George Verwer (1938 – 2023) Bible smuggler and founder of Operation Mobilisation (OM)
“He’s had a catalytic impact in stirring up people of the wider world getting a mission vision,” says Operation World’s author Patrick Johnstone, of George Verwer, who has been promoted to glory. “So many of the mission movements in the non-Western world have actually got some link with OM. He was so generous: he never tried to build an empire, but he was very happy for people to move on and start other ministries.
“I’ve never known anybody who’s been so assiduous in maintaining links and friendships, with writing and visiting and praying for — what a man of God.”
Operation Mobilisation has published this Obituary of an extraordary man, their founder:
George Verwer was born in New Jersey, USA, in 1938. When he was 14 years old, a woman named Dorothea Clapp gave him a copy of the Gospel of John. Mrs Clapp prayed for 18 years for the students at George’s school to become passionate Jesus-followers and take His message to the ends of the earth. Three years later, George attended a Billy Graham rally
in New York City, where he made a personal commitment to Christ. His entire life was changed.
Inspired by Jesus’ commission to make disciples, George began sharing his faith with fellow students. Within a year, two hundred had chosen to follow Christ. At college in Tennessee, George became burdened for those without access to the Bible, and in 1957, he and two friends sold some of their possessions to fund a road trip to Mexico; taking 20,000 Spanish-language tracts and 10,000 Gospel booklets. The trip led to many more and fanned the flame of George’s conviction to share God’s Word with those who’d never heard it.
Moving to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, George was confident of God’s call on his life. He blazed a trail for world mission, motivating others in nights of prayer and planning further literature distribution ventures. It was at Moody that George met Drena Knecht, who would become his wife.
In 1960, George and Drena were married. They prioritised their service of the Lord and sold some of their wedding gifts to fund a six- month outreach to Mexico City before moving to Spain, where they established what would become OM’s work there. While in Europe, George smuggled Bibles into Communist- controlled countries, but after being arrested and deported, he took time to reflect. During a time of private prayer in Vienna, Austria,
George climbed a tree and saw a group of young people boarding a bus. In that moment, the name Operation Mobilisation sprang to his mind, with the idea of mobilising ‘busloads’ of young people into mission.
Under George’s exuberant leadership and fuelled by the passion of believers from many nations to reach those who had never heard the Good News, OM expanded in the 60s, 70s and 80s: first, across Europe and into the Middle East, then with volunteers crewing ocean- going ships. Logos, the first of five vessels, was launched in 1971, and since then more than 49 million people have visited the onboard book fairs, with over 70 million portions of Scripture distributed during port calls in 151 countries.
After a time living and establishing ministry in India, George and Drena, along with their three children, settled in London, England; where George continued to emphasise radical discipleship within OM and focused on ministry sustainability.
George led OM until 2003, then concentrated on special projects, travelling and speaking
on global mission at thousands of gatherings worldwide. His authentic lifestyle and zeal for the spread of the gospel has motivated countless individuals and churches into more intentional mission involvement.
Rarely seen without his world map jacket or inflatable globe, George always prayed for the nations and current issues. He was energised by encouraging others and keeping in contact with thousands of friends and ministry partners through letters, emails and phone calls.
Some Other tributes
“I got challenged to go to Mexico in 1958. The first question I asked George was, ‘What will it cost me?’ And he said, ‘It’ll cost you your life!’ I didn’t realise when I went on a Christmas campaign that I’d stay over 50 years.” Richard Griffin One of OM’s first volunteers.
“When I first met George, I thought he was unhinged. It was a wood-panelled room in King’s College, Cambridge. Now, this is a place of scholarship and learning, this is where Nobel prizewinners meet to discuss their ideas, where prime ministers are trained and geniuses nurtured — and George stood up and exuberated all over us. It was absolutely astonishing. It was a weird, intoxicating cocktail of passion and truth, and it changed the lives of dozens and dozens of us. That mixture of grace and weakness and truth and fire really changed us.
The whole course of short-term missions was beginning to be changed in those days. Whereas missions in the past had been, really, open only to a certain kind of person, now the door was blown open for everybody. My parents-in-law; recently converted, with no background in church or college; were welcomed into the movement.
We found ourselves on international teams — this was very, very good for us — made up of people from nations that we had hurt, or invaded, or bombed, or been hurt by — and we were together on those teams. We were given responsibility at the age of 20, 21, 22, that you would never have imagined. It was life-changing, and there are thousands of us who are really, really grateful.” (the late) Nigel Lee Former Head of Student Ministries, Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) (speaking in 2003).