The Challenge of Missions - Part 1 (Arabic) — George Verwer

Was that Egypt was the most important country for the evangelization of the whole Arab world. We praise God for missionaries. Some of them have laid down our lives. One of our OM workers was shot dead in Turkey.

Another was murdered in Afghanistan. Another one was shot dead at a clinic in Lebanon. But many missionaries struggle to learn the Arabic language. And we live in a real world. And in the real world, there are problems.

The Sacrifices and Challenges of Missionary Service

And after they learn the language, begin a ministry, and one of their children gets extremely ill and they return home. I can give you 10 other reasons why missionaries return home. You have been given one of the greatest gifts God could ever give a man in this day and age.

You have that gift. If you speak Arabic, please raise your hand. Seldom do I get 100 response in my invitations. You are halfway there. You are halfway to the mission field. And we're praying that as a result of the Holy Spirit working among us, others will make the commitment to go the rest of the way.

Egypt's Role in Reaching the Muslim World

And I celebrate with all my heart what Arab people from Egypt are already doing in the Muslim world. We in OM have been here for a half a century. Our biggest target was Turkey. Then it was Afghanistan.

Because I had heard there are already many believers in Egypt. And originally, I thought OM is not needed in Egypt. They have plenty of believers. We go to Iraq, we go to Syria. But a team came here around 1964, driving through, I think, from Libya.

And they fell in love with this country. And they also discovered that many were not sharing their faith. Though they lived next to people of a completely different persuasion, they did not share their faith.

And so, our work was also born here. Instead, I want to show a very short video from a brother that was called out to minister in music and travel with me around the world. It's an amazing story. He may have been here before, Bill Drake, but I hope he'll return to Egypt again.

The 10–40 Window and Christian Literature

And so, he created this short video about the 10 -40 window. That's this area of the world around the Mediterranean, 10 degrees to 40 degrees. So, if we can have the lights down, and I hope I was so excited when I discovered Brother Mafdi's vision for Christian literature.

I was even more excited when he said he was going to reprint my old book. Over 100 ,000 copies of this book in many languages. But I think it was 15 years ago. So, I started re-reading it and I realized what I wrote then is just as relevant in this year, 2019.

I've written many books, but this is the only book that is 100 true. 100 about the challenge of missions. I am more known in my ministry for preaching about radical discipleship and radical grace.

I will be talking about that in the next two days. But I've never lost the focus to reach the whole world with the gospel. And God prepared me for difficult places. Where not many responded. Like Turkey and Afghanistan and Iraq.

But he gave us this command, this challenge. That everybody in the world should have the gospel at least once, whether they respond or not. One of the books we're distributing here is one of the most influential books in my life.

Oswald J. Smith, The Challenge of Missions. Oswald J. Smith, Oswald J. Smith. And he'll be telling you more about that book. And this is one of his famous quotations. Why should so many people hear the gospel over and over again when others never hear it even once or read it even once?

Obedience to God Rather Than Immediate Results

Sharing our faith in some countries. Where there are certain forces in strong power. And that includes London, where I live. Where we have one million people from Asia. You can guess the background of many of these dear friends from Pakistan.

And Bangladesh. And we've been working among these people for 50 years. Many have come from Egypt to work with our team in London. And the response has been small. And often people don't want the message.

But our joy is not firstly getting results. Of course we want results. But our joy is being obedient to God. Our meat is to do the will of God. I get so discouraged in my personal sharing which I've been doing all the time for 60 years.

And of course they want to argue with me. They want to have an argument. And they want to convert me. I was living in Nepal. Sharing my faith. I've seen miracles in Nepal. There were very few believers when we were living there.

I had one of the first pastors conferences. Only 15 pastors. We now have over a thousand pastors. Hundreds of thousands of Nepalese have turned to Christ. We're going to be talking a lot in these days about this world in which we live.

Global Missions in the Twenty-First Century

We're going to talk about the nations of the world. We're going to deal with some of the false ideas. I read one of them just 20 minutes ago in an email. It comes out of America. And it said the 20th century was the great century of missions.

Will the 21st century be the great century of omissions? Of missing. Not doing missions. I don't know what he's thinking of. Maybe he's thinking about American missionaries. There are less of those coming long term.

But we want to think globally. We want to include what the Nigerians are doing. We want to include what the Brazilians are doing. We want to include what the Indians are doing. What the Filipinos are doing.

What the Egyptians are doing. And let me go on record and you can write it in your tablet. The 21st century is the greatest century of global missions. And it's because almost all the major nations of the world are now involved in missions.

Nothing to compare with it in the 20th century. And I'm a 20th century character. And that was a great century. I'm not worthy to tie the shoelaces of many of those great missionaries. But it's so simple to understand.

Because that was a great century and great things happened. This is a better century with greater things about to happen. And your amazing movement that many people don't even know exists is part of that great 21st century global explosion.

Failure, Prayer, and the Birth of Operation Mobilization

But you know I live in England. I lived in Europe 60 years. I started in Madrid. I learned Spanish. I sent other people to this part of the world. But God sent me to the Soviet Union. And I made a stupid mistake.

I was still a young Christian, a young missionary. So I was arrested by the KGB and accused of being an American spy in the Soviet Union. It looked like an all expensive holiday in Siberia. In other words a prison camp in Siberia.

After two more days of interrogation with the police. They decided I was a religious fanatic and I must be removed from the country. That failure changed the course of my life. Because my vision at that time did not include Western Europe, Germany or Britain.

It was only Turkey and Afghanistan and hard places. But because of that failure I went for a day of prayer. And God met with me. He gave me the name Operation Mobilization. My wife's father had been killed in the war.

I was very aware of the war. I was born as that war was born. God gave me this vision for free Europe. That they would send hundreds of workers to Asia. But they would start first in the Samaria and give everybody in Europe the gospel at least once.

No one had ever heard of us. But God moved me to Great Britain as I turned the work in Spain over to Spaniards. God had especially prepared students at Cambridge and Oxford University for this radical message of discipleship and missions.

A book came out last year recording the history of what God did at Cambridge University in sending out so many workers. Two hundred of us came together. And tried to reach 25 million people with the word of God in one summer.

And we sent from Madrid our first teams across North Africa and to Egypt. The next summer 2 ,000 came together. We started to attend trucks full, whole vehicles full of workers from London and Brussels all the way to New Delhi and Bombay.

And then God surprised me and sent my wife and our three children to live in Bombay and be in India for a number of years. I wanted to give just a little bit of my history. That I hope will help you understand what I try to share in these days together.

Personal Prayer and a Lifetime of Global Relationships

I'm a little bit crazy as a speaker. Because I challenge people to write me personally, to email me personally. And I will read it personally. And I'll pray for them. And I'll probably send them some books and films as a gift.

And in some cases I will be following them the rest of their life. So you can imagine as an old person I stepped out of all leadership in OM 17 years ago. You can imagine what's keeping me busy. Some days especially when stuck on an airplane.

I just have 7 or 8 hours non-stop praying for people all over the world. I've only been to 100 countries. But I'm in touch with people from about 150 countries. Corresponding with Egyptians for 50 years.

Some of them even come to my home in London and visit me. And so I hope you will also take that challenge. Now I have one of my helpers with me, Ray Aimee. I don't know where he's sitting. No, both. Write first and visit later.

Don't all come on the same page. But I want to introduce Ray Aimee who's helping me. He lived in Egypt many years. He'd love to meet you. And if you know English. He will give you the English film of my life story.

This is not about me but about God answering prayer. You'll travel with me to Mexico. Then we'll be in Madrid. Then you'll be with me in Nepal. Then you'll hear my wife share who never speaks in public but she's on this film.

Then we'll be on our ship. Then we'll be in Singapore and meet the present director of OM, Lawrence Tong, a Chinese brother. And my dream is someday this film will be in Arabic. At least in the subtitles.

But right now it's only English. Some of you very young people, you are anti-DVD. DVD old people. For you we have this little memory stick. George Verwer memory stick. It's the same film. But Ray will interview you.

And if you don't know English you are not getting it. You can pray for the Arab edition. I'm known for promoting learning of English. Even though I don't like English. I prefer Spanish. Spanish more rhythm.

I like rhythm. But French is my favorite. Because I like to dance and French they make me dance. But unfortunately English is being spoken all over the world. English is one of the keys to global evangelism.

Language, Culture, and Reaching the Arab World

But you have a very special language. Because to be a missionary to the Arab world. And look at the size of the Arab world. From the western Sahara over on to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. I've had the joy of being in all of these countries.

And so you don't necessarily need to know English. English. But we have this problem in OM. Boy meets girl. They love. He doesn't even speak my language. He's speaking English. It's amazing how quickly the girls learn English when they fall in love with an English fellow.

I have parents all over the world upset with me. They're upset with me because they think I promote international marriage. And many countries I will not give the names. They don't want their children marrying people from other inferior countries.

But you know when you get a ship and you got 400 people living on that ship for a year or two. Things happen. This was not the vision God gave me in the beginning. This was not the vision. I'm sorry. Over 1 ,000 couples have met each other on OM.

There are thousands. And they all believe in big families. They almost all believe in big families. Thousands of children. They're all a much better color than I am. And when I meet these children. Of course they don't pay any attention this old man.

They're usually playing their computer games. And I stop them. And I say look at me little boy. If it wasn't for me you would not be here. Yeah. Suddenly there's a revival. And some of those children later go to OM teen street and they join OM.

We have hundreds of second generation. That are getting involved in global missions. I'm so excited about it. One of my own grandsons. He thought he's in a Christian home he must be a Christian. And he told people he was a Christian.

I'm not an atheist. I'm not a Hindu. Never read his bible. There was no spiritual reality. But he as a young man was a very gifted welder. They put steel together welders. The ship needs welders. This is an old ship.

It's rotting underneath our feet. So he got accepted by the ship. And then he had to go through that OM training course. One of our leaders spoke about the need to get into the word of God. The first time in his life he got into the word of God.

He joined the ship. He saw tough men in the engine room. Who radiated the life of Jesus and it spoke to him. And he listened to a strong message on the internet. And God broke him. And he was born again.

The bible says except you be born again you'll never enter the kingdom of God. The bible says except you be born again you'll never enter the kingdom of God. There might even be someone here this evening.

You've been in a Christian home. You say you're a Christian. But have you been born again? It may not be in a dynamic special emotional way. It may be in the quiet of your own home. But you put your faith in the Lord Jesus and what he did for you on the cross as a personal experience.

On the film I share how that happened to me and tomorrow I will also share that. I was also in a home where we just presumed we were Christians. Even though my Dutch grandfather was an atheist. And it's a miracle that I ever found Christ as a young man.

Psalm 67 and God's Missionary Blessing

That led to the birth of Operation Mobilization. We're going to look at many scriptures in these opportunities together. But I want to start with Psalm 67. We'll read the whole chapter Psalm 67. Please read only in Arabic.

Go ahead and read please. In Arabic. In Arabic. Some people ask where do you find this message about where do you find that in the Bible? Where do you find the message about global missions? We have a missionary God.

We have a missionary Savior. The Lord Jesus himself said as the Father sent me so send I you. That is not just for those of us who become missionaries with that name. You don't need that name in some countries it's not acceptable.

The Bible says we're also ambassadors of Jesus. If you're talking to someone and you tell them I'm an ambassador of Jesus they'll be quite surprised. You can try it. Try it on the bus. I love to travel on the buses all over London.

So many special things can only happen when you get older. If you live in London when you're old like me all transport is free. I go the whole nation free of charge on the bus. In London itself the trains are free the subway is free.

This is why so many Arabs are coming to London especially the Saudi Arabians. We have an outreach in Switzerland among Saudi Arabians. That's one of my favorite countries. When my grandson worked on the ship for two years he gave him the prize.

He got a prize. Swiss wife. Now he's got three Swiss children. I've got three Swiss great-grandchildren. If you think grandchildren are a problem wait till you get the great-grandchildren. So here we have this amazing psalm.

It's a missionary psalm. May God be gracious to us and bless us. And make his face shine on us. And I say this with all my heart. He wants to bless you in these days. He wants to bless you. And we're all different.

And he loves each and every one of us. In our counseling of the young people who came on OM, many thousands we found many young people were struggling, does God really love me? Especially if they had some physical problem or educational problem.

Maybe at a young age they already did something really stupid. Could God love me? And we had the joy from the word of God to show thousands of young people how God loved them. And when they believed that God loved them they could take that next step that God would use them.

God would use them with their struggles, their weaknesses, their disabilities. One man who traveled the whole world with me he typed my letters. He sang in my meetings. He was completely blind. He could see nothing.

But God used him. And we celebrate the greatness of God. Let me tell you a story that I heard from another preacher that really helped me. You will not forget this story. It's about a family in a thunderstorm.

We have lots of those in America. We have some in England. Big thunder and lightning. And the family in this thunderstorm even the older people were a bit nervous. And then they realized their little girl little 70 year old was alone up in her bedroom.

They ran up the stairs. They opened the door. They thought she'd be hiding under the bed. Oh, the little girl was looking out the window. Another flash of lightning. She said, are you okay? They're worried, are you okay?

With a big smile she said, I'm fine. I think God is taking my picture. God is taking your picture. He's got the biggest selfie camera in the world. You are his son, you are his daughter. You are important with him.

Because you've been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. And even when you sin and when you fail he sees the Lord Jesus precious blood for you. And I just thank God for this this message of radical grace and blessing from God's word.

I've known something of it every single day since I was born again of the spirit of God. Yes. Let us read the other verses and bring this to a close. And so that your ways may be known on earth and your salvation among the nations.

Sending Young People to Bless the Nations

So God wants to bless us. So that we in turn can bless the nations. And I want to challenge you. Especially you young people. To get out of Egypt as quickly as possible. Get some training in Egypt. And I think you have that kind of program.

And then get to some of these surrounding countries. Even if it's just short term. And when you come back here you will find a greater sense of purpose and reality in what you do here. Whether it's a doctor, an engineer or an IT specialist.

It's so wonderful to see so many young people. There are Bible verses just for you. Let no man despise. Let no man make fun of your youth. But be an example of the believers. In my own hometown. After my conversion to Christ.

Many of the Christians. After just one year of the power of Jesus. After just one year of living for Jesus. The word went out. That George Burwell was an example of Jesus in the local town. When I was 18 I spoke at my high school.

I went back Christmas break from university and spoke at this big high school. Hundreds came to the meeting. And I shared the gospel. I was just learning to preach. But I shared John 3 .16. And I asked people to stand and believe on Jesus.

And 120 stood in that meeting. Including my own father. The son of an atheist. I was 18 years old. At 19 God sent me to Mexico. By the time I was 20. When I left university and went to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

I had seen hundreds of answers to prayer. I had become saturated with the word of God. And I learned how to pray. Of course I had to continue to learn. And I failed. And sometimes I sinned. But I never gave up.

I knew Jesus. And I knew from the word of God. If we confess our sin he's faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You can be an example as a young person. We're not talking perfection.

We're not saying you won't be criticized. If nobody's criticizing you it's because you're probably not doing anything. And I pray with all my heart. That this stays together. Which will be days of specific steps of faith.

Ethiopia and the Spread of the Gospel

To be more totally radically committed to Jesus. And the nations will feel the impact of what's happening here. You have a nation very close to you. Where they love to meet you. Now they're not so into Arabic.

How many have ever heard of Ethiopia? You've heard of Ethiopia? Raise your hand. In the Bible wasn't there an Ethiopian man? I never met him. And we have seen amazing things. God working in Ethiopia. OM doesn't even work there.

But the ship visited there in the 70s. And Haile Selassie said it's one of the greatest things that ever happened. The OM ship. And he brought the captain and all these people to his palace. If you landed in the airport in those days everywhere there were communist signs.

Communism was ready to take over Ethiopia. That young man who went to Ethiopia in the early 70s. I sent him back there again a few months ago. Because I have literature projects there. I have Bible projects there.

My key contact was killed in a car crash. My key friend contact was killed in a car crash. So my friend went. And when you land in the airport everywhere you can look advertisements for evangelists and preachers come into Ethiopia.

And the leader is a professing follower of Jesus. And tens of thousands tens of thousands of Ethiopians have been coming to Jesus. Of all different backgrounds. God has been blessing the nations. Just as it says in this psalm.

Seeking God First and Meditating on Scripture

I'd encourage you to read more of the psalms. I close with this verse. I believe God has put on my heart it's a key verse, one of the key verses for this conference. It's from the book of Matthew. Very important verse in my life.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Tomorrow I'm going to tell a story of how relevant that was in my struggle with girls and women even after I became a Christian.

Through making that verse an important verse in my life. And setting me free from all this romantic buzz that was always in my head and in my eyes. And then gave me this amazing wife. And in a few months we celebrate 60 years of serving the Lord Jesus.

The first thing in this conference isn't missions. It's certainly not us speakers. It's not us the speakers. It's even not one another. Praise God for the fellowship. The first thing God Himself. Let us seek God.

In that morning prayer time. In our private prayer time. Let us never neglect the word of God. No matter where we are. No matter how busy we are. Let us never neglect the word of God. And I encourage you not just to read the scripture.

To meditate on the scripture. To memorize the scripture. And now in my senior years when I walk to the station and I walk over to the bus place. I try to walk 4 miles every day or 6 kilometers. And often I'm just quoting the word of God.

The Authority of Scripture and the Uniqueness of Christ

Many of those verses I learned before I was 21. God's word is sharper than a two edged sword. And one of the reasons in Germany and England where I'm often ministering. That the churches are often not doing anything.

And they're losing their young people. Is because theologians 30, 40 years ago they told us the Bible is not the word of God. All this Noah and the Ark and the Virgin Mary. This is mythology. And they're in one seminary one theological institution they didn't even read the Bible.

They read theological books about the Bible. Proving that the Bible was not the word of God. And then we wonder why 50 years later in Europe we're still reading the Bible. And we are suffering so much in the body of Christ.

And you can be sure that some of this has invaded Egypt as well. In India where I've lived it's one of the most destructive forces in the church. And I understand the struggle. It's not easy to believe that all these people are lost.

That Jesus is the only way. I don't want to believe that. But the Bible says Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me. And there are other verses that are very very strong.

And I embrace it by faith. And I love those last verses of Romans 11. Who has understood the mind of God? Do you have questions about some of these things? Do you struggle with doubts as I do about some of these things?

Stop trying to find the total answers to everything. Embrace mystery. Embrace uncertainty. Realize the greatness of God. Someday we will be with Him. And we will understand all things. Let's get as many people to go with us.

In every nation of the world. Let's pray. Our Father we thank you for your word. We thank you for the hard passages. That convict us, that challenge us. Lord we seek you together in these days. In our prayer times.

In the study of your word. That we may be permeated by the reality of your Holy Spirit. For we ask in the glorious name of Jesus. For we ask in the glorious name of Jesus.