Our story
The ministry of Open Doors began in 1955 through the call of God to one man, Brother Andrew. 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.
The Beginning
A young Dutchman went to Warsaw and discovered the existence of a persecuted church. He became known as Brother Andrew, and from 1955 to 1967 he travelled throughout Eastern Europe, delivering Scriptures, encouraging persecuted believers, and recruiting others to help him.
In 1967, Brother Andrew’s biography - God’s Smuggler is published and eventually becomes one of the best-selling Christian books of all time.
Beyond the Soviet Union
As the world changed, Open Doors grew in the 1970s as Brother Andrew met and recruited many others to work among the persecuted in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Open Doors also begins monitoring persecution around the world. This later develops to become the World Watch List, now the most authoritative list of its kind.
The work continues and expands
A seven-year campaign for the Soviet Union beginsin 1982 and the delivery of one million New Testaments to Russia in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church begins.
Seven years later, in 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and the world changed.
In 1985, five million pieces of Christian literature are distributed in Latin America to help evangelise and disciple Christian youth.
Brother Andrew warns of the need to make the church in the Islamic world a greater priority. Increasingly, Open Doors turns towards this part of the Body of Christ.
New ministries
Open Doors launches its first major relief project, Operation Daily Bread, to fly in food and supplies to remote areas of war-torn southern Sudan in 1998.
The following year, Open Doors begins working with North Koreans, delivering 10,000 Korean Bibles. Today, North Korea remains one of the most dangerous place to be a Christian.
Open Doors Hong Kong
Open Doors formally sets up a base in Hong Kong to connect the Chinese-speaking church with our persecuted family.
Brother Andrew passes away
At 94, our founder Brother Andrew goes home to be with God. In 1955, as he prayed over a Communist youth rally in Poland, Andrew surrendered to a word from the Lord in Revelation 3:2: “Strengthen what remains and is about to die.”
Serving persecuted christians
In 2025, Open Doors celebrates its 70th anniversary. Since Brother Andrew’s first journey in 1955, Open Doors has continued to seek out and strengthen those who suffer violent persecution and discrimination for their Christian faith.
With the partnership of the international church community, Open Doors is serving persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries, working with churches and local partners to provide Bibles, Christian materials, training, livelihood skills and advocacy.