WORLD-A prophetic voice in the nations over 50 years
09/02/05 - Being there in advance - both in prayer and in person - has been the hallmark of the Open Doors ministry over 50 years
For accompanying pictures, go to: http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/milestones_pics/html/index.htm
Johan Companjen, has been working with Open Doors for the last thirty years, since he and his wife Anneke, then missionaries in Vietnam, were evacuated when the communists came to power.
He says, “Open Doors is an end-time ministry and the closer we get to the second coming of Christ the more persecution there will be. I want to make sure that as we grow, we stay true to our core values.”
Since Johan took over the presidency of Open Doors International 10 years ago, the organisation has nearly tripled in size and, with levels of persecution increasing worldwide, that growth is continuing apace.
During the early part of Johan’s time with Open Doors, he travelled extensively with Brother Andrew (the ministry's founder) and as he talks about Open Doors’ 50-year history, it is clear that Open Doors has a prophetic call to the West.
'Presence ministry' in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union:
Open Doors' ministry started in 1955 when Brother Andrew, a young Dutchman, went to Poland and saw tens of thousands of communists chanting, “We will win the world for the revolution”. He returned to Holland and prophetically called the Church to wake up to what was happening in the communist world and to support the Church that was being crushed and persecuted there.
Johan relates, “At that time, the communists did not tolerate Christians at all. Christians had a tremendous need for Bibles but also for training and encouragement.
"Our presence was as important to them as the Bibles we brought, because people felt totally forsaken. One pastor in Hungary said, “No one knows where I am, not even my family. Thank you for coming.” Then he cried and cried. The police had closed his Church and put him under house arrest.
"So many times we heard these persecuted Christians say 'thank you for coming, the fact that you are here shows that you care for us'.
"Open Doors' ‘presence ministry' continues to have a high priority today.”
Prayer breakthrough for China:
“Another key factor in our ministry has been prayer. Wherever Brother Andrew went in the early 70s he would ask people to pray. He particularly wanted to bring together people who had a prayer burden for China.”
Johan explained that many people, including many former missionaries expelled from China after the communist takeover in 1949, said, “God closed the door and we need to wait for God’s timing to open it again”.
However, in obedience to God’s leading, Open Doors gathered together some 400 people from 25 countries in September 1975. Johan recalls, “The turning point in the conference came when a very old Chinese missionary, brother Wills, spoke. He challenged us: 'If we want to see China saved, we must pray, pray, pray.' So, we all got on our knees and prayed.”
During the following year, 1976, the door to China opened as Mao Tse-Tung, communist party leader and brutal persecutor of Christians, died, as did Zhou Enlai, the party premier. The underground house-church movement was born and grew enormously during those repressive days – with a desperate need for Bibles.
Before long, Open Doors was bringing tens of thousands of Bibles into China. However, it was far short of the number of Bibles being requested by the Chinese Christians. So, they told Open Doors, “We have a vision. You bring one million Bibles by boat, drop them on a beach and we will do the rest.
After months of intensive training in the Philippines, one tugboat and a semi-submersible barge made it into Chinese waters on 18 June 1981. One million Bibles were unloaded as thousands of excited, nervous – and thankful – Chinese believers waited on the beach.
In 1994, the first Chinese children’s Bible in simplified script was produced and delivered by Open Doors, and last year Open Doors delivered more than 2.5 million Bibles and Christian books to Chinese believers.
Prayer power in the former Soviet Union
Prayer continued to shape Open Doors' work throughout the 1980s. A seven-year prayer campaign for the former Soviet Union concluded with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and a totally unexpected freedom came to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
Open Doors was able to start ‘officially’ delivering bibles, including one million New Testaments, to Russian Orthodox Church leaders in 1990 and 50,000 Bibles to the President of Albania in 1993.
Prayer answered in the Muslim World
Throughout the 1980s, Brother Andrew prophetically told the Open Doors team, “You think communism is hard - just wait until militant Islam raises its head”.
Very few people were talking about Islam back then, but in 1990 Open Doors launched a 10-year prayer campaign for the Muslim World. Johan remarks, “God has answered so many prayers in many closed Islamic countries – Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan etc – where many thousands of people have been finding Christ. Since 9/11, the Church has begun to wake up, and many people are praying for the Islamic world now, which is also an answer to prayer.
Preparing for persecution in Africa and Latin America
As communism spread throughout Africa in the late 1970s, Open Doors felt compelled to prepare Church leaders throughout 15 countries in Africa for persecution. Johan recalls, “Many were challenged in their personal walk; their eyes were opened, and the Church was greatly strengthened and encouraged.”
Since then, religious extremism, not communism has proved to be the major source of persecution for African Christians. Open Doors now runs hundreds of ‘Standing Strong through the Storm’ seminars and other Christian training, enabling Christians to stay firm in their faith and even thrive under persecution.
Another growing region for persecution throughout the 1980s was Latin America. The rise in illegal armed groups meant that Christians were singled out for persecution and discrimination for refusing to take sides and for making a stand for righteousness and peace. Today, Open Doors teams are serving and providing livelihoods for many Latin American Christians who have been made homeless and bereaved as a result of their stand for Christ.
The future
Johan comments, “Our call is a simple one. We must acknowledge that for many to say publicly, 'I accept Christ,' is to invite everything from discrimination to death. As Paul told Timothy, “Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord … But join with me in suffering for the Gospel…” (2 Timothy 1:8).
It is precisely those Christians who ‘testify unashamedly’ who so often face the brunt of persecution. In restricted countries, preachers risk prison, evangelists are forced to evade police, and converts are labelled criminals. By helping our persecuted family, we are advancing the fulfilment of the Great Commission.”
“The challenge for the Church in the 21st century," Johan concludes, "will be to strengthen suffering Christians around the world as they face new waves of persecution, while being aware of what is going on in our own backyard. Europe is changing, and already religious freedom is under threat, even for us.”
To find out more, call Open Doors on 01993-885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or go to the UK website at www.opendoorsuk.org.
Ends 1,191 words.
Open Doors strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by
1. Training Church leaders and Christian workers
2. Supplying Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School materials and other Christian literature
3. Providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities
4. Visiting, comforting and encouraging those who are suffering
5. Raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilising prayer for them throughout the western world.
For other articles/press releases on the Persecuted Church, go to:
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/articles/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/releases/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/world_watch_list_pics/html/index.htm