George Verwer

George Verwer
Born(1938-07-03)July 3, 1938
Ramsey, New Jersey
DiedApril 14, 2023(2023-04-14) (aged 84)
London, England
Occupation(s)Missions leader, evangelist
Spouse
Drena Knecht
​
(m. 1960)​
Children3
Websitehttps://georgeverwer.com/

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". Over a million copies of the books he authored have been distributed worldwide.

Early life and education

George Verwer was born on July 3, 1938 (in Ramsey, New Jersey) to George Verwer, Sr. and Eleanor Caddell Verwer, Dutch immigrants; he was raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, where his father worked as an electrician.[1][2] Verwer's family attended a Reformed Church of America congregation.[1] His father rarely attended church, and the younger Verwer, himself, is said to have attended in order to socialize.[1]

As a youith, 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.[1]

Conversion

As a result of his incidents of youthful mischief,[1] 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; Verwer would later say that Clapp put him on her "Holy Ghost hit list".[1] Verwer attributed to her some of the reasons that he made a commitment to Christ, and for what later resulted in his life.[1]

In 1953, Verwer was 14 years old, and attending Ramsey High School in Wyckoff. He is reported to have gone to a Jack Wyrtzen meeting in which Billy Graham spoke, in Madison Square Garden in New York City, an event that drew the attention of reporters, including Alistair Cooke.[3] There, at the age of 16, he had a conversion experience, and became a Christian. Reporting from an organisation that he later founded, the claim is made that within a year, about 200 of his classmates had become Christians.[4]

After high school, he attended Maryville College, and then transferred to Moody Bible Institute (MBI), where he also met his future wife, Drena Knecht, a fellow student.

Career

Verwer is reported to have had a growing conviction to evangelize on foreign soil. 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", and continued with others during the summer holidays. (Verwer would later used the name "Send the Light" for a book distribution operation to India based in the United Kingdom, which would develop into Send the Light, as of this date, the largest Christian book distributor in the United Kingdom.[5])

Operation Mobilisation

After graduation, they went to Spain. While taking Bibles into the USSR, George was arrested and accused of being a spy, and was deported.

By 1961, he had returned to Spain, where "after a time of prayer" he conceived of the work that became OM.

In August 2003, George handed over the international leadership of the work of OM to Peter Maiden, but remained Associate International Director for 15 further years. In particular, George and his wife remained involved in Special Projects Ministries, which involved full-time work, including traveling to meetings around the world.

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, 1970.
  • Come! Live! Die! The Real Revolution, Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 1972.
  • Hunger For Reality, Kansas City: Walterick Publishers, 1972.
  • Literature Evangelism, Send the Light, 1977 ISBN 0-9630908-3-6.
  • No Turning Back, Bromley: Send the Light, 1983, ISBN 1-85078-250-4.
  • The George Verwer Collection, Milton Keynes: Authentic, 1989.
  • The Revolution of Love, Authentic Lifestyle, 1989, ISBN 1-85078-045-5.
Originally published as "Revolution of Love and Balance".
  • There is Dynamite in Literature, Pilot Books, 2007, ISBN 978-0990617556.
  • Out Of The Comfort Zone. Bethany House. 2001. ISBN 0-7642-2478-6. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  • Drops From A Leaking Tap, Authentic, 2008, ISBN 978-81-7362-844-3.
  • Messiology, Moody Publishers, 2016, ISBN 978-0-8024-1485-4.
Originally published as "More Drops: Mystery, Mercy and Messiology".

Audiobooks

  • There Is A 29th Chapter To Acts, Oasis Audio, 2000, ISBN 1-886463-75-1.
  • If You're Not Called To Stay Then Go!
  • Lukewarm No More.
  • Straight From The Heart.
  • Failure, Restoration, Forgiveness: Confessions of a Weak Servant.

Personal life

Verwer married Drena Knecht, whom he had met at MBI, in 1960. He had three children with Drena.

George often referred to himself as "God's Bungler", an allusion to Brother Andrew being called. "God's Smuggler".

Verwer died on April 14, 2023, at the age of 84.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Silliman, Daniel (April 15, 2023). "Died: George Verwer, Who Asked Christians 'Are You Ready To Go". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Taylor, Justin (March 3, 2015). "George Verwer's Conversion: 60 Years Ago Today God Created a Global Evangelist". The Gospel Coalition. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024.
  3. ^ Cooke, Alistair (February 2018). "Billy Graham at New York's Madison Square Garden". The Guardian (theguardian.com). Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  4. ^ Wood, Patrick (October 30, 2016). "George Verwer and the Birth of OM". Operation Mobilisation (OM.org). Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017. In Wyckoff, New Jersey, in 1953 George was 14 years old, high-spirited, and showing promise as a natural-born leader at Ramsey High School when Mrs. Clapp's son first gave him a copy of John's Gospel.
  5. ^ Send the Light entered into administration December 2009, and moved into liquidation December 2010.
  6. ^ Drew, Sophie (April 15, 2023). "Tributes Paid to Missionary Pioneer and 'God's Servant' George Verwer Following Death". Premier Christian News (premierchristian.news). Crowborough, England: Premier Christian Communications. Retrieved August 12, 2025.

Further reading

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