Friday, June 9, 2023
GFA.org
GFA World Digital Media Room | News, Stories, Press Releases & more
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
GFA World Digital Media Room | News, Stories, Press Releases & more
No Result
View All Result
Home Press Releases

K.P. Yohannan: George Verwer’s Invitation to ‘Come, Die, and Live’ Radically Changed My Life

By K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), Founder and President of GFA World

May 12, 2023
inPress Releases
0

WILLS POINT, TX — KP Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), Founder and President of GFA World, shares on the radical impact of the life and ministry of George Verwer.

“I invite you to come, die, and live.”

Those eight words! I’d never heard anything like it.

As a 17-year-old from a village in India, I listened open-mouthed at a mission conference as George Verwer issued that unforgettable challenge to 400 young people like me.

That night, I tossed and turned, agonizing over George’s invitation. I knew the Lord was calling me to go to places where people had never heard the name of Jesus, and the consequences could be persecution, sufferings, even death. These were the places George was always burning with readiness to go to.

On April 14, when George — radical evangelist and founder of Operation Mobilization (OM) — went to be with the Lord Jesus, the mission world lost a giant role model, and I lost my life mentor and one of my closest friends.

My life was fashioned, mentored, by one human being more than any other, George Verwer. I cannot think of anyone in my life journey that lived such an authentic, humble, broken life and showed such passion for the lost. I’ve studied the life of the Apostle Paul, and I watched George live out that same passion and focus. He showed me what it means to be both passionate about Christandcompassionate toward a hurting, lost world. George was among those incredibly rare believers who — like the Apostle Paul — could have said: “Follow my example, as I follow Christ’s.”

So Human, So Real

And follow George I did! In those early years, George would lead our youthful band of missionaries on the streets all day, handing out gospel tracts. At night, he’d lead prayer meetings that sometimes went on until 6 a.m. I’d never even heard of some of the places we were praying for, but George had such a genuine love for every nation. He was so human, soreal.

When George came to India, he instilled in us the passion to reachour own peoplewith the gospel at a time when everyone else was sending American and European missionaries. He showed us we could be missionaries. We could take the love of Christ to our people — and beyond.

George knew how to share Christ’s love like no one I’ve ever known. He loved people, and I experienced this personally. During a crisis in my own life, George flew from England to Texas to spend two days with me, praying with me and encouraging me. When others abandoned me, George stayed with me to the end.

And George was never interested in material comforts. He could have run a global empire. He could have lived like a king. Instead, he chose to live in a small house in England and drive a clunky, old car. When I showed up to visit, underdressed for the English weather, he gave me his scarf to keep me warm. That was the type of person George was.

George was among those incredibly rare believers who—like the Apostle Paul—could have said: “Follow my example, as I follow Christ’s.”

Catalyst That Launched A Global Movement

Looking back, George’s invitation to “come, die, and live” was the catalyst that God would use to begin Gospel for Asia, now GFA World, the global mission I started and have been privileged to lead for almost 45 years.

During that sleepless night more than a half-century ago, I responded to George’s challenge: “Lord, I have nothing to offer you,” I prayed, “but if you want me, I give you everything I am.”

The Lord heard my prayer and used this skinny teenager from an unknown village. Over the past four decades, GFA World has trained over 100,000 young people in the knowledge of God, teaching them to serve millions of Asia’s poorest people through Christ’s love in word and deed, and is now expanding into Africa. All this through the incredible life and influence of one man — George Verwer.

George’s life was areallife, a radical life, a life lived for the nations of the world, a life completely given over to the will of Christ.

That’s why when people ask me, “Who’s been the greatest influence on your life?” there’s no hesitation. George Verwer walked a very narrow road. By God’s grace, I will walk that road, too.

And now I think about George in heaven. He is not dead; he is just departed to be with Christ. I can see him now busy talking with the saints like St. Paul and St. Thomas who planted a church in Niranam, India, where I was born.Lord, please help me to run my race and finish as George did, holy unto the faith.


KP Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), Founder & President of GFA World, shares on the radical impact of the life and ministry of George VerwerPHOTO CUTLINE: George Verwer and K.P. Yohannan on a prayer walk together January, 31, 2020, in London, England.

George Verwer and K.P. Yohannan at the Set Apart Retreat at GFA World in 2022.
PHOTO CUTLINE: George Verwer and K.P. Yohannan at the Set Apart Retreat at GFA World in 2022.


FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS, CONTACT:
Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660, [email protected]


About KP Yohannan

KP Yohannan, founder and director of GFA World (Gospel for Asia) and Metropolitan of Believers Eastern Church (BEC), has written more than 250 books, including Revolution in World Missions, an international bestseller with more than four million copies in print. He and his wife, Gisela, have two grown children, Daniel and Sarah, who both serve the Lord with their families.

About GFA World (Gospel for Asia)

GFA World (Gospel for Asia) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 880 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 163,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.


Read more news on George Verwer, KP Yohannan, and World Missions on the GFA World: Digital Media News Room.

Tags: About Gospel for AsiaDr KP YohannanDr. K.P. YohannanGeorge VerwerGospel for AsiaGospel for Asia NewsHighlightK.P. YohannanKP YohannanKP Yohannan MessagesKP Yohannan QuotesKPYohannanLatest Update on KP YohannanPastor KP YohannanWorld Missions
ShareTweet
Previous Post

My Mentor George Verwer: ‘He Lived Like the Apostle Paul — Radical to the End’

Next Post

Wayward Teen Finds Purpose

Related Posts

GFA World (Gospel for Asia) Mission agency launches sewing machine campaign, empowers families in Africa and Asia to escape grinding poverty
Press Releases

GFA World Helps Families ‘Sew Their Way Out of Poverty’

May 24, 2023
Few people knew George Verwer, legendary founder of Operation Mobilization (OM) who died April 14, in the same way as KP Yohannan
Press Releases

My Mentor George Verwer: ‘He Lived Like the Apostle Paul — Radical to the End’

May 2, 2023
Few people knew George Verwer, legendary founder of Operation Mobilization (OM), in the same way as KP Yohannan, founder of GFA World.
Press Releases

George Verwer: KP Yohannan Salutes Missions Legend Who Died April 14

April 18, 2023
Texas-based mission Gospel for Asia Jesus Wells provides clean drinking water to nearly 40 million desperate people across Asia
Press Releases

GFA World ‘Jesus Well’ Project Ends Villagers’ ‘Water Woes’

April 9, 2023
GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) spotlights hidden epidemic of missing women and girls on International Women’s Day
Press Releases

GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) Spotlights ‘Hidden Epidemic’ of Missing Women On International Women’s Day

March 16, 2023
GFA World (Gospel for Asia) relief teams are distributing vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake & aftershocks in Turkey
Press Releases

GFA World Aids ‘Traumatized’ Turkey Quake Survivors

March 8, 2023
Next Post
GFA World Child Sponsorship program is providing help and hope to countless other children, meanwhile, uplifting their communities

Wayward Teen Finds Purpose

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Like many Gospel for Asia missionaries, Pesach sensed God was leading him to ministry, to share Christ's love with others.
Featured Stories

New Believer Becomes Ministry Catalyst

June 3, 2023
GFA World (Gospel for Asia) Mission agency launches sewing machine campaign, empowers families in Africa and Asia to escape grinding poverty
Press Releases

GFA World Helps Families ‘Sew Their Way Out of Poverty’

May 24, 2023
GFA World Child Sponsorship program is providing help and hope to countless other children, meanwhile, uplifting their communities
Featured Stories

Wayward Teen Finds Purpose

May 19, 2023
KP Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), Founder & President of GFA World, shares on the radical impact of the life and ministry of George Verwer
Press Releases

K.P. Yohannan: George Verwer’s Invitation to ‘Come, Die, and Live’ Radically Changed My Life

May 12, 2023

Press Contact

  • Name: Press Relations
  • Phone: 972-300-3379
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://www.gfa.org

Social Connect

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-972-300-7777
Website: https://www.gfa.org

Connect on Social

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

News Categories

  • Article
  • Featured Stories
  • Field Reports
  • GFA World Magazine
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases

News Archive

No Result
View All Result

Recent News

Like many Gospel for Asia missionaries, Pesach sensed God was leading him to ministry, to share Christ's love with others.

New Believer Becomes Ministry Catalyst

June 3, 2023
GFA World (Gospel for Asia) Mission agency launches sewing machine campaign, empowers families in Africa and Asia to escape grinding poverty

GFA World Helps Families ‘Sew Their Way Out of Poverty’

May 24, 2023
GFA World Child Sponsorship program is providing help and hope to countless other children, meanwhile, uplifting their communities

Wayward Teen Finds Purpose

May 19, 2023
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
  • Media Library
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Gospel for Asia - Transforming Communities through God's Love
GFA Digital Media Room - News, Stores, Press Releases and more

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Gospel for Asia - Transforming Communities through God's Love
GFA Digital Media Room - News, Stores, Press Releases and more

Go to mobile version