A remarkable leader

George Verwer is surely one of the most exemplary leaders in the history of the church. On August 20 he handed over the leadership of Operation Mobilisation to Peter Maiden at a meeting at the Keswick Convention Centre. Here are some of my reflections.

The achievements of Operation Mobilisation and its literature giant STL (Send the Light) over the past 45 years are staggering. An estimated one billion people have been touched by this work through book exhibitions on the OM ships, literature evangelism and ministry teams.

Words that come to mind when I think of George Verwer are revolutionary, spontaneous pioneer, fearless visionary, encourager. Let me share some things which particularly impressed me at his handover.

I am excited about the choice of Peter Maiden as George Verwer's successor. They have evidently worked closely for a long time. Despite Verwer's spontaneity and unpredictability, Peter Maiden said one quality that stands out is consistency. He really labours to practise what he preaches and is unafraid to be vulnerable about his shortcomings. I pray that I too will strive for holiness (Hebrews 12.14) and not try to put on a show. I am sometimes overwhelmed by my weaknesses and failures, and I thank God that people like Verwer, who also seemed to have many weaknesses, have been able to survive without having to put on a show!

How to keep good staff

Alfy Franks, first leader of OM in India, told us Verwer had said once he did not agree with 25% of the financial and administrative decisions OM took as it grew, but he allowed the admin people to do what they felt best. These were, of course, not matters of principle, but of how to apply principles. Great people focus on the grand task and impart their vision to others. They then allow others to implement the vision in the way they think best. Sometimes their methods may not be what the originator prefers. But when leaders hand over their vision to be implemented by others, they have to give people the freedom to do this. If we want a say in every small thing, we will end up as small leaders with small ministries, and without the ability to keep mature and capable leaders motivated. They will get frustrated and leave.

An OM leader told me Verwer's success was, to a great extent, because of the extremely capable people he had to support him. To keep such capable people for so many years, he must have been willing to allow them freedom to lead, and even to make mistakes, without thrusting his authority, and insisting on his way.

What happens when younger leaders do something their own way, and the scheme fails? We do not humiliate them with, 'I told you so!' or 'If you had only asked me what to do, I would have told you'. For failures are some of the best occasions to learn. So, we first comfort them in their pain and then try to turn the failure into a learning experience through advice, rebuke, teaching or whatever else will help them. Paul gave Timothy some strong advice 'in accordance with the prophecies previously made about' him (1 Timothy 1.18). When he advised him, it was so he would achieve what the prophecies had stated about him. Believing in the great possibilities of grace, we do all we can to see those possibilities realised in the lives of those we lead.

Joseph d'Souza, leader of the work in India, said Verwer was one of the few international leaders who trusted two-thirds world leaders and gave them freedom to lead their movement in their own chosen way. In the 1960s, Verwer was banned from entering India, the country he loved so dearly. But the OM work there now has over 1000 workers and the largest Christian publishing enterprise in the country.

OM's wider influence

George Verwer is a kingdom person. He does not think only of the OM work, but does much to help and encourage other workers and organisations; he also helps OM people to launch out on their own ministries. Consequently ex-OMers have given birth to over 100 other organisations, the combined impact of which is also amazing to compute! Many of these ex-OMers were at the Conference, like Greg Livingstone who founded that great movement, Frontiers. There was no doubt of the warmth with which they regarded OM, and with which OM regarded them.

One expression of Verwer's kingdom mentality is the tens of thousands of letters of encouragement and phone calls he has sent/made to people who were not directly connected to OM. And the recipients of this rich blessing include many who were not leaders, and some who were not Christians. Special honour was given to his band of secretaries who typed out the letters he dictated to his ever-present Dictaphone.

Verwer's Personal Assistant, Vera Zabramski, said there was a noticeable difference in the way he behaved and worked after he caught the message of Charles Swindoll's book The Grace Awakening. Thousands of Christians the world over have been rediscovering the centrality of grace. People have expressed it in different ways. To me this truth is summed up like this: always the most important thing about us is that we are loved by God. This is always more important than the work we do for God, the struggles and disappointments we face in life, our own weaknesses and shortcomings, the sins we have committed, and the bad things that people have done against us. So, as we go through life, we can always be thankful, always be joyful for we are loved by God, the almighty Lord of the universe.

How could a person do so much, travel so much, and survive physically? I am sure there are many secrets to Verwer's ability here. One of these must surely be his love for physical exercise. This has kept his body in trim so that he could punish the body more than we lesser mortals do. Ouch! That stings, for I am so undisciplined in the way I take exercise.

Billy Graham's grandson read out a letter from his grandfather. Before doing so, he said the grandchildren had often commented on how they would have liked at least a small portion of their grandfather's royalties. (But Graham gave these away for the work of the kingdom). However, he immediately added that they realised their grandfather had given them a moral and spiritual legacy which was much more valuable. Verwer's contribution was also given as an example of such total devotion to God and his kingdom. I prayed that our children, and (if God gives us them) our grandchildren, would say about us that we gave them an eternal legacy that surpasses all the wealth this world could afford.

Drena's part

Often mentioned was the immense contribution of Verwer's wife, Drena. She and their children and grandchildren also shared at the meeting. Drena, because of her love for her husband and his God, was willing to do many things she did not personally like. For example, she disliked travel, but had to spend much of her life on the road. I believe that evening of tributes was great for Drena and her children, as they realised how much fruit their sacrifices had made possible. O may we be willing to do things we don't like so that God's love would go to others.

Report! Report! Report!

Someone said that the key to Verwer's effectiveness is the large amount of prayer that goes up to God for his life and ministry. And he commented that the reason so many pray for him is that he sends regular reports. Verwer often tells his OM workers, 'Report! Report! Report!' People won't be motivated to pray for us unless they know what we are doing. How can they know unless we report it to them?

We must not expect all those who get our reports to read them. People get so much mail these days that they have to be selective in what they read. We must not be hurt by this. But if we send a report to 100 people and ten pray for us, we have won ten sources of power for our lives and ministries. Of course, for groups like ours, which depend on financial contributions for survival, reporting becomes doubly important! So let's be diligent in reporting.

Daily hundreds of thousands of people are going to a Christless eternity. And just think of it: Christ died and rose for them, and we have known about this for many years. O Lord, help us to dream big so that big numbers of people will be rescued from hell and given a place in heaven! George Verwer is a great model for us in this.

Ajith Fernando is Director of Sri Lanka Youth for Christ, and author of Jesus-Driven Ministry (IVP).

Ajith Fernando pays tribute to George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilisation

How to keep good staff

OM's wider influence

Drena's part

Report! Report! Report!

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