St Peter's Parish, Belper, Derbyshire

Jesus at the centre transforming our community

Open Doors

The ministry of Open Doors began in 1955 when God called a young Dutchman to act on the basis of Revelation 3:2: "Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die." He went to Poland and discovered a church under threat behind the Iron Curtain, and desperately longing for the Word of God.

So Brother Andrew became God's Smuggler, taking suitcase after suitcase of Bibles to the persecuted church, facing great danger, but determined to bring encouragement and hope. He has never forgotten the words of one believer: "Your presence here with us is worth more than your ten best sermons."

Right now millions of Christians are at risk of persecution around the world. Open Doors is active in over 50 countries, supplying Bibles, leadership training, Bible-based literacy programmes and support for Christians suffering for their faith. And we want to continue to encourage the church here to play its part: that means not only responding to the needs of the persecuted church, but also learning from their experience of what it means to follow Jesus.


From March 2022 'Three in One' Parish Magazine Important News of the Persecuted Church Worldwide. 

The World Watch List, 2022 ‘Each year, Open Doors Mission (one of the Mission agencies we support) produces the Worldwide Watch List ~ ranking the countries where following Jesus costs the most. Published on 19th January it is more than a set of data or a collection of statistics ~ vital though that information is. It’s a window into the world of the persecuted Church, a world where surveillance if growing every day, where dictators and extremists hold a suffocating grip on society, where following Jesus means sacrificing so much. 

Some sacrifice their safety, risking violence or attack to read the Bible or worship with their fellow believers. For others, identifying as a Christian means giving up the chance of a decent education or a job. Or abandoning homes, or businesses, being driven out of the places where they live. Many – far too many – must sacrifice their voice, their visibility. They must stay silent or secret, hide what they believe, what they think, who they really are. 

Some sacrifice their freedom – choosing to go to prison or a labour camp rather than deny their faith. Some even pay with their lives. Christians in these countries know the reality of taking up their cross and following Jesus. But what gives them the strength to walk this path? 

First, they see the bigger picture. They have learned to look over the horizon of this world, and into the eternal story beyond. Their country might turn against them, but they know that they are a part of the strong, secret and victorious Kingdom of God. 

Second, they know that they are not alone. They know that God is with them. And many know that others are with them, praying for them, speaking up for them, supporting them. Their families may abandon them, but they are part of the worldwide family of Christ. 

And that’s what this World Watch list is really all about:

~ It’s about our family. 

~ It’s a call to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters, 

~ and it’s letting them know that they are not alone.

As usual, Open Doors will be producing a wide range of World Watch List resources to help us do this.’

 The 2022 top five countries are Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. Please hold these countries (and others where Christians and other minorities are persecuted) in your prayers. 

To find out more, contact opendoorsuk.org 

This article was printed from their monthly magazine with their permission.