I once picked him up a few times when we lived in Orlando and took him to meet his in-laws in Winter Haven.
I’ll never forget the time George wanted to stop and visit the widow of a man whose book, The Sign—an eschatological work in the vein of the Left Behind series—he and the Ships had helped sell. The author had been extremely wealthy, though never a donor. Now, George was hoping to ask his widow for support. She lived in an exclusive gated community, and we arrived to find lunch prepared by her private chef.
At one point, she surprised George with a portable scooter, and he wasted no time zipping around the mansion on it, much to everyone’s amusement. As we were leaving, he turned to me with a grin and said, “Well, maybe today’s result is a scooter and a nice time?”
During our visit, she had been particularly excited to share that she was now funding a new Orlando theme park that I knew well—along with the initial controversy it stirred before eventually needing a major financial rescue. At least George got a scooter and a good meal out of it.
In the early years of OM, George was very strict—no one was allowed to ask for money. The organization followed the example set by Hudson Taylor in His Spiritual Secret, relying solely on faith and God’s provision. That was the DNA of OM for years, and even when I joined, it was still the policy.
But then, things began to change rapidly. Development directors and fundraisers entered the picture, and George himself eventually embraced that mode. Still, the spirit of frugality and forsaking all for the mission was how Gloria and I entered OM, and it remains a deeply ingrained part of who we are.
George was always in touch, and even a simple prayer letter we would send him would receive a heartfelt response, always praying. He was a tremendous shot of encouragment whenever we would meet. Though often edgy and restless while present, he was always deeply listening at every encounter. He would often call us out of the blue. I remember once he called and mentioned he visited a man in prison from a ‘fund’ that scammed OM and many other Evangelical missions out of a lot of money — some pyramid scheme or something.
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The photo above captures our last meeting in 2014 in Quito Ecuador almost a decade before he went to be with the Lord. I remember we went for a walk in the high altitude city and he blurted out, “so you are now in Italy, OM invested alot in that country, so many people, time an resources and a base in the mountains.”
George’s vision is moving forward in Italy and in many different churches and organizations. He often came about in a what could be taken as a negative tone, but he was just a straight shooter laced with so much wisdom and truth, and with that ‘loud mouth’ that could talk with such passion and intensity.
Nevertheless he did write us before his passing into glory; where he said “don’t pray for my healing, I am ready to see Jesus.” That was George! I hope and pray that his influence remains a guiding force even though he is no longer around, but much of his media and books. https://georgeverwer.com/
Messiology by George Verwer formerly known as “Drops from a Leaky Faucett”
Messiology by George Verwer reflects the reality of life and the messy pursuit of world missions, bringing Jesus to all nations. Where Idealisms really get refined. George encapsulated: Missions is for our Sanctification.
He also spoke much about his and other leader’s failures and here is a great interview.
But from me the title also touches on Judeo-Christian relations, particularly the question: Who is the Messiah? I believe it is Jesus of Nazareth of the first century, yet understanding the Messiah requires careful definitions, concepts, and study.
This exploration often leads us back to Judaism, challenging us to move beyond Christian assumptions and engage with the deeper roots of the faith. Certainly George did not mean it in that way or maybe he did? George would tease me because I studied too much with academics. But it was he who was the ‘book worm’ and pusher!
