George Verwer

George Verwer (July 3, 1938 – April 14, 2023) was an American missions leader and Christian evangelist who founded Operation Mobilisation (OM), an evangelical Christian missionary sending organization, was author of many books on missions and other Christian subjects, and was an advocate of radical discipleship "as the only legitimate option for people who believe in Jesus".Template:According to whomTemplate:Not verified in body Over a million copies of the books he authored have been distributed worldwide.Template:According to whomTemplate:Not verified in body

Early life and education

George Verwer was born on July 3, 1938 in New Jersey,<ref name=CTimes>Template:Cite web</ref> to George Verwer, Sr. and Eleanor Caddell Verwer, Dutch immigrants.<ref name=BG /> He was raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, where his father worked as an electrician.<ref name="CT">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TGC">Template:Cite web</ref> Verwer's family attended a Reformed Church of America congregation.<ref name="CT"/> His father rarely attended church, and the younger Verwer, himself, is said to have attended in order to socialize.<ref name="CT"/>

As a youth, Verwer had a reputation for mischief, notably setting a fire in a Bergen County forest, and getting caught by the police breaking into a neighbor's home.<ref name="CT"/>

Conversion

As a result of his incidents of youthful mischief,<ref name="CT"/> a Christian acquaintance, Dorothea Clapp, gave Verwer the Gospel of John and is reported to have prayed that the young Verwer would convert to Christianity;<ref name=PW /> Verwer would later say that Clapp put him on her "Holy Ghost hit list".<ref name="CT"/> Verwer attributed to her some of the reasons that he made a commitment to Christ, and for what later resulted in his life.<ref name="CT"/>Template:Verify source

In 1955, Verwer was 16 years old and attending Ramsey High School in Wyckoff; he went to a Jack Wyrtzen meeting in which Billy Graham spoke, in Madison Square Garden in New York City,<ref name=BG /> an event that drew the attention of reporters, including Alistair Cooke.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> There, at the age of 16, he had a conversion experience, and became a Christian.<ref name=BG /> Reporting from an organisation that he later founded, the claim is made that within a year, about 200 of his classmates had become Christians.<ref name=PW>Template:Cite web</ref>

After high school, he attended Maryville College; in 1957 he transferred to Moody Bible Institute (MBI),<ref name=CTimes /> where he also met his future wife, Drena Knecht, a fellow student.<ref name=TSGV>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Template:Expand section After the MSG event, Verwer is reported to have had a growing conviction to evangelize on foreign soil.<ref name=BG /><ref name=TSGV /> He began with distribution of the Gospel of John in Mexico in 1957, along with two friends, Walter Borchard and Dale Rhoton, calling the operation, "Send the Light".<ref name=SAL>Template:Cite web</ref> He continued with other trips to Mexico during the summer holidays.<ref name=BG /><ref name=SAL />

Verwer used the name "Send the Light" for a book distribution operation to India based in the United Kingdom,Template:When which would develop into the Send the Light Christian book distributor in the United Kingdom.<ref name=SOPR>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2007 STL merged with the International Bible Society; in 2009 the new company changed its named to ‘’Biblica’’.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Citation needed<ref>Send the Light entered into administrationTemplate:Clarify December 2009, and moved into liquidation December 2010.Template:Citation neededTemplate:Disputed inline</ref>

Operation Mobilisation

After graduation, George and Drena went to Spain.<ref name=TSGV /> In 1964, while taking Bibles into the USSR, George was arrested and accused of being a spy, and was deported.<ref name=WCL>Template:Cite web</ref>

By 1961, he had returned to Spain, where "after a time of prayer"Template:Quote without source he conceived of the work that became OM.Template:Citation needed

Operation Mobilization was officially launched in summer 1962.<ref name=BG />

In August 2003, George handed over the international leadership of the work of OM to Peter Maiden,<ref name=TSGV /> but remained Associate International Director for 15 further years.<ref name=CTimes /> In particular, George and his wife remained involved in Special Projects Ministries, which involved full-time work.<ref name=TSGV />

In 2023, there were 6,500 OM staff and volunteers around the world.<ref name=CTimes /> OM worked in 120 countries.<ref name=SAL />

Published works

The following are among the published works of Verwer;

Books

• The Fruit of the Spirit, Bangalore: O.M. Fellowship House, n.d.
• Extremism, Bombay: Gospel Literature Service, 1964.
• Pseudo Discipleship, Fort Washington: Christian Literature Crusade, 1969.<ref name=GR>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Come! Live! Die! The Real Revolution, Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 1972.<ref name=GR />
• Hunger For Reality, Kansas City: Walterick Publishers, 1972.
• Literature Evangelism, Send the Light, 1977 Template:ISBN.
• No Turning Back, Bromley: Send the Light, 1983, Template:ISBN.
• The George Verwer Collection, Milton Keynes: Authentic, 1989.<ref name=GR />
• The Revolution of Love, Authentic Lifestyle, 1989, Template:ISBN.<ref name=GR />

Originally published as "Revolution of Love and Balance".Template:WhenTemplate:Full citation needed

• There is a 29th Chapter of Acts, published 2000 <ref name=GR />
• There is Dynamite in Literature, Pilot Books, 2007, Template:ISBN.
• Template:Cite book <ref name=GR />
• Drops From A Leaking Tap, Authentic, 2009, Template:ISBN.<ref name=GR />
• Messiology, Moody Publishers, 2016, Template:ISBN.

Originally published as "More Drops: Mystery, Mercy and Messiology".Template:WhenTemplate:Full citation needed

Audiobooks

• There Is A 29th Chapter To Acts, Oasis Audio, 2000, Template:ISBN.<ref name=A>Template:Cite web</ref>
• If You're Not Called To Stay Then Go!, 2000 <ref name=A2>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lukewarm No More, 2000 <ref name=A2 />
• Straight From The Heart, 2000 <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Failure, Restoration, Forgiveness: Confessions of a Weak Servant, 2000 <ref name=A />

Personal life

Template:Expand section Verwer married Drena Knecht and they had three children.<ref name=BG>Template:Cite web</ref>

George often referred to himself as "God's Bungler", an allusion to Brother Andrew being called "God's Smuggler".<ref name=WCL />

Verwer died on April 14, 2023, at the age of 84.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Further reading

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External links

• OM page about Verwer