Our Mission Statement
Strengthening the Body of Christ living under restriction or persecution by providing and delivering Bibles, materials, training and other helps, and encouraging the Body to become involved in world evangelism.
Training and encouraging the Body of Christ in threatened or unstable areas, preparing believers to face persecution.
Motivating, mobilising and educating the Church in the free world to identify with an become more involved in assisting the Persecuted Church, with the belief that 'when one member suffers, all members suffer with it' (1 Corinthians 12:26)
Bible & Literature Distribution
In 2010, we put 3.4 million Bibles and training materials into the hands of suffering believers in almost 50 countries worldwide. "We have seen people weep out lod when they receive the Bible," said one distributor. "They treat it as the image of God."
The greatest increase in our distribution of biblical literature was in Central Asia, where we delivered 144,000 more items there last year than in 2009. Similarly, we got 30,000 books - 10,000 more than planned - into the oppressive hermit kingdom of North Korea, causing one believer to share, "The study materials and the radios are being effectively used to enhance the faith and knowledge of our believers around our country of North Korea."
Perhaps most significantly, distribution to India increased by 700 percent. While China accounts for two thirds of our worldwide distribution, the 2.1 million items we sent represented from 2009 a 10 percent decrease, as we are encouraging the country's increasingly affluent churches to take greater responsiblilty to develop their own indigenous literature ministry, freeing out resources for needier locations.
Putting these crucial resources in the hands of persecuted believers reminds us of what one receipient said, "Thank God that he has touched many hearts from around the world to pray for us and support us." Let us pass these thanks on to you, since we could not carry out this vital ministry without your partnership!
Leadership Training & Assistance
"Before, I just picked a verse and tried to explain it to people," said one of our leadership training course attendeeds. "This training taught me to understand its original context. I believe I can be more effective in sharing the gospel with this new method."
In India, more than 3,300 people attended our 'Standing Strong Throught the Storm' seminars to help them deal more effectively with persecution and pressure. "I know what it is to have no place to stay, "said one delegate. "To have a family threatening to kill you. They threatened to kill me like Jesus. Through 'Standing Strong Throught the Storm' course is about my life. What we learned here is very important."
Our outreach is also expanding in Central Asia, where 12,500 people received training in 2010, up from less than 3,000 in 2009. And it's because of the prayers and support of our friends that presecuted believers can say, "Through this discipleship training, we've been so encouraged to know that people all over the world know about us and pray for us."
Christian Community Development
With the support of friends like you, we can come alongside the most persecuted people in their gravest hour of need. In the words of one person your investment has helped us assist, "I am very thankful to God for Open Doors, because this ministry was present in the hardest moment of our lives."
Due to the support of our faithful friends, we have increased livelihood projects worldwide by 15 percent, with even larger expansion of outreach in North Korea, where we expanded our safe houses, and in Southeast Asia. ur work with orphanages and other childcare was up more than 325 percent, mostly because of our work in Central Asia, where we held special Christmas gatherings in orphanages and handed out presents to the children.
Advocacy
Your participation in our Advocacy programs allow you to help seek justice for the opressed by influencing those of political power. Governments that turn a blind eye to injustice, or intentionally promote it, will know the world is watching and there will be consequences for their actions.
Because of your help in our Free to Believe campaign, 425,000 people in 70 countries urged their national delegations at the United Nations to say "Yes" to Religious Liberty and "No" to the Defamation of Religions Resolution, which has been promoted by the Organsiation of the Islamic Conference. This allowed us to change key votes which helped defeat the resolution.
Our work of strengthening the Persecuted Church to advance the Kingdom where faith costs the most can only continue through the prayer and support of vital partners like you. So thank you for continuing to give to expand this work!
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