OM's role in the body of Christ is to motivate, develop and equip people for world evangelisation, and to strengthen and help plant churches, especially among the least reached.
OM has ministries in over 100 countries and on-board our ship, Logos Hope.
Operation Mobilisation traces its roots to the prayers of an American housewife. In the 1950s, Dorothea Clapp began to pray faithfully for the students in her local high school. She asked God to touch the world through the lives of the young people. And God answered her prayers.
Mrs. Clapp's son gave the Gospel of John to one of the students, who later gave his life to the Lord at a Billy Graham meeting. That young man was George Verwer, the founder and International Director of Operation Mobilisation.
At college, George and two friends met regularly to pray. They became burdened by the spiritual needs of Mexico. In 1957 the three friends sold some of their possessions to raise money and gave up their summer holiday to distribute Gospels and other Christian literature in Mexico. The friends returned to Mexico the following summer and the next.
When they graduated in 1960, George and his friends travelled to Europe. They began work in Spain, sharing the Gospel and distributing literature. But the task of reaching the whole of Europe seemed overwhelming.
George and his small team realised that God's plan was to mobilise His Church to reach the nations. As they began to share their vision, hundreds of Christians responded. So Operation Mobilisation was born.
By 1963, 2,000 Christians had joined summer outreach teams in Europe. At the same time, teams moved into the Indian sub-continent and the Muslim world. Their commitment was to reach those who had never heard the Gospel.
Such simple beginnings have shaped OM since. Today over 3,300 workers in OM's family of ministries, representing over 100 nationalities, are bringing God's unchanging truth to literally millions every year.
1955 One woman prays
1957 Trip to Mexico
1958 First Christmas Crusade in Mexico City
1960 Work begins in Spain as SEND THE LIGHT
1962 First European Summer Outreach; long-term teams enter Middle East & North Africa
1963 Teams go to Israel & India
1966 Work begins in Communist Eastern Europe; Teams begin distributing literature in Iraq, Syria & Kuwait
1968 Work begins in Afghanistan & South Asia
1970 LOGOS ship is purchased
1977 DOULOS ship is purchased
1980 Work begins in Pakistan
1981 Name changed to OPERATION MOBILISATION
1982 Logos visits China; Afghan refugee ministry begins
1988 LOGOS shipwrecked in S. America; LOGOS II purchased
1989 LOVE EUROPE Summer Outreach begins with over 7000 people; Hundreds join long-term
1991 In response to Gulf War, partnered in forming OPERATION MERCY
2003 Peter Maiden becomes new OM International Director
2004 LOGOS HOPE purchased
2007 OM celebrates 50 years!
2013 OM appoints first Asian International Director, Lawrence Tong