Suffering service?
I felt humbled as I returned from teaching pastors in the deep south of Sri Lanka. In these pastors’ experience, it often takes ten to 15 years’ pioneering in unreached areas before they see significant fruit and reduced hostility. Many give up after a few years. But those who persevere bear much eternal fruit.
When I return from ministry in the West my feelings are very different. I have been able to ‘use my gifts’; I am hit by frustration when I return to being a leader in our less efficient culture.
A remarkable leader
George Verwer is surely one of the most exemplary leaders in the history of the church. On August 20 he handed over the leadership of Operation Mobilisation to Peter Maiden at a meeting at the Keswick Convention Centre. Here are some of my reflections.
The achievements of Operation Mobilisation and its literature giant STL (Send the Light) over the past 45 years are staggering. An estimated one billion people have been touched by this work through book exhibitions on the OM ships, literature evangelism and ministry teams.