George Verwer often called himself “God’s Bungler.” In 1964, he was arrested trying to take Bibles into the USSR and was deported. Instead of being God’s Smuggler, like Brother Andrew, he referred to himself as “God’s Bungler.” Although his plan did not pan out as he planned, God used this experience to start a mission organization called “Operation Mobilisation.” OM became well-known among young Christians, especially college students, for opportunities to do short-term missions in Mexico, Europe, and the United States. It is also notable for acquiring and utilizing two ships, Logos and Doulos, for mission work and selling and distributing Christian literature. I had the privilege of spending 3 months of my summer in Belgium and France through OM, distributing gospel tracts and sharing the gospel in 1987. I heard George Verwer speak with his 12-point message on knowing Christ and making Him known during this time. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget.

George Verwer  was born in 1938, raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, and grew up being a troublemaker, like starting a fire and breaking into a neighbor’s home. At this time, an old lady named Dorothea Clapp sent him a Gospel of John booklet and began to pray for him. He often named her as one of the reasons he became a believer. He attended a meeting sponsored by Jack Wyrtzen where Billy Graham spoke and gave his life to Christ afterward. Immediately afterward, he began to have a burning desire to share the gospel with people around him. In 1957, while attending Maryville College, he and two friends traveled to Mexico to distribute the Gospel of John literature, which became a seed for Operation Mobilisation. He is well known for his passion for the lost and almost always walks up to the pulpit to speak with a giant plastic globe. He passed away in 2023. He was 84 years old.