George Verwer [Verwer - Drops from a Leaking Tap

Drops From A Leaking Tap

George Verwer

Althanile

HYDERABAD COLORADO SPRINGS LONDON

Drops from a Leaking Tap

by George Verwer

Copyright 2008 by George Verwer

First Indian edition 2008

Revised edition 2009

Reprint 2009

ISBN: 978-81-7362-844-3

Published by Authentic Books

P. O. Box 2190, Secunderabad 500 003, Andhra Pradesh. www.authenticindia.in

9 Holdom Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK1 1QR, UK

www.authenticmedia.co.uk

1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921, USA. www.authenticbooks.com

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Some of the Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version. Yet other Scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Authentic Books is an imprint of Authentic India, the publishing division of

Biblica South Asia.

Printed and bound in India by Authentic Media, Secunderabad 500 055

Electronically published under license by Davidson Publishing - .

Foreword

This wonderful collection of messages is vintage George Verwer. I am delighted that Authentic Media are releasing this collection because it contains chapters that faithfully capture both the old and the new emphases of Georges ministry.

George Verwers evolution as a missionary statesman and a man of God has been a great encouragement to me. George has always remained a learner and this has been a model for all of us who have been impacted by his leadership. The content of this book reveals what George has learned over 50 years of ministry.

Even though George is 70 years old he continues as ever, taking the message God has given him to the church worldwide. While many of us in India now have the opportunity to hear George in person, this book gives many people the opportunity to be exposed to the revolutionary message God gave this man.

For those of you interested in OMs history you will find snippets all over the place in this collection. Enjoy the story. A full length book on OMs history has just been released in the West and is now available in India from Authentic Media.

I trust this book will be a blessing to you.

Dr. Joseph Dsouza,
President, OM India Group of Ministries.

Introduction

As I type this I am about to turn 70 years of age. My birthday, July 3, is the same day and same year as Alfy Franks who led the work in India for many years and has continued with his wife Addy to be two of our most faithful coworkers and friends. This book which we have been working on for some years is written specifically for India. Due to my own stupidity (there was no sin involved) and my unwillingness to pay a bribe to Bombay customs, my name ended up on the persona non grata list and this has kept me all these years from visiting my beloved India. Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of copies of my books, Literature Evangelism, Theres Dynamite in Literature, Revolution of Love, Hunger for Reality, No Turning Back and Out of the Comfort Zone have gone out in many languages all over the country. Letters and now emails have poured in from all over India. I have tried to answer all of them, mixing it with prayer.

Do not expect this book to flow like most books. It is more of a compendium of articles and messages mainly by me; and also from a few others whom I really want to thank. Actually I have written more for this book than any other except Literature Evangelism . My other books were all largely taken from my tapes and then reworked by me and an editor. You might want to go to the contents page and just read a chapter that seems to grab you. If you tick it off after you read it...and read, say a chapter a day or even a week or month, then some day you may finish it all, but dont worry if you dont. The chapter on Pain or 7 Global Scourges for me is worth all the effort we have put into the book. You can also copy anything you want and pass it on, with permission from Authentic Media.

Over these 40 years my second book, Hunger for Reality, has brought me more than 25,000 letters; I have read and answered most of them. The letters keep coming even now and what I have said in my books is still relevant and important today. All these 53 years in Christ I have tried to live out an hour by hour basis which I have shared in this book. I hope and pray it will be a blessing to you and your friends. I have mentioned about other books which I hope you will try and read many of them. I hope you will also spend some time visiting my web site: www.georgeverwer.com

Thanks.

In His Grace and grip,

George Verwer.

1
Operation Mobilisation The Beginning

Operation Mobilisation traces its roots to the prayers of an ordinary American housewife. In the 1950s, Dorothea Clapp began to pray faithfully for the students in her local high school. She asked God to touch the world through the lives of those young people, and God answered her prayers!

Mrs. Clapp specifically prayed for a student, George Verwer, that he would be saved and sent out as a missionary. She sent him the Gospel of John through the mail, and he later gave his life to the Lord at a Billy Graham meeting. That young man George Verwer, became the Founder and former International Director of Operation Mobilisation.

While attending Maryville College, George and two friends met regularly to pray and they became burdened by the spiritual needs of Mexico. In 1957, the three friends sold some of their possessions to raise money and gave up their summer holidays to distribute Gospels and other Christian literature in Mexico. The next school year, George transferred to Moody Bible Institute and his two friends to Wheaton College. They returned to Mexico the following summer and the next.

When he graduated from Moody in 1960, George and his friends traveled to Europe. They began work in Spain, sharing the gospel and distributing literature, but the task of reaching the whole of Europe seemed overwhelming.

George and his small team realized that Gods plan was to mobilize his church to reach the nations. As they began to share their vision, hundreds of Christians responded, and Operation Mobilisation was born.

By 1963, 2,000 Christians had joined the summer outreach teams in Europe. At the same time, the first year teams moved into the Indian sub-continent and the Muslim world. Their commitment was to reach those who had never heard the gospel.

Such simple beginnings have shaped OM ever since. Today over 5,000 OMers are working in 100 countries bringing Gods unchanging truth to literally millions every year.

2
Embracing the Pain

I have a great burden on my heart and want to share it with as many people as possible.

I am burdened for people who are hurting in a major way. We all have hurts, but there are so many who are hurting much more than the others.

Often, when we want to help or minister to such people it seems not possible because their hurts have created a barrier or wall and they cant get through it. Some Christians have been hurt so much by other Christians, that they will not go to church or fellowship with other believers. For them, it is all too painful.

There are many great books and passages of Scripture that can help such people, but they might not know about them and are hesitant to read them. The book, Life of the Beloved by Henri J.M. Nouwen has ministered to me in a powerful way. Henri Nouwen speaks of finding the courage to embrace our own brokenness and make our feared enemy into a friend, even claiming it as an intimate companionship.