World’s Largest Christian Literature Ship Ministry to Expand through New Venture

After a recent purchase of a new 10,000-ton ferry, Operation Mobilization’s fleet of the world’s largest floating bookshops is about to get bigger.

By Kenneth Chan, Thursday, August 12, 2004

One of the world’s largest missions organizations will be expanding its ministry through an $18 million venture. After a recent purchase of a new ship by UK-based Operation Mobilization (OM), the fleet of the world’s largest floating distributors of Christian literature even bigger.

The new ship-a 10,000-ton ferry that has been renamed Logos Hope-will be the fourth motor vessel to be used by OM since 1970. In 1970, OM bought the Umanak, which became the Logos, meaning “Word” in Greek. It was joined in 1977 by Doulos, which means “servant.” The Doulos is the oldest active ocean-going passenger.

In 1988, Logos was shipwrecked and replaced by Logos II. However, the ministry reports that because Logos II has become too small, Logos Hope, which is three times the size of Logos II, will succeed it.

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“We need more facilities,” Verwer told Charisma Magazine. “The ship sometimes is having 100,000 people come on the weekends, so a lot of people just have to go through the exhibit and they have to leave. Witht eh new ship there will be many more departments, so you won’t have to leave.”

OM founder George Verwer, a New Jersey native, told Charisma that his organization has distributed the Gospel to about 1 billion people, 100 million of that through its ships.

OM is one of the world’s largest missions organizations, with more than 3,000 members from 83 nations. It assists in planting churches, distributing Christian literature and offering humanitarian relief around the world.

All the crew and staff onboard OM’s fleet of ships are Christian volunteers who serve in a variety of roles, from captain to cook. While living expenses are covered by the ships’ funds, volunteers raise sponsorship to fund their time onboard.

Logos Hope is scheduled to enter ministry service in May 2005.