Celebrating 70 years of Open Doors: Brother Andrew in his own words

Remember Brother Andrew (1928-2022) in his own words. You can revisit this interview, as part of celebrations of 70 years of Open Doors.

It has been 70 years since Brother Andrew made his first trip behind the Iron Curtain, into Communist Eastern Europe. That courageous mission – on 15 July 1955 – was the beginning of the ministry of Open Doors. It was the first time Brother Andrew had met anybody from the persecuted church. His trips smuggling Bibles ultimately led to untold millions of persecuted believers receiving support, encouragement and prayer over the decades since. Millions of our brothers and sisters are still being supported each year.

Brother Andrew went to glory on 27 September 2022. A few years earlier, he shared his story and his perspective in a couple of interviews, which are combined below. As we celebrate 70 years of Open Doors, you can remember Brother Andrew in his own words – and continue his legacy with your prayers.

What helped motivate your mission?

BROTHER ANDREW: At the end of my missionary training at the WEC College in Glasgow, I came across a glossy magazine in the basement of the college that explained the glories of Socialism – they didn’t use the word ‘Communism’. They were advertising a big youth festival in Warsaw. Anyone was invited. It was one of those moments when you don’t need a prayer meeting. I wrote to them and I asked if I could come – I told them “I’m a Christian and if I come I will behave like a Christian.” They said yes.

So I packed my suitcase with Scriptures and made my way to Poland and there I discovered suffering churches, churches without young people, churches without adequate leadership. I discovered that Bibles were being smuggled into the Soviet Union by unbelievers in order to make a LOT of money. That said something.

How have you decided where to direct your ministry?

BROTHER ANDREW: You don’t have to go by what circumstances seem to dictate. There’s a large part of your life that you make, and a large part that you don’t. I believe that the part that you don’t control is provided from above, based on your vigour and your faith. If opportunities arise, you must seize them. That is what made Open Doors strong.

Once, I was sitting at a table with my wife, Corry. I was planning on going to Yugoslavia by car. We put our money on the table: 40 euros. I wanted to travel for three weeks. We already had a couple of children. I remember Corry telling me: “You take 25 euros, because you’re going to unknown countries, and I’ll take 15 euros.” The first place I stopped was Darmstadt, since I knew some people there. I entered the home of that old lady, and she said: “Hey, there you are. This morning, the Lord told me that you’d come.” She had also saved up and gave me money for the rest of the trip.

We can be way too pious with these things. You don’t pray for a lot of things. An opportunity arises, and you have to seize it. You have to be ready at all times.

Is there a moment in your ministry you felt particularly scared?

BROTHER ANDREW: Once I travelled to a country where I spoke at about 80 meetings, and I didn’t even know anyone in that country. When I had arrived, the news spread like wildfire. Everything works out, as long as you don’t worry about it. And on those moments when you are worried, because of course I have felt that too, you simply stop for a while.

There was one time when I was at the border of Hungary, by myself, in a car packed with Bibles, and I was extremely scared. I turned the car around; six miles back, there was a small hotel. I went there to pray and fast until my fear was gone. Of course, you’re still afraid when you get on the road. But courage requires persevering, despite your fear. There’s no courage without fear.

How did you come to write God’s Smuggler?

BROTHER ANDREW: On one of my early trips to America I met John Sherrill, who had written a book: The Cross and the Switchblade. I had read it with tears. He asked me to tell my story and wrote it up for Guideposts magazine. That generated so much interest that out of it came the proposal to write a book.

I spent six weeks with John and his wife Elizabeth and they wrote a book that, to my surprise, became a bestseller in America. But the price was very high because I could not go back to Russia or any Communist country. But, because of its success, others could and did go.

Where did you go instead?

BROTHER ANDREW: When God’s Smuggler came out, I went to the Middle East. That was the opening of a new field. I soon became convinced that the evil system of Communism would disappear but would be replaced by the world of Islam. It is my hope that Open Doors supporters will accept the challenge to pray with more faith and understanding for God’s work in Muslim countries and with real, genuine compassion. Jesus gave His life for them and that should be our attitude for Muslims.

There is hope for the church in Iraq and Syria, as long as we don’t give up on it. We need to stay there. Witness.

As persecution continues to increase around the world, what helps you persevere in your ministry?

BROTHER ANDREW: My continuous prayer for persecuted Christians. I try to look at them with the eyes of Jesus, with compassion, and I try to help. But everything an individual can do is so limited. Everything an organisation can do is so limited, compared to the need. I want to reach out over all the man-made barriers and say, ‘Let’s come together’. In Luke 5, the disciples go fishing with Jesus and the boats are so full of fish that they beckon the other boats to help them. That’s what we should do – share our success and not just our needs.

What drives you when you get up each morning?

BROTHER ANDREW: The vision, the burden that the task is not finished yet. Therefore my task is not finished. As long as we are not finished, I am not finished. There is always need around you. Where there is a need there is also the open door to apply the solution of Jesus Christ, the Saviour, the Son of God. So there is plenty of scope to continue that work.

It is the task of every Christian to do what they can. I don’t believe in retirement. You can retire from your official job but never from your mission in life.

Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently?

BROTHER ANDREW: If I could do it over, I would be more radical. I compromised too much. I fought too much. I contemplated when I should have taken action. I have made many mistakes, but I don’t apologise for that because the greatest mistake is if you do nothing. That I didn’t want to do! So in doing lots of things I have made many mistakes. But you learn.

Looking ahead, what do you think is the greatest challenge facing the global church?

BROTHER ANDREW: To be faithful. We have substituted the word ‘faithful’ with success and prosperity. We’ve gone astray on that line. The churches that make the most impact on the world were the ‘poor churches’. We don’t need a lot of technology or money. We need people whose hearts are beating for Jesus Christ. That’s my longing.

I have faith in the fact that in countries where the church is now being heavily persecuted, the church will emerge the strongest and will put us to shame. Because we did so little with our freedom and our wealth. I think that the church will emerge stronger than in our countries.

What are your hopes for the future of Open Doors?

BROTHER ANDREW: My hope is that we will continue to keep up with the negative developments in the world in relation to persecution and that we will not shy away from controversial areas – be they political, ideological or religious. I pray that we will find a way to get into situations where people say the doors are closed. We still say categorically there are no doors closed! Our eyes may be closed, our hearts may be closed, but the doors are open.

How do you want people to remember you?

BROTHER ANDREW: I don’t want them to remember me! Like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem – why should we remember the donkey? Not one of his grey hairs turned white because he carried Jesus. Whom do we carry in? Jesus should have all the attention. We don’t have to be remembered.