Lunch with George Verwer

Had lunch last Thursday at Tropicana at a special get-together arranged by OM for its founder George Verwer and 50 other church leaders and pastors. Caught up with some old friends (and who should I bump into but Sivin!). Verwer said it was his 36th visit to Malaysia. Wearing his typical world map jacket, the man wrapped up lunch with an overview of OM’s work around the world and a challenge for the Malaysian church (and particularly its leaders) to value personal integrity, pray, and remain focused on evangelism. Here's a man who wears his passion on his sleeves, and I thank God for him.

A couple of things he said struck home: the need to pray more, and the need to embrace those who are hurting or have been hurt by the church (whose numbers are sadly increasing).I have some recollections of Verwer and OM’s ministry and its first ship Logos (heard him speak on a couple of occasions back in the early days). In my teens his books (Come, Live, Die and Hunger For Reality) spoke powerfully to me and I must admit the thought of joining the ship played often in my head then.