In this sermon, George Verwer discusses his journey of stepping out of leadership and focusing on addressing the global poverty crisis. He emphasizes the importance of not just giving Gospel booklets to those in poverty, but also providing them with the opportunity to live by addressing their physical needs. Verwer highlights the example of Billy Graham and Oswald J. Smith, as well as churches that passionately support missions and allocate a significant portion of their funds to global initiatives. He also addresses the abuse of women worldwide and calls for prayer for those working to address this issue. Overall, Verwer emphasizes the need for faith in not only sharing the Gospel but also in providing for the poor, suffering, and oppressed.

Thanks to each one of you who stayed this extra bit to pray. I was just reading in Acts chapter 12. Peter was in prison. But the church was gathered together praying. And soon he was out of prison. And he went to this particular house. And there they were gathered praying. A prayer meeting, a prayer event like this is a biblical event that we learned from the word of God. It's not a tradition. In some cases it became a tradition and then in some cases it died. In this place it became a tradition and in another place it died. But today there is a big prayer movement in the whole world that is growing. Many have heard of Kansas City, a prayer house. Very big. They had a few problems and sometimes bad news travels faster than good news. A thousand people committed to four hours of prayer every day. I was a little bit skeptical when I went there. Because I know music is such a big thing for them. And we love to have a half an hour of worship like we've had here. And we had this afternoon. But that's not the same as intercessory prayer. That's not what they were doing in this prayer meeting in Acts 12. They were praying specifically that he would get out of prison. But as I went to this early morning gathering, 6.30 in the morning, hundreds of people were there. They did have some worship. Huge emphasis on intercession. And God really broke me. Because I walked in there and they were interceding for India, my number one country. And God really met me there in that great prayer gathering which goes on 24 hours a day, non-stop. Some of you know about the other global prayer meeting, prayer movement. Where sometimes there's 10, 20,000 in a stadium on that one day. Multiply that by 500 across the world, you have quite a few people praying on that day. And I believe the prayer meetings, whether it's a local church or a big stadium, is a major part of how God works in our world. Even though I'm still struggling to understand it. So right now, I just want us to pray. We've all heard so much today. And we just heard more about this great ministry that's represented here, that helped organize this. So let's just have a time of prayer. Let's pray for some of the nations we mentioned. Let's give thanks for this great global movement of the Holy Spirit that we talked about this afternoon. And of course, pray in the language you're the most comfortable with. Don't worry about me. I know all the main words anyway. Arbight and gebet. I mean, what else is it? Okay, let's pray. If you have a really long prayer, we don't want to hinder you. If you could pop outside and pray that. And then come back and join us. Let's give as many people as possible an opportunity for prayer. Maybe you're saying right now, I don't think I'll pray. I don't know what to pray about. Ask right now the Holy Spirit to put something on your heart and your mind to pray about. It might be only a few sentences. But you can be sure to warm the heart of God. Let's pray. And then I'll share some requests after that. And later on, we may break into groups. But right now, we're just praying as one body. There's not that many of us. Father, just lead us in this time of prayer. We've heard so much information. So many scriptures. So many challenges. So many different nations that we've focused on. Like Yemen and Turkey. And just enable us to pray in faith together. And we especially, specifically pray for the crisis in Syria. The believers who are being chased from the nation. Being murdered, being persecuted. Even though it's not really a religious war. We cry out for Syria in the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus, amen. Amen. I'd like to just share some specific prayer burden. I don't have the opportunity to share so much. This book is connected with this. And what a story I had today of you discovering this book. This is my number one book for the last 10 years. This book helped completely change my life. I think, well, what are the big changes in OM over the years? There have been a lot of changes. But the biggest is the big marriage. The big marriage. You've heard about that. The marriage of proclamation with social action. We always believed in social action. That others should do that. World vegan. Groups that specialize in the medical and all of these social issues. OM, we're into proclamation. Church planting. Everything connected with that. And that's already too much. So why should we add any more? But people like Joseph de Souza and others wanted to see OM change. And they were changing it within India. Some felt George Verwer will never change. But I had already announced five years before that I am stepping out of leadership. And during that period, reading different books, re-studying the scriptures, and reading this book, I thought, we've got to. We've got to move in to this global poverty crisis. We can't just give a little child who's dying in poverty a gospel book they don't even know how to read. We have to give that child the opportunity to live. And so for ten years, I've been speaking about this all over the world. It's called the seven people laying by the side of the road based on the story of the Good Samaritan in the book of Luke. And I talk about the abuse of women. And right now, I'd like us to go back to prayer and pray for anybody we can think of who's doing something about the plight of women across the world. Debbie Miroff lists about 15 different areas where women are being abused and it's wrong. What is being done? A whole global sex traffic crisis is just one of those areas, one of the most important. And some of the people and some of you know how proactive the whole OM movement, especially the women is in connection with this crisis. It's because of this change. We have 110 schools. I never dreamed OM was going to go into schools. We don't want to go into schools. These schools are for Dalit children who are denied education. A whole series of miracles in 10 years to open 110 outstanding schools. I was at one of the first graduations. It's overwhelming to see these children graduating and some of them headed off to university. If you don't have this book, be sure to pick it up, even if it's the only book that you get here tonight. And I have to confess, I had the wrong view of women. No, I wasn't sort of extreme like some of the previous generation. I always believed that women should be more empowered into full ministry. One of my heroes was the daughter of William Booth, who became one of the greatest evangelists in history. A woman. The friends I was staying with last night, they belong to the local Salvation Army and they preach the gospel in the Salvation Army. Not everywhere, but at least in Davos. So let's pray. Every evangelist must have at least some information about women in ministry. Let's pray for those women. Let's continue our prayer. You want to use the microphone? Yes. Yes. Project. Special project. When I stepped out of leadership 11 years ago, I, and it doesn't always happen this way with founders, closed to have total closure. So not even an advisory capacity. I wanted total closure with all international leadership in OM. I probably did this because of the European influence on me for 51 years rather than my American influence. But in fact, it was much more difficult for the Asians, especially the Indians to accept this decision that I made. But God put it on my heart to be full time in this ministry of special projects, which I did as the director, but Peter May, the new director, didn't want this. Very simple to understand. I looked for some of the best projects throughout the world in and out of OM. And I raised the money and send it to them. And God has really blessed this. As the budget last year went over $2 million. God has given me, without emphasizing it very much, because generally I emphasize all the other parts of OM. So I don't even speak about this that much. Especially to close friends and certain individuals that I feel this is something they want to get involved in. Through that fund, we've distributed 100,000 of this book in about 10 languages. About 50,000 of this book in 15 languages. Randy Alcorn has a book called Why Pro-Life. I don't think it's in German yet. One of the very best books on that subject. Very sensitive, very carefully written. And the many countries we're involved in, and I'm involved in over 100 countries, and every state of India, most languages don't have one single Christian book about abortion. And abortion is normal among Christians in many places. Nobody talks about it. The church doesn't talk about it. In India, hundreds and thousands are aborted only because they're a woman. until we started this campaign in India, almost no one was speaking about this subject within the church. So we're involved in almost every area of social concern through communication and advocacy with video films and books. I built up this network of friends over these 58 years. A key thing in any ministry is to know people that you can really trust. If you give them 10,000 Swiss francs, we know that's going to be spent in the right way. That is one of the most important things in global missions. And many of the great worldly philanthropists, that's what often they don't have. And much of their money is embezzled, it's stolen, even within the government, it ends up in somebody's personal bank account. I won't say which country. So I'd really like you in this next prayer session to pray for finance. If I lived in Switzerland, that would be one of my number one prayers every day. You are one of the wealthiest per capita nations in the world. Now you may say, but I don't have much money myself, of course. Many of my Swiss friends don't seem to have much money. I'm not talking about what you give right now. I'm talking about what you'd love to see happen in answer to prayer, in whatever way God wants to do it. And here's something when you look at the big picture. There's more money in the hands of believers than ever before in history. Maybe more in the last 50 years than all the previous years all put together. We're talking about billions and billions upon billions of Swiss francs or Euros or Malaysian money in the hands of people who love Jesus. Most of them are not generous. Generosity takes the deep work of the Holy Spirit. Praise God for every exception. I have one. He was sharing his testimony. It took many years. His business was making more and more money. As a business person in his church, he felt he was a second class citizen. He was giving away a lot of money but no one seemed to ever think that that was important. In fact, people would say to him, maybe someday the Lord will lead you into a ministry. He already had a ministry that only one in a thousand Christians could ever have. And, humanly speaking, became one of my greatest supporters. Last year, a matching fund of a quarter of a million dollars. Whenever I raise up to a quarter of a million, he doubles it. So a half a million came in because of this one man. And his wife, more proactive than he is. He told me the thing that changed his life. And got him especially linked to this special project. When one day, I just said, giving money is a great ministry. No one had ever said this. He was also growing in grace. He was a real legalist type. And he was coming into this grace awakening we've been talking about all day today. And finally, he realized. And it's so simple. Why would he have all of this extra money? Except to build the kingdom. And so now, hundreds and hundreds of thousands, not just O.M., are going out to build the kingdom across the world. We need more people like that. We celebrate the widow's might. So many of our gifts in O.M., they're all small gifts. We celebrate the smallest gift. But if these people are God's children, they're part of our family. We see the enormous need for finance. Even Americans, by the hundreds, they're returning to the states, not returning to the field because they don't have the financial support. It's harder than ever to raise personal financial support. I'll give you one more story. This was an Irish guy. He goes to Canada, he goes in business. He loves Jesus. The business failed. So, he goes to America. He goes to Dallas, Texas. He had another business. It failed. More and more, he had this passion to support missionaries and support God's work. He started another business. A lot of women at that time, especially who had been through divorce, single mothers. They had children. They wanted to work at home, but they wanted to work. He birthed a program where these women at home could sell this low-priced, but very attractive jewelry that he manufactured. Seems a little ridiculous to me. The last time I was with him, 30,000 women are selling that jewelry. Millions are going into world missions. We met this man by almost an accident. He blessed especially OM Ireland. Then the ship. It's just an amazing story. Let's pray for the release of funds, whether it's the widow's might or whether it's the big money that's needed in a world of 7 billion people, at least one third of whom have never even once heard the gospel. And my big special projects donors in Bern, they've gone to heaven. And no one has taken their place. And I hardly even talk about these things in Switzerland. Because Marcos Fessler raised money for about 10 other different funds. Let's pray. Lord, we do believe you release funds in answer to prayer. I just told two stories and there could be a thousand stories. A whole new book has just been written showing how you raised up wealthy people to stand behind dynamic ministries. Only published last month. Lord, why did it take 100 years for us to have such a book? That really presents the truth about the importance of money in building the kingdom. We thank you for the example of Billy Graham. Thank you for the example of Oswald J. Smith. We thank you for the example of a number of people here in Switzerland. And also churches, individual churches that get a passion for missions and give 50% of all their money to global missions. We're looking for churches that will give 90% and live on a tithe for the local funding. Fill us with faith, oh Lord. Not just to give people the gospel. But to feed the poor and the suffering. To give them medicine and education. To set the prisoners free in the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name. Let's continue in prayer down this particular beam. Yes, amen. I'd like us to pray specifically for as many organizations that you represent here tonight. How many have been blessed through Campus Crusade? We want to pray for them. Anybody blessed through Child Evangelism? How many have blessed with Youth with a Mission? Why women? We have prayed enough for OM. You just lead in prayer for the organization one or two that have blessed you the most. Maybe Navigators, maybe the Student Movement. If you know the name of any leader, pray for that person by name. You'll bless us as we hear that person's name. Maybe you know some small mission that's just being born. Pray for them. Maybe a little group trying to reach Muslims right here in Switzerland. Pray for them. So, let's just go back to prayer and focus on these other agencies that have been a blessing. I've been blessed by over a hundred different mission agencies. No wonder I'm so confused at times. Hallelujah. Let's pray. Lord, Holy Spirit, continue to take charge of this meeting. Let's try to pray on. Some of you had a very long day. Let's just pray on for another 15 minutes and then we're going to bring this to a close. Let's just pray that there's so much that we could be praying about. We want to discern how to use these minutes that we have together. Some of us have three meetings tomorrow. We need strength for those meetings. Lord, we know no matter how filled we are with your Holy Spirit, we're incredibly human. Lord, again, I commit this literature ministry to you. As we had less people than expected and now have a lot of literature just sitting there. And we just pray these books may make their way out into the hands of people to bless and encourage. And we just look to you for these meetings tomorrow and other meetings that we're all involved in different churches. We pray. We pray for our pastors and leaders. They are targets of the enemy. Satan is a roaring lion. Seeketh whom he may devour. We pray that they'll be strengthened even in their sleep in preparation for their ministry in the churches. So lead us as we have this prayer time. In Jesus' name, Amen. I'd like just to close our meeting by praying for what I call the top 10. The top 10 most needy nations in the world. According to me. You don't have to agree. There are about 40 nations that would have about 1% of the witness you have in Switzerland. So most people, the Swiss friends I have, they all just feel Switzerland is so needy. Just so needy. Definitely needy. What are we going to say of those 40 countries? You can find the list on my website, georgeverwer.com Right now we're just going to pray for 10 of them. I can't say much about each one. There's not time. You can read about them in your copy of Operation World. Anybody who knows English and doesn't have a copy of Operation World of course needs prayer and counseling. Number one, North Korea. Desperate situation. Many believers in prison. Churches are just tiny or little groups. Their situation, by the way, is better than some other places, but not in terms of freedom. Number two is Tibet. It once was a country who was taken over by China. I used to live in Nepal and Tibet is just north of Nepal. Finally there are a few workers there. The church is just being born, a few little groups. Pray for Tibet, number two. Number three is Afghanistan. The situation is desperate. It's got worse in the last two months for anybody who calls himself a Christian, especially the foreigners. There was a major attack against the foreigners and in God's providence they went to the wrong location and released their bombs. The people were worshipping in a different location. We're soon celebrating 50 years of working in this country. Our founder is Bill Clinton. He's buried in Kabul. Number four is Iran. Iran will soon, I'm happy to announce, will soon fall out of the top ten. Too many people are getting saved to remain in the top ten group. It'll still be in the 40 group, but not in the top ten. Number five is Iraq. I have 55 years persistently talking about Iraq and praying for Iraq. It is truly a stronghold of the enemy. And yet there are some open doors, especially among the Kurds in the north. And this is a great day for the Kurdish people. Number six is Libya with only a few dozen believers. We have a Swiss couple there now. A Swiss couple. Okay, we'll pray for them. Number seven is Tunisia. There, there's a few hundred believers, but everything is getting more tense and more chaotic. Nobody seems to know the future in Tunisia. One of my former helpers, the job that Corey has, has been in Tunisia now for a number of years. His name is Austin. Number eight is Turkmenistan. All the central Asian countries, they're in the top 40, but Turkmenistan is the toughest of all those countries. Many people don't even know this country exists. They just think, they think of Turkey. This is a different nation, similar language group. Turkmenistan, right here. So, how many Swiss people are there? Any Swiss people you know about? There's hardly anybody there from anywhere in the world. And this is one of the things that amazes me. We have these huge global conferences about these things. We have huge amounts of literature going out, websites, This has been going on, this isn't new. This has been going on 20, 30, 50 years. We thought the Brazilians were coming. A few of them came. For 10 years they've been telling the Chinese they're coming. That hasn't happened either. A few of them have come. These are bastions of the enemy. Nobody's going to get in there and do anything without much more prayer on our part, even though it's a mystery, isn't it? How that all works. Number nine is Saudi Arabia that just loves to shake its face, its fist in the face of the God that we worship and the Lord Jesus that we love. All these surrounding countries are difficult. They're all in the top 40, but they're not as fanatic as Saudi Arabia. And number 10 is Somalia. It's difficult to make the decision who's number 10. There's 10 different countries competing for the number 10 spot because they're so bad, they're so difficult, they're so impossible. Morocco is competing for the number 10 spot. Algeria would be except for the revival among the Berber people in which there may be 30,000 Muslim Berbers worshipping Jesus. But Algeria is Arabs. It's not mainly Berbers. They're a minority group. So on one hand we celebrate. On the other hand Algeria without that, Algeria would be in the top 10. Let us change history in the final 10 or 15 minutes of this meeting. Let us change history in connection with these 10 countries. My greater hope is you younger ones. I'm too old. I'm filled with doubts and questions and why haven't my prayers been answered? I'm having these arguments with God. You're just young and fresh. You haven't been punched in the nose enough. So I want to hear your prayers. But remember when you're my age it'll be a miracle if you even have a nose. Let's all stand up for this final prayer time. And if it will help you to pray that you can come up and put your hand on that nation. Just as the Lord leads. You're happy to use the microphone if you want. Hallelujah. Lord make this time count. That we may learn even more about that command. Pray without ceasing. And that we would be committed to a daily ministry of prayer as tough and as rough as that might be for each one of us. We'd see a great prayer mobilization across Switzerland. We'd see churches organizing and raising up missionary prayer, global prayer for fellowships. We believe today has been a day that is going to help to change the world in which we live. Help us to go from here filled with faith and expectation. Keep us from dwelling too much on our own problems. Because we know as we move by faith often our own problems get a lot smaller. At the same time, give us that wisdom and grace. We need for our small picture world to be practical and disciplined and grace-awakened people. In Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you. Do you have a final word? Do you want to throw some holy water out or what? Okay. Well, thanks George for coming and for encouraging us. We would like to throw a basket around again. I know some of you have already thrown one in. But you are welcome to do it again. Or just pass on a basket. We hope that next year we can do something similar. Let's see if it's possible and how it looks. I want to draw attention to Global Summit in August. It would be great if we could come together and pray for the same nations. Down there, there are some refreshments, water, coffee and cake and so on. We are happy if there are people who would like to help cleaning up. It's about tidying up the kitchen, cleaning up the children's rooms and so on, toilets and finally turning off the lights. I think that's all from us. Thank you very much for coming.