Testimonies 26.9.68 — George Verwer

Missionary Family and Early Spiritual Formation

I have to praise God for the race, to have parents praying today for me, parents still on the field, serving the Lord, rejoicing in souls being saved and being built up in the faith. My brother, three years old, is a missionary in Morocco.

My uncle, he is also a missionary. That takes care of all the lacrosses I know. My sister is a Christian. Her husband is a Christian living in California. So we're a bit scattered out, but God has given us a great fellowship together, praying and working for one another.

I went to school for missionary kids out in Africa and then off and on was in the States. Then at 16 I went back to finish up at the States and didn't exactly know them very well. It took me a year to finally get to the place where I would accept that they were spiritual Christians too.

Then at that time I figured it was a mission field. When I left Africa at 16, I said, well, it seems to be this is where I should go back to. I thought of Mauritania at that time. I don't know if I got there yet.

Through high school, I planned to go to Bible school right afterwards. I found out two or three applied to one. I was accepted and went there. I spent three years there growing up some more and learning some things.

That's what I meant to send the light. I can't say that I came with the Lord at all on any reasonable, logical basis, really. I would say I was forced into it by the Spirit of God. When I was at Muria, I met George there.

In fact, a fellow told me that George was planning to go down to Mexico in the summer of 16. He was not even walking with the Lord that day, Tom Heater. He told me that was the first day when George arrived.

I took some of George's luggage over and said, you're going to be in something in Mexico. It sounded interesting, but it didn't interest me personally. I think what began my third year at Muria, a fellow living next door to me, a fellow by the name of Don Kilgree, went down to Mexico that Christmas crusade.

His first year at Muria, he was one of the campus skeptics, one of the intellectual guys, mocking the fighting fundies, this type of fellow. Then he got interested in this group. We had some tremendous fellowship there.

I heard he went to a couple nights of prayer. I think this is what sowed the seed of something happening to him. I prayed for him during the summer and wanted an interest. Then I went out to preach. That's when I went along and really got an interest.

Joining OM and Discerning a Missionary Calling

I felt I should go down to Mexico Christmas of 59. I went down. Dale, the leader of Guadalajara. I didn't want to go, but I knew I should. I was blessed. The next year, the same thing. I didn't want to go, but I was blessed.

I knew I had to go. Then after a week, I was deciding I knew I should either come with OM on this year program. I didn't really want to go. Or go with the missionary society my folks were with. Then I felt at the time that I should go with them.

I think it was right because it gave me the opportunity to go to the Holy Church, get a church behind me and a lot of other things. Towards the end of my time there, I had no peace about continuing there.

Then the Christmas of 1961, that was George when he came through with the prayer group of Gene and Davey. That's when I really made a final decision to come up with a year and a half program. That's kind of how I got involved.

When I came over, I knew so certainly, clearer than my salvation, that I had to come on OM. That's just about the way it was. After praying for three days and battling out, I just knew I had no choice.

For me, it was kind of losing my whole future because OM, financial policy, business policy, opens their future wherever they go. It wasn't recognized by the IFMA or the EFMA or any other associations.

For me, it was kind of losing all. It was stepping out of the usual type of missionary work that I had grown up in. For me, it was kind of losing a reputation, losing everything else, just throwing my life into it.

I wasn't really intending to stay for so many years. I thought it was just one summer crusade of the year program. When I came over, I thought I would go to France, but the Lord seemed to indicate I should go to England and kind of get the feel of things, I was told.

I got the feel of it, and I've had it ever since, being kind of at the hub. I can say this, that I never chose this path. Whatever was thrown at me just seemed that's what I should do, but I don't think I've ever asked for it at all.

I can see looking back at my life, different things where God perhaps prepared me for this kind of ministry. I am convinced now, at the moment, very much, that at least for the time being, that my ministry is in Europe, with an aim to see Europeans spread out over the whole world and work in other countries.

I suppose a burden, there's a lot of burdens that come and go, of course, but just this morning, again, someone mentioned one or two things, I think yesterday, something Greg said, and I just thought that a real burden that even here in Europe, that we would see more contact with the international students coming from other countries, and Christian students.

And I was just thinking about how, even though we're international, I feel in some ways we're not international enough, I feel maybe we need to even attempt more of the impossible, but I would really like to see more people from other countries, and people coming into one, having more and more responsibility.

And I was just thinking, I suppose maybe there was even a little grain of pride in it, pride on being able to step down, and Lord bashed me with a head on that just this morning. And yet, I still would like to, I'd like to go, I'd like to be able to experience someone else coming in and doing my job completely, and me working directly under them.

And I'd like to have that, because I just think it'd be a good bash at the devil, and all that he usually tries to do around the world. You know, anything just to, you know, whack him a good one. And go the opposite of the way that the world seems to run.

But I do, I do have a desire, really, to see more and more leadership, and people that perhaps come just for one or two years. Because the natural tendency is the more experience you have, they're the ones that should leave.

And I've got a certain knowledge and spirit of God that wants to do that. And I think we, this is one burden on my heart, it's just really, and I think it's one step in this direction this year, it's got to be in itself, and letting Craig on that.

And who knows, maybe I'll just let it all happen. But anyway, that's a little on my heart. There's a lot of other things too. Amen. Who'd be next? I'd like to be next. Try to speak fairly loud, because we are recording this for some of the brothers.

I think you realize that we only represent about one half of the coordinators in the world. A little over half. It might be good to mention ones who are not with us. Charles Wilson in Canada. Paul, of course, in the United States.

Dick in Baltimore in Mexico. Giovanni is not yet with us. Larry Goldberg down in Israel. Gordon Macney going out soon to Afghanistan. Mike Wiltshire in Africa. Not really a field, but still coordinating the project there.

And then Ray Eicher in Bombay and Ron George. David Butterer in Rajasthan in the Northeast. These areas, of course, have more people than most, any four or five fields here combined. George Miley temporarily in the North.

I've got that reversed. Butterer in the Northwest. Miley in the Northeast. Ron Penny. And by the way, he had a relapse again yesterday, I understand. Thomas Samuel. A .G. Phillip. So if you can speak loud, then these brothers perhaps will have the opportunity to hear this tape, plus some others.

Fear of Christ's Return and a Delayed Conversion

Go ahead. I was born in a Christian family, and I had to go all the time to Sunday school. Many times I didn't like it. But today I praise the Lord for this. They taught me all things about the Bible, and there was especially one thing that always spoke to me, that the Lord Jesus Christ will come back again to take home his children.

And when I thought of this many times, I had a great fear. Because I knew when he comes back, I'm not ready. And so several times when I was in my home, and I was alone there, my parents weren't there.

I had such a great fear that I can't explain this. I remember one time I was in bed, and I had this thought, and then the parents were not at home. I thought, well, if the Lord Jesus came back now, what?

I'm the only one here. And so I thought, well, I'll go into the village and see if the other believers are still here. So I wanted to go out of the house, and at the same moment my parents came in. And I think this was the last push to give my heart to the Lord.

But I have to confess, for a long time I haven't lived the Christian life. Until I got to a youth conference where Conrad Sonderkirch and Josi Wirth were. And they talked about OM. And I thought, well, I could get their prayer letter and see if maybe I could pray for them.

So I was sending their prayer letter, and the Lord spoke more and more to me. And then I decided to take part for three weeks in the seminary in 1964, I think it was. I was with a rain engineer who did it, and we had really a great time.

The Lord spoke much to my heart. And then next year, I decided to go for the whole summer to Italy, and wanted to go back afterwards to work. And it happened that, I think we were in Rotterdam, I had no idea where to go in Italy.

And then we had to go to George, and he just told me, well, you go to Mantua. Then I drove down to Italy and went to Mantua, and there Giovanni de Finis was leading the team. It happened also that I had the only small car, so each time Giovanni had to go to a certain place, I had to go with him.

And I think there it started when the Lord united our hearts. When I went to Italy, I knew no Italian. And I could tell you also that Italy was the last place I wanted to go. Many times I said to the Lord, well, I know some French and English, but not to Italy.

Also because I was working in a factory with several Italians, and I made some bad experiences with them. So I hated to go to Italy, really, but I felt that I had to go. And I praised God, I think it was only His grace that brought me down to Italy.

It wasn't my design. So there in Mantua the Lord started to unite Giovanni in my heart. And I think I learned only Italian through listening. I don't remember now how it was possible that we were able to talk together and to do something together.

Because he knew no French nor English. But I praised God for His time, and then He asked me, I remember exactly where we were, if I would like to come to the conference in Bolton. And I thought, well, yeah, I could come.

If I live away, it can help me in this conference. If I stay, well, it's good. So I went back to Bolton. The Lord spoke to me very clearly to remain for another year. And I had never thought to remain more than a year.

But then after next year, the Lord spoke to me more, I had to remain in Italy. So it happened that also this year I go back to Italy. Maybe I would like to ask you to pray for our unity in Italy, between Giovanni, myself, and all those that are going to Italy.

I think this is something so important. I appreciate your prayer in this. Praise the Lord. For the sake of the people listening to the tape, Paul Stilling, working in Italy from Switzerland. Pepe Barrios from Mexico, working in Spain.

Why don't you try that English? I've been told that you know far more English than you let on to. Translating. Go to school and study hard to get the best out of life.

Christ First in Life and a Call to Mexico

We want to make good in life, so we should study, study, study. And I got this, study, study, study, get a good job. And then I read the Bible and it says Christ should be first. Christ is more important.

And I noticed even the members go to church late. Christ is last. And business is first. So I had this great conflict in my life. Then one day I made a decision in my life. I used to pray that Christ was going to be first.

And I sought to put Him first. Therefore, I decided to go to Bible school. And I checked all the Bible schools through Christian magazine. And I just saw one good advertisement. I thought it sounded okay.

And I wrote to Moody Bible Institute. And I went there. And there I met the Lord. It was a tremendous inspiration to me. Especially the first day. I almost fainted. It was a great blessing. One of the things there, I met O .M.

At first sight of O .M., I saw Hosea Burkson. All the people getting into an old truck. Which was so small. And they had about 10 people in there. And a whole bunch of luggage. And I said, these people must be crazy.

And I said, I'll never go. No, never go. I said, when I think of a trip, I think of having leg rest. Leg room. You know, relaxation. These people packed in there like sheep. The Lord spoke to me one time.

Because I was very prejudiced against Negroes. And at school there was a little prejudice there too. But I was very concerned about that. And the Lord spoke to me. After I was willing. I gave my heart to the Lord.

And he spoke to me again. Through another group. About going to Mexico. And God called me to Mexico through another group. And then I went with O .M. To the advice of another fellow. And I understood that other group didn't like Negroes too much.

So I came with O .M. and went to Mexico. And I found myself in the same position. Kind of stuck in the middle of the truck. Since then I've been with O .M. off and on. Different times. Thinking about going to Iran.

My basic burden for Iran is a national fellows team. We have one fellow working now. We want to see at least five or six people raise up in the next few years. Also we want to see nationals going out to different parts of the country.

Maybe establishing a base in the different parts of the country. And really moving out to the villages. Trying to see a few thousand more villages each. That's what I'm trying to do. I've been encouraged to go to church since I can remember.

From Nominal Christianity to Conversion and Ministry in Britain

Not in a Christian home. This is with God. No reality at all really in the church. Although all the time I'm searching. But always listening to what people have to say. What they really believe in. I sang in the choir when I was seven.

Got confirmed when I was about 16. When I left the church. Went into the army. Still believing in God. And I remember fellows praying where their bedside was in there. Admiring them for doing this. But not really having the guts that they had anyway.

And never really also having faith. Not really knowing that they were different than I was. And came out of there and went to college for three years. A teacher training college. Which is just special for training teachers.

Spent three years there. All the time my big interest in life really was sport. Family's got a sporting family really. And I was brought up on it. And wanted to really make a grade in sport. But was careful to have a job as well because not too many really make a grade permanently when they go to work.

And I wanted to have something to fall back on. So I went to although the day I left school I signed up for one of the professional clubs as an amateur. When I was 18. But I went to training college to have this job behind me in case I didn't make a grade.

And three years there at college again in a so-called nominal Christian college. Used to go to chapel about five times a week. It was purely voluntary. We didn't have to go. Only a small crowd went. But I used to lead my pal.

We were all in the sports team. All the time hungry, you know. For reality. Discussing, we'd argue against atheists about the existence of God. And still believing in anybody as a Christian. And I think the first time I ever heard the gospel was one Sunday night when I was in Exeter.

And we were going out to the pub on a Sunday night. For a drink. And there was a Salvation Army fella on the street corner. And it was snowing. And he stood on his own. And I couldn't understand. And I thought I'd just sit out there in the cold.

And I stood there for a long time until my pals left me. And I promised to go back and see that chap. I don't know what he said, but I knew what he said was true. Just three days. I just didn't know why I was living or anything.

And I let that conviction go until I went off to Bristol again and started teaching. And signed as a pro now and was teaching and playing football for seven years as an amateur and about three years as a pro with one of the division teams.

And then after five years of teaching I met a fella up there in Bristol. And unlike many, I was absolutely happy with life at that particular time. I think I had a riot as it were. I couldn't think of anything else.

I wanted money, friends, the nightlife, club life, dancing, which I enjoyed. I couldn't really think of it. I had to go. And just a fella who lived down the road from me was trying to be a Baptist minister.

And I knew I was going to meet this fella. In fact, I was courting a girl who was living on the same block of flats as he was. And I knew I was going to meet him and I was looking forward to meeting him.

And just his testimony was the thing that started. I'd never heard anybody really testify freely to Jesus. And he encouraged me to go to a Baptist church. And I went about three times. I heard the gospel, but I never really believed they were preaching to me.

I really thought, well, I must be a Christian. But finally, about the third or fourth time I went, the words that spoke to me were the words of the Lord Jesus when he said, build not treasures on earth, for why shall a prophet manage against the whole world and lose his own soul?

And that night I just was absolutely broken. I didn't know really what hit me. But I wanted to know one thing. I just wanted to know God. And really it was through the Lord speaking about my possessions on earth, I could say.

So now, since then, I really just put a deadly sin on it. But it was really through me building treasure on earth. So about two weeks after that, two girls, one of the twins, I think Janet, from India, he's in India now, Janet Hill, I imagine, and another girl came to the Buckingham Baptist church and caused quite a stir.

They stepped on the pastor's floor and I was really rebuked by two girls. They really shook me a bit. I was really rebuked by two girls. Then about three or four weeks after that, I heard that I had a meeting in Exeter and George is preaching down there in the big Brethren assembly.

And I heard that. And I was already spoken about in Italy in 1963. I was with Ray Lynch in Pudin. I was about 16 years old in the Lord then. And when we were getting there we were in prison like that.

I don't know what happened to me. But that was a real blessing. I went to Bible school. I went to Israel three years ago. I've been in Britain two years. Just some thoughts about Britain. I'm just amazed continually at the amazing potential in Britain.

You just rush around for a year where you have a chicken and your head chopped off. There's just so much you could do. And I'm just burdened to really know what the Lord really wants to do there. I've been to the Crusade Oaks in Bolton.

I've been concerned with the Somerset and New Crusade. I'm really corresponding with so many hundreds of people in Britain. There's an amazing potential. I've been to London. I've brought with me and others the literature, finance, transport and meetings being taken from both these places.

I think the biggest burden on my life is my own. First of all my own life is that maybe it's selfishness and to see that happen on the team to the individuals that come on the team. That there will be reality in all the headquarters that when people come in they'll really see reality.

Not because it's some false thing but because people really are experiencing in their personal what was the Lord. Very burdened to see the churches in Britain really get to know what is happening in the body of Christ and what my responsibility is and what their responsibility is first in prayer that they're really praying.

Few really churches in Britain are really praying and also that they'll support. You know and I know what kind of support some of the British people get. Few of us, I don't want to say leaders but we've got really churches behind us.

There are few churches that link with and correspond with them to win churches for the Lord this year. One or two we saw one last year and we're just burdened to see many more won. And through that we see many labours go out and as you know it's just an amazing potential in Britain with 52 million people and with foreign students alone 70 ,000 last year foreign students many from absolutely closed land places and lands like Saudi Arabia just to go out.

I think we've seen quite a few go out but if they really go out and as Jordan said before do something when they get there. As many go out this problem of absences on the field but those, all of us that go out will really be able to do something in His power to get there.

Appreciate your prayers. I'd like to give my testimony now.

Personal Holiness and Ministry Within the Temple

Frank Buss from the United States but this verse speaks to me very definitely this morning. 1 John 3, 16. By this perceive we the love of God because He laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

I can say this that the joy in my heart this morning is absolutely in keeping with the joy in your heart because your vision is my vision. I don't have a vision solely and simply on my own but your vision is my vision and very definitely it's been from the foundation of the world.

I can see today the progression of the plan and just the way the Lord saved me and when He saved me and why He saved me and given me even my wife and my family and the purpose of it all is becoming plainer day by day so the joy in my heart is to simply fit my life in any way that I might be able to serve more effectively and fully in laying down my life and the lives that are with me and it's a great joy today probably more than ever because the Lord has brought some very fine and it seems permanent young men to labor with me that my life might be a little fuller and freer from just the daily burden and grind of just sheer work but I can say that my desire is to be with you and this means to me anyway and to the nation and to the racial part alike so our hearts are filled to overflowing with the goodness and the grace of God daily as we minister within the temple this is our ministry it's unseen but how important it is and we praise God I was saved about approximately 13 -14 years ago after being brought up in a family with five other boys boisterous and argumentative to say the least and the Lord made a great need in my heart, and then he saved me in a specific place.

I really see this, a specific place and then specific lessons following this. And then the meeting in Blaisdell where I learned many more lessons, and then being primed and urged through a work that's something like this literature crusades, and yet in the ultimate result winding up meeting Brother George and seeing the Lord lead, and see many miracles in our lives.

The lives of our then, the circumstances in Blaisdell and leading us out into the work, and seeing the progression, the blessing, the expansion of heart and soul, the development of one's own physical and spiritual life, and the further quest in my life today for personal holiness.

I think this is, Pettymill is slow but sure, the Lord is pushing this to the top. And I can just say that the two things I want to do is to fulfill your visions, because what a joy to be able to serve so many in this ministry, and to achieve a personal holiness to glorify the Lord.

I believe this is what I can do for him, achieve a personal holiness to please him. I don't think that my ministry will be completed for all the work, for all the good that it's probably done, for all the people that are probably saved because of the wheels that we've done in the ministry of work.

I don't think that this is what will really please the Lord, that my life reaches a level of holiness, to why I think I want to go home and be with him. It isn't the work. I think that my work is complete today as far as teaching and training, that I could go out of here tomorrow and it would work.

Today I come to England, it's a vacation for me today. There's little or no response to me, and it's getting that way, it's out of the way. I could go home tomorrow as far as the work is concerned. But I want to have that life that's shining for him, like himself.

And when I meet him, it isn't just a well done, now good and faithful servant, but it's to look into his eyes and see that he's been satisfied with my life, from the innermost parts to the outermost.

Holiness and Witness to an Unbelieving Family

I want to be concerned for one another's families. What's the situation with your parents and brothers?

Well, I had a real burden to go home this year and minister to my father, and yet the Lord did not leave. George said he would have wanted me to go on that plane, but the Lord did not leave. Did the brother George here or Normita get on that plane and go home?

But the Lord has put a real prayer burden, more than ever in my life, to pray. But I think, again, it's a matter of this personal holiness. My life will not speak to my father and to my mother and my brothers, unless there's holiness there.

And I think this is why hell is bad. And another reason is I wouldn't be six weeks out of the Lord's will, not for anything. This life is too wonderful, too precious, even though it's hard and difficult.

So they need saving. They're Jehovah Witnesses. Pray for them.

Who's next? We can limit it to about the time that Frank took. That was just an idea. I was born in Latvia, near Russia. And my father was born in the Netherlands. That's up in Friesland. And I was born in the United States.

Seeking Truth Through Education, Conversion, and Mission Work

I was the youngest of seven children. My father was 59 when I was born. So he was perhaps more like my grandfather to my father. And he lived to be 88 and died then. And then my mother died when I was 16.

So, of course, all those things affected my life. From an early age, I was seeking for the truth. My oldest brother got a Ph .D. in Islamic Archaeology in Princeton University and also graduated from seminary there.

So I had quite an ambitious educational desire. And I went to college in Connecticut. And all that time I was searching for the truth, visiting a lot of different kinds of churches, just about every kind of Protestant church.

I was interested in Hinduism some, visited the Hindu temple in New York, and the Baha 'i faith out in Chicago and so on. But through all of this, I didn't find the Lord. I was quite interested in music.

I minored in music, did some composing in what is called 12-tone music when I was in college. And I was thinking of either going on with music or perhaps go on to Harvard and study history. But instead, I went in the United States Air Force, flown down to Texas and then ended up in Illinois.

And it was while I was in Illinois that I tried just about everything else. I was studying there at the University of Illinois, a graduate study at the same time, and I decided I'd go visit this Pentecostal church that these fellows had been witnessing to me.

And on the way over in the car, I was saved as they quoted Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 to me. The Lord just revealed to me for the first time in my life that He was really God and He was my Savior. Well, I had a very dramatic conversion.

And for the first year or two, I don't think I even met a believer who had had a college education. And I turned my back on all my background. And so it was quite a while before my life became more integrated.

My family weren't interested in my experience and I was sort of cut off from everybody. And then I ended up at Fuller Seminary. After I got out of the Air Force, I spent one semester actually at Central Bible Institute, a Pentecostal school in Missouri, because I'd had Pentecostal experience and I was struggling with this question of tongues and the meaning of baptism and what it goes to and so on.

Then I ended up at Fuller Seminary and I met students there from all over the different churches, different church backgrounds, and that helped me to integrate myself. So I really was one of these that never had a day of defeat after he got saved, as some of you...

I was helped greatly during this time by the Navigators. And then I thought... Then I was sent a call to go to the mission field somewhere overseas and I was possibly agreed with Dawson Fromm that I might go to Nepal with the Navigators someday, although that didn't develop because he died and then other things came in.

But then the opportunity came to go to study in Beirut in the Graduate School of Arab Studies with another fellow, sort of exploratory student team, which I did then in 1957. Actually, I was saved when I was 22 and went out to Beirut for the first time in 1957 after spending a summer working at the Ability Grand Crusade in New York.

And out in Beirut, I was still seeking for the truth in terms of the question of church order and how you can be the most effective missionary and so on. And so it was here, out in Beirut, after a year with a Baptist missionary there, quite an extreme, narrow type of Baptist missionary, that we started an English-speaking church there in Beirut.

And then after two years there, I gave up my studies after a year, as I had done in 1952 when I was in Illinois, because somehow it seemed the Lord just wouldn't let me go on and pursue educational pursuits but that he wanted me into some sort of more active type of ministry.

So then I was influenced, however, by some in my own decision that I should finish seminary since I had begun so many things I hadn't completed. So after a year in Beirut, I went back to Colorado and took my third year of seminary and completed that.

Some of you know about my wife. I met Marian out in Beirut and her husband was killed in a plane crash in 1959 and she was expecting a second child at the time. And so after back in the United States about a year or more, I got married to her in Louisville, Kentucky, after I finished seminary.

Then there was a question of what sort of mission group we would identify with going back to the Middle East. I had sort of come into a position of the Brethren Assemblies as far as church order was concerned, mission work, although I'd never met any of them up to the time I'd been in Beirut.

And when we got back in the United States, then there was a question, should I seek more identification with the Assemblies and what are we going to do now I'm getting married and have to try to vote for my wife and myself and two children as well, or should I go with a conservative Baptist?

So I had quite a struggle with this. Also there was a possibility of going with the Christian Missionary Alliance because her husband had been with them and they had a number of churches out in the Middle East.

Well, we ended up going out with the Brethren Assemblies. That is, we traveled around the United States and although we didn't have a full commendation yet, it worked out so we had sort of an entree in some of these assemblies, you might say, through a letter.

And the Lord gave us an opening with many of them. And so then we went back to the Middle East together, my wife and two children in 1962. Well, after we'd been in Jordan a while, I'd met Dale in the United States briefly as he was traveling around the United States.

And so I was thinking at that time I really wanted to get to know him better, but he was quite busy moving around with Roger and so there wasn't much opportunity to really get to know him at that time.

But I had a feeling that maybe someday out in the Middle East I would get to know Brother Dale. Actually, from the time I first went to Beirut, I was praying that the Lord would raise up or call out some other young people who had a real heart for the Lord that I could work with them in the Arab world.

And I just looked around. I couldn't find anyone out there at that time. And so later when Ray Lynch came through, I had some fellowship with him. We had some evangelistic meetings together in Jerusalem.

And then we heard this OM team was coming. Actually, I was hoping that Ray wouldn't come to Jordan when he did come, because I had known a little of Fuller and I was afraid he was going to explode things a little bit when he came.