Brother Andrew's Biography

In 1955, a young Dutch missionary, Anne Vander Bijl, attended the world congress of Communist youth in Poland. There he discovered a remnant of the Church behind the Iron Curtain desperately in need of Bibles. Brother Andrew (as he would later be known around the world) distributed a suitcase full of Christian literature, marking the humble beginnings of Open Doors, a ministry to the Persecuted Church.

Brother Andrew's autobiography, God's Smuggler, has sold more than ten million copies and has been translated into more than forty languages. It details dangerous border crossings, KBG pursuits, and his courageous journey toward living radically for Jesus Christ.

Brother Andrew's work through Open Doors has led the organization into places where most Christians are unwilling to go. His friendships and the love of God took him into private meetings with Yasser Arafat and with leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Taliban and Hezbollah. He was among the few Western leaders to regularly go to these groups as an ambassador for Christ.

Brother Andrew finished his earthly race on September 27, 2022, at the age of 94. He is survived by his five children and eleven grandchildren, all of whom live in the Netherlands.

You are invited to support the Persecuted Church around the world through the ministry of Open Doors founded by Brother Andrew.