History of Open Doors


Volkswagen (colour)The ministry of Open Doors began in 1955 through the call of God to one man, Brother Andrew. "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die." Today, Open Doors continues to strengthen persecuted Christians worldwide.
 

Through an active team of full-time workers, volunteers, and an underground network of indigenous Christians in hostile lands, Open Doors contends that the Word of God cannot be held in chains and there are no closed doors to the Gospel.

As you read this history, praise God for what He has enabled through the faithfulness and commitment of supporters of this ministry.

 

1955   

Brother Andrew's first missionary trip to Eastern Europe while smuggling Christian literature.

1957  

Brother Andrew's first trip smuggling Bibles to the Soviet Union in his blue Volkswagen. Over the next decade, Open Doors expands its network throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

1965

The first Open Doors team travels to China. However, they are unable to make contact with any Christians.

1967

God's Smuggler is first published as Brother Andrew's biography.

1975  

Open Doors sponsors "Love China" conference in Southeast Asia to encourage ministry to China.

1978  

Open Doors sponsors "Love Africa" congress in Malawi. Dozens of mission agencies and churches gather to promote a vision for reaching Africa with the Gospel. Contact with churches in the Middle East begins.

1981  

Project Pearl: one million Bibles are delivered to China in a single night to thousands of waiting believers.

1983  

Seven-year campaign for the Soviet Union begins.

1985  

Project Cross Fire: five million pieces of Christian literature are distributed in Latin America to help evangelize and disciple Christian youth.

1986  

Project Timothy: training program begins for Christian leaders in southern Africa, which ultimately has trained many thousands ( this project continues today).

1989  

Target One Million: delivery of one million New Testaments to Russia in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church begins.

1990

Ten-year prayer campaign for the church in the Muslim world begins.

1991  

Operation ABC: delivery of one million Children's Bibles to the former Soviet Union (completed in 1994). First feature film is released about the life of a Chinese evangelist, called Bamboo In Winter.

1992  

In cooperation with New Life Literature and The Bible League, Open Doors develops and delivers the first Chinese Study Bible in simplified Chinese script.

1993  

50,000 copies of the first printing of the full Bible in the Albanian language is presented to the President of Albania, a country which had up to that point declared itself as totally atheist.

1994

Five-day evangelistic campaign is held at Qaddafi Stadium in Pakistan at which thousands attend.

1995  

The second feature film, Behind the Sun, is released worldwide to demonstrate the hardships faced by a Muslim convert in his homeland; it is honoured with two Crown awards.

1996  

Brother Andrew publishes his tenth book, The Calling, which documents his life story from "God's Smuggler" forward.

1997  

The 1996 Religious Liberty Award is presented to Brother Andrew during a ceremony hosted by the World Evangelical Fellowship.

1998   

In order to continue training and delivering Bibles to believers collapsing from starvation, Open Doors launches its first-ever economic relief project to fly in food and supplies to southern Sudan.

1999   

Ministry to North Korea begins with the delivery of 10,000 Bibles.

2000

One million Bibles and one million pieces of Christian literature are delivered inside China, the largest annual delivery since Project Pearl.

2001  

Over 30,000 Bibles, New Testaments, and other Christian materials are delivered to the former Soviet Union, now known as the Turkic Field. Brother Andrew's youth version of God's Smuggler - called The Narrow Road - wins the 2001 Gold Medallion award.