# Operation Mobilisation > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Operation_Mobilisation > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Operation_Mobilisation.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mobilisation > Source revision: 1349714306 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Christian organisation}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=May 2015}} {{Primary sources | date = May 2024}}}} {{Infobox organization | logo = OM International Logo.png | logo_size = 100px | type = Evangelical Missions Agency | key_people = {{plainlist| *Iain Pickett, International Director (2025 – ) *Lawrence Tong, International Director (2013–2025) *Peter Maiden, International Director (2003–2013) }} | website = [http://www.om.org/ www.om.org], [http://www.omships.org/ www.omships.org] | footnotes = | name = Operation Mobilisation (OM) | founded = 1957 | founder = [George Verwer](/source/George_Verwer), Dale Rhoton | location = International | origins = | region_served = More than 110 countries | focus = | method = | dissolved = }} '''Operation Mobilisation''' ('''OM'''; aka '''Operation Mission''' in some countries, or only OM) is a [Christian](/source/Christians) missionary organisation founded by [George Verwer](/source/George_Verwer) to mobilise young people to live and share the [Gospel](/source/Gospel) of [Jesus](/source/Jesus). OM started in [Mexico](/source/Mexico) and had spread to [Europe](/source/Europe) and [India](/source/India) by 1963. OM currently has 6,800 people working in 118 [countries](/source/country){{cite web |url=https://www.omusa.org/page/what-is-om |title=Operation Mobilization |website=www.omusa.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228055726/http://omusa.org/page/what-is-om |archive-date=2015-02-28}} around the world, seeking to "see vibrant communities of Jesus followers among the least reached".{{cite web |url=https://www.om.org/us/en/content/about-om |title=About OM {{!}} OM.org |website=www.om.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807204332/http://www.om.org/us/en/content/about-om |archive-date=2016-08-07}} OM's core values are knowing and glorifying God, living in submission to God's Word, being people of grace and integrity, serving sacrificially, loving and valuing people, evangelising the world, reflecting the diversity of the [body of Christ](/source/body_of_Christ), global intercession, and esteeming the church. They accomplish these core values through [church planting](/source/church_planting), evangelism, relief and development, justice, and mentoring and discipleship. == History == [George Verwer](/source/George_Verwer), OM's founder and leader until 2003, received a [Gospel of John](/source/Gospel_of_John) from a local woman while still in high school in the 1950s. In 1955, Verwer became a Christian at a [Billy Graham](/source/Billy_Graham) meeting at [Madison Square Garden](/source/Madison_Square_Garden), and made a commitment to global missions and spreading Christianity on a large scale.{{Cite web |title=George Verwer – World Missions Adventurer |url=https://georgeverwer.com/ |website=georgeverwer.com}} Operation Mobilisation started in 1957 when Walter Borchard, Dale Rhoton and [George Verwer](/source/George_Verwer) traveled to [Mexico](/source/Mexico) to distribute Christian literature and [Gospels](/source/Gospels). The Gospels were very important to the men and the beginning of OM's long history. The trip in 1957 was the first of three summer trips to Mexico. By 1960, the men turned their attention to [Europe](/source/Europe), focusing on mobilising the national churches to global missions. Verwer's vision for the global mission was that leadership would come from the local Christian community, wherever possible, rather than from foreigners.Randall, Ian. ''Spiritual Revolution, The Story of OM'', Authentic, 2008. {{ISBN|1-85078-766-2}} In Summer 1962 OM's first short-term missions teams moved into Europe, coming from the UK, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, the US and elsewhere. In the summer of 1963 more than 2,000 people blanketed Europe to encourage Christians and to carry God's Word throughout the continent and find creative ways of getting it behind the [Iron Curtain](/source/Iron_Curtain). OM teams were also starting in [India](/source/India) and the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East) in 1963. OM and Verwer's vision for spreading the Gospel expanded to the seas with the purchase of the ship MV ''Logos'' in October 1970. Thereafter OM expanded its ships ministry with the [MV ''Doulos''](/source/MV_Doulos), [MV ''Logos II''](/source/MV_Logos_II) and [MV ''Logos Hope''](/source/MV_Logos_Hope). In 2023 a fifth ship, [MV ''Doulos Hope''](/source/MV_Doulos_Hope),{{Cite web |title=Doulos Hope |url=https://www.gbaships.org/en/douloshope |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024085357/https://www.gbaships.org/en/douloshope |archive-date=24 October 2022 |website=gbaships.org}} was put into service together with MV ''Logos Hope'', the previous three having been retired. Back in Europe, summer conferences were continuing but the number of participants was dwindling. In late 1987, a renewed vision for reaching Europe was born, which led to the "Love Europe" outreaches that started in July 1989, just prior to [the fall of the Iron Curtain](/source/revolutions_of_1989). OM planned for 5,000 young people from 50 nations to participate; in fact, about 7,000 from 76 nations came. With this first "Love Europe" conference, the vision of OM – birthed in Europe – had been renewed. OM's operations in Europe today includes ministry in more than 30 countries. On 7 March 2013, OM appointed a new international director, only the third in its nearly 56-year history. Lawrence Tong, from Singapore, took over the OM leadership from Peter Maiden, from the UK, who had served and led in the role since 2003. Lawrence, who has served as director of OM's ship Logos II, assumed responsibility on 1 September 2013 and served until 2025. During that time he cultivated the vision and provided guidance to the Global Leadership Team. In 2025, Dr Iain Pickett, from the UK, was appointed as the next international director. Iain’s educational background is in linguistics (PhD) and for most of his adult life, he has served with OM cross-culturally. ==OM ships== Currently, OM Ships operates two ships serving destinations around the world, the [MV ''Logos Hope''](/source/MV_Logos_Hope) and the [MV ''Doulos Hope''](/source/MV_Doulos_Hope). These ships are operated in conjunction with GBA Ships,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gbaships.org/en/about-us |title=About GBA Ships |website=gbaships.org |access-date=2023-06-13}} who offers a list of [ports of call](/source/Port_of_call_(nautical_term)) for both vessels.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gbaships.org/en/logoshope |title=Logos Hope |website=gbaships.org |access-date=2023-06-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gbaships.org/en/douloshope |title=Doulos Hope |website=gbaships.org |access-date=2023-06-13}} Their first ship, MV ''Logos'', was purchased in 1970. Over a 17-year period, more than 6.5 million people visited MV ''Logos'' during 408 ports of call in 108 countries.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.om.org/ships/logos|title=The First Logos|website=om.org|access-date=2023-06-13|archive-date=9 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609042635/https://www2.om.org/ships/logos|url-status=dead}} OM's second ship, the [MV ''Doulos''](/source/MV_Doulos), previously held the record for the oldest ocean-going ship still in service. She was retired at the end of 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.om.org/ships/doulos|title=Remember Doulos|website=om.org|access-date=2023-06-13|archive-date=9 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609050331/https://www2.om.org/ships/doulos|url-status=dead}} MV ''Logos'' ran aground on rocks off Tierra del Fuego, Chile, in atrocious weather conditions in 1988. Although the ship could not be saved, not a single crew member was lost or injured. The skeletal hulk of the ship is still visible and has become something of a tourist attraction over the years.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/MV+Logos/@-54.9701191,-67.1721827,13z/data=!4m12!1m5!3m4!2zNTTCsDU4JzEyLjgiUyA2N8KwMDcnNTMuMCJX!8m2!3d-54.970233!4d-67.131389!3m5!1s0xbc4945746a0a2acb:0x7533b46608c15eba!8m2!3d-54.9700953!4d-67.1309748!16s%2Fg%2F11c1xhttkl!5m1!1e4?hl=en&entry=ttu|title=MV Logos |publisher=[Google Maps](/source/Google_Maps) |access-date=2023-06-13}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.vos.noaa.gov/MWL/apr_09/shipwreck.shtml|title=Mariners Weather Log Vol. 53, No. 1, April 2009. Shipwreck: Logos|website=www.vos.noaa.gov|language=en|access-date=2023-06-13}} Later in 1988, the former MV ''Antonio Lazaro'' became the [MV ''Logos II''](/source/MV_Logos_II), which was retired in July 2008 after welcoming 11 million visitors.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.om.org/ships/logos2|title=Remember Logos II|website=om.org|access-date=2023-06-13|archive-date=2023-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613100056/https://www2.om.org/ships/logos2|url-status=dead}} [MV ''Logos Hope''](/source/MV_Logos_Hope) was launched into service in 2009. Twice the size of the MV ''Doulos'', it provides much greater capacity to serve communities. [MV ''Doulos Hope''](/source/MV_Doulos_Hope) was purchased in 2022 and launched into service in 2023, and is expected to serve in the Southeast Asia area.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.om.org/ships/douloshope|title=Meet Doulos Hope|website=om.org|access-date=2023-06-13|archive-date=9 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609051034/https://www2.om.org/ships/douloshope|url-status=dead}} The OM ships have visited port cities throughout the world, supplying literature, encouraging cross-cultural understanding, training young people for more effective life and service, providing relief, and sharing a message of [hope](/source/hope) in God wherever there is an opportunity. Since 1970, OM's ships have visited 480 different ports in 151 countries and territories around the globe.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.om.org/ships/about|title=About OM Ships|website=om.org|access-date=2023-06-13|archive-date=10 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610165810/https://www2.om.org/ships/about|url-status=dead}} In total, over 45 million visitors have come aboard to purchase from the selection of 5,000 titles available in the ships' floating bookstores. Titles cover a wide range of subjects, such as science, sports, hobbies, cookery, the arts, philosophy, medicine and children's books, as well as faith and life. The books have been carefully chosen to be of interest to every member of the family, and with the educational, social and moral needs of the local community in mind. Books are on offer at a fraction of their retail value, and, while in certain ports, books are also donated. {{As of|June 2023}}, the ships' timeline is as follows:{{Cite web|url=https://www2.om.org/ships/fleet|title=The ships|website=om.org|access-date=2023-06-13|archive-date=10 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610165825/https://www2.om.org/ships/fleet|url-status=dead}} {{#tag:timeline |ImageSize = width:850 height:auto barincrement:30 PlotArea = left:120 bottom:80 top:5 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1970 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1970 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1970 Colors = id:logos value:red legend:Logos_ships id:doulos value:blue legend:Doulos_ships id:bs value:gray(0.1) id:hh value:gray(0.3) id:bars value:gray(0.95) BackgroundColors = bars:bars BarData = bar:Logos text:"Logos" bar:Logos2 text:"Logos II" bar:LogosHope text:"Logos Hope" bar:Doulos text:"Doulos" bar:DoulosHope text:"Doulos Hope" PlotData= width:13 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4) bar:Logos from:10/01/1970 till:01/01/1987 color:logos bar:Logos2 from:01/01/1988 till:07/01/2008 color:logos bar:LogosHope from:02/01/2009 till:end color:logos bar:Doulos from:01/01/1977 till:01/01/2010 color:doulos bar:DoulosHope from:05/01/2023 till:end color:doulos }} ==See also== *[TeenStreet](/source/TeenStreet), an annual international week-long congress for Christian teenagers presented by OM ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *{{official|http://www.om.org/ }} {{Authority control}} Category:Evangelical parachurch organizations Category:Christian missions Category:Christian missionary societies Category:Christian organizations established in 1957 Category:Charities based in Shropshire --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Operation Mobilisation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mobilisation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mobilisation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.