George E. Theis

“If your life doesn’t count for God, it doesn’t count at all.”

George Theis was born in 1935 just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was born again at the age of 17. It was on Word of Life Island that he dedicated his life to the Lord at a campfire service. He was challenged with this statement, “If your life doesn’t count for God, it doesn’t count at all.”

After graduating from Bible College and Seminary, George married Joan Robinson in 1959 and pioneered the first Word of Life Bible Club in Lakeland, Florida, in the same year. In 1963 he and his family joined the ministry of Word of Life in Brazil.

After being part of the Word of Life team in Sao Paulo, Brazil, George felt led of the Lord to expand the outreach of Word of Life. In 1973 he established “Palavra da Vida” (Word of Life) in Recife, a city of 3 million people in the northeast corridor of Brazil.

In 1983, George returned to the home office of Schroon Lake, New York, where he served as Co-Director with Jack Wyrtzen and Harry Bollback. In 1991, he became the Executive Director of Word of Life Fellowship International and served faithfully until Joe Jordan became the Executive Director in 1999.

George will be greatly missed by his wife, Joan, and their three children and their spouses, Keith and Linda Balsley, Hudson, Florida; Steve and Marisol Theis, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil; Alejandro and Sherri Belmar, Buenos Aires, Argentina, as well as their ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

George’s leadership and influence was evident in his family, in the lives of many people around the world and in how he helped to shape and enlarge the outreach of Word of Life. His faithfulness to the Lord, along with his strong Biblical position, his loyalty to Word of Life and his servant’s spirit enabled him to successfully assume the position as the first Director of Word of Life after the original founders.

The Word of Life family all over the world is profoundly thankful to the Lord for George. He was a choice servant of the Lord and will long be remembered for his interest and investment in lives, gentleness and commitment to take every opportunity to share the Gospel of Christ. His life and ministry remain a challenge to us to continue “holding forth the Word of Life” until Jesus returns. To God be the glory for a life well lived!

A Celebration Service will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, July 8, at the Harry Bollback Performing Arts Center at Word of Life Florida located at 13247 Word of Life Drive in Hudson, Florida. Prior to the service, visitation with Joan and the Theis family will begin at the same location at 9 AM. A graveside service will immediately follow.