangelistic/literature ship ministry, and promoting the wide use of Operation World in India.”xviii
7. George was ahead of his time in terms of his global view of missions and leadership, his attitude and lifestyle unfortunately rare among mission and church leaders.
From OM’s beginning and the recruiting of Baldemar Aguilar to lead the ongoing work of OM (then Send the Light) in Mexico, George led with a “commitment to the early recognition, affirmation, and support of local leadership”xixand, we might add, to trusting them.
Europeans took the lead in the growing movement across their own continent while North Americans were often subtly (and when necessary, not so subtly) encouraged to take supporting roles. Greg Livingstone led the first international OM teams in India, but soon it was Thomas Samuel, linked to the Bakht Singh assemblies, who directed the work.xx
Rt. Rev. Joseph D’Souza of the Anglican Good Shepherd Church of India joined OM in 1973 and led OM’s ministry in that country for many years.xxi He considered George his closest mentor and friend in ministry, writing:
“George paid attention to where the winds of the Spirit were blowing and, as a maturing Church emerged in the Global South, he put his efforts into helping the Church become sustainable. George was one of the first white mission leaders to fully empower nationals to lead the efforts he initiated in the majority world. George was not only incapable of racism; he never treated anyone different than him, as less than him.”
“Along the way, he trained, inspired, and knew the majority of the most influential Christian leaders reaching the Global South with the gospel. In many cases, their lifelong ministries were initiated at the personal invitation of George to join him on a short trip to reach some part of the world with the good news.”xxii
8. George was consumed by thinking globally.
Asked how much of the world should be reached, he would reply, “All of it, by every means possible.” Never separated from huge, inflatable globes and globe apparel and seemingly never failing to mention at least ten unreached countries in every meeting, George did not merely advocate for world missions – he was an advocate for the world that needs Christ. The globe, and his passion for it, were his trademarks.
9. Particularly in the second half of his life, George was a champion for grace received from God and grace shared among his people.
Charles Swindoll’s The Grace Awakeningxxiii became one of his all-time favorite books. He well understood the pitfalls of legalism, works, and cultural divides and seldom if ever preached without promoting grace toward one another as the ultimate testimony to a watching world.
10. Finally, it would be an unfortunate oversight to discuss the impact of George Verwer without mention of his humor.
During his typically improvised remarks to a breakfast gathering of one hundred friends at the OM USA office in September 2022, George said he wished he could be a stand-up comedian. Only a couple of weeks earlier he had addressed a gathering of nearly one hundred OM teenage MKs, part of an annual event in Europe going back some thirty years.
Rather than give some spiritual message (inevitably touched with humor anyway) he told the organizers he just wanted to do comedy. A bit into his routine he asked those whose parents had met on OM to raise their hands; many did so. He looked each of them in the eye then in a deeply serious voice said, “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here!” After a moment of shock, waves of laughter rolled over the teens.
A Theology of Impact and Credit Where it Belongs
The theology of impact behind George’s statement to the teens raises an important point. We ourselves wonder: What if George hadn’t come along? Would we ourselves, an American MK and a Canadian, have met our own wives, from Switzerland and Finland?
More broadly, globally, what would not have happened if George Verwer had not obeyed God’s call? We will never know, for, as Aslan told Lucy, that is something “no one is ever told.”xxiv
One thing we are sure of: if George were editing this article, he would deflect any credit away from himself and point to three people. First, he would undoubtedly mention his loving, faithful wife, Drena. Second, he would point to Mrs. Dorothea Clapp, his neighbor in the early 1950s who put George on her prayer “hit list” not only for his salvation but that he would have a global gospel impact. And finally, he would humbly and with tears speak of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, insisting that all the glory go to Him alone.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”
(Matthew 25:23)
David Greenlee (david.greenlee@om.org) responded to George Verwer’s call to make a “No Turning Back” commitment to Jesus in January 1975. He joined OM in 1977 and since 1998 has contributed through missiology and research.
Greg Kernaghan (greg.kernaghan@om.org) has served with OM since 1978 on two OM ships and in Finland, Canada, and internationally in communications.
For Further Reading
Spiritual Revolution: The Story of OM, by Ian M. Randall (Authentic, 2008).
Global Passion: Marking George Verwer’s Contribution to World Missions, edited by David Greenlee, David (Authentic Lifestyle, 2003).
Selected Books and Video Messages by George Verwer
The George Verwer Collection: The Revolution of Love, No Turning Back, Hunger for Reality (OM Publishing, 1998).
Out of the Comfort Zone (Bethany, 2000).
Drops from a Leaking Tap (Authentic, 2010).
Messiology: The Mystery of How God Works Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense to Us (Moody, 2016).
“The George Verwer Library,” STV Video Productions, available on YouTube.com, https://www.youtube.com/live/ZxF-r7P-BtQ.
Key Dates for Possible Text Box Graphic Insert:
1938 Born in New Jersey, USA on July 3.
1953 Born again at a Jack Wyrtzen meeting in New York City; Billy Graham was the preacher.
1957 First trip to Mexico with Dale Rhoton and Walter Borchard.
1960 Graduates from Moody Bible Institute, marries Drena Knecht, and moves to Mexico then Spain.
1962 First Operation Mobilization summer campaign across Europe.
1971 OM’s first ship Logos enters ministry.
1985 Peter Maiden joins George as OM’s Associate International Coordinator.
2003 At age 65, George steps down from the leadership of OM.
2023 Passes away at his home south of London on April 14.
(You may want to use some of the “possible photos to include” for a pictural timeline graphic)
[1] Greg Livingstone, “Words of Tribute,” in Global Passion: Marking George Verwer’s Contribution to World Missions, ed. David Greenlee (Authentic Lifestyle, 2003), 204–5. See also Greg Livingstone, You’ve Got Libya: A Life Serving in the Muslim World (Monarch, 2014). [1] Among the many posts: “George Verwer,” OM, April 15, 2023, https://www.om.org/l/eng/about/global-leadership/George-verwer; Greg Livingstone, “One Night with George Verwer Changed My Life,” Christianity Today, April 15, 2023, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/april-web-only/george-verwer-operation-mobilisation-died-frontiers.html. [1] David Greenlee, ed., Global Passion: Marking George Verwer’s Contribution to World Missions (Authentic Lifestyle, 2003). [1] David Greenlee, ed., Pasión Global: Registro de la Contribución de George Verwer a las Misiones del Mundo (Editorial Unilit, 2005). [1] David Greenlee, ed., Global Passion: Marking George Verwer’s Contribution to World Missions, India edition (OM Books, 2004). [1] “History,” ACET UK, https://www.acet-uk.com/history. [1] Dale Rhoton, “God’s Faithfulness,” in Global Passion, ed. David Greenlee. [1] Patrick Johnstone, manuscript of his forthcoming biography and history of Operation World. [1] Former professor at Asbury, Trinity, and Gordon-Conwell seminaries and author of The Master Plan of Evangelism (Baker, 2006). [1] John Piper, “Raw Passion and Messy Missiology: A Tribute to George Verwer (1938–2023),” Desiring God blog, April 19, 2023, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/raw-passion-and-messy-missiology. [1] Biola University, “George Verwer at Spring Commencement,” posted May 24, 2009, YouTube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krBuloymY1k. [1] Dale Rhoton explores the roots of this approach, and its importance for OM in its early days, in Rhoton, “God’s Faithfulness,” in Global Passion, ed. David Greenlee. [1] George Verwer, Hunger for Reality (OM Publishing, 1997). [1] George Verwer, Messiology: The Mystery of How God Works Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense to Us (Moody, 2016). [1] Ian Randall, Spiritual Revolution: The Story of OM (Authentic, 2008), 96–97. [1] Nicole James, “50 Years of Faithfulness,” OM, May 30, 2022, https://www.om.org/l/eng/stories/50-years-faithfulness. [1] Pablo Carrillo, Huellas en el Desierto (PM Internacional, 2010), 209–10. [1] Patrick Johnstone, manuscript of his forthcoming biography and history of Operation World. [1] Randall, Spiritual Revolution, 8. [1] Randall, Spiritual Revolution, 50. [1] Randall, Spiritual Revolution, 91. [1] Joseph D’Souza, “George Verwer (1938–2023): The Trailblazing Evangelist Reached the World for Christ,” Premier Christianity, April 15, 2023, https://www.premierchristianity.com/obituaries/george-verwer-1938-2023-the-trailblazing-evangelist-reached-the-world-for-christ/15341.article. [1] Charles R. Swindoll, The Grace Awakening: Believing in Grace Is One Thing, Living It Is Another (Thomas Nelson, 2010). [1] C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Puffin Books, 1965), 137.EMQ, Volume 59, Issue 3. Copyright © 2023 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.
