Brother Andrew's zeal to preach Christ and His Word above all else led him to make a statement that has convicted me about the way I sometimes write and speak to others. He said when we have more to say about certain evils than we have to say about the goodness of Christ, then we are ill equipped for faithful service. As the work grew he was joined by others and began smuggling Bibles to Christians in communist countries. And today, that small Dutch mission has become an international ministry at work in more than 60 nations to strengthen the persecuted church. His organization, Open Doors, continues his legacy. We know it best for its annual World Watch List of nations that persecute Christians. Open Doors’ tribute calls Brother Andrew “a fearless follower of Jesus [who committed] his life to strengthen the body of Christ in places where faith costs the most.” Throughout his time at Glasgow bible college, Andy learned of ‘The Kings Way’ in providing. Andrew saw God provide every essential need he had and always provide on time. In the book God’s Smuggler, Andrew describes how it was exciting waiting to see how God would provide at his time of need. God always provided, but did so, not according to mans logic but in a kingly matter, not in a grovelling way.

With the end of the Cold War and the relaxation on religious freedoms in former Communist countries, Brother Andrew turned his attention to delivering Bibles to the Middle East and Muslim-majority nations such as Pakistan. Andrew, Brother; Janssen, Al (1 July 2007). Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ. Baker Books. ISBN 978-1-4412-3891-7. Open Doors continues to distribute hundreds of thousands of Bibles and Christian books every year. But we also train and support persecuted Christians in other ways. F.P. (3 October 2012). "Portes ouvertes, une histoire dans l'Histoire [Open doors, a story in history]". La Voix du Nord (in French). Thom, Mike (28 September 2022). "Brother Andrew, famous for smuggling Bibles into Soviet Union, dies at 94". CHVN Radio. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022 . Retrieved 1 October 2022.In 2003, in California, he was given the Heritage of Faithfulness Award from the Christian Association of Senior Adults. As the work grew he was joined by others and began a work of smuggling Bibles to believers in Communist countries. And today, Brother Andrew's small Dutch mission has become an international ministry working in more than 60 nations to strengthen the Persecuted Church.

As a boy he dreamed of being a spy undercover behind enemy lines. As a man he found himself undercover for God. Brother Andrew was his name and for decades his life story, recounted in God's Smuggler, has awed and inspired millions,” noted the description of the 35th anniversary edition of the book. Brother Andrew; Sherrill, John; Sherrill, Elizabeth; featuring Jars of Clay (2001). The Narrow Road: Stories of Those Who Walk This Road Together. Baker. ISBN 0-8007-5793-9.Brother Andrew; Conn, Charles Paul (1977). Battle for Africa. Fleming H. Revell. ISBN 978-0-80070876-4. Before going away on mission, Andrew started work at the Ringers chocolate factory. Working in a female dominated environment which was smitten with filthy jokes, God used Andrew and another Christian, and future wife Corrie, to reach their lost co-workers. Through personal witness and inviting them to evangelistic events, many became Christians, including the ring leader of the women. The atmosphere at work changed dramatically and prayer groups were held. In 1955, Brother Andrew risked it all. Today, will you commit to pray, give and speak out to support your persecuted family? One evening during that first visit, he was invited to speak at a Baptist church in Warsaw. He tells the story in his best-selling book God’s Smuggler: “At the end of my little talk the pastor said, ‘We want to thank you for being here. Even if you had not said a word, just seeing you would have meant so much. We feel at times as if we are all alone in our struggle.’”

His formal education came to an abrupt end in the sixth grade with the invasion of the German army in 1940. The Wermacht occupied the Netherlands until its liberation in spring 1945. Today, the world is changing. The main threat to Christians comes not from communism, but from radical Islam. In 1967, van der Bijl published the first edition of God's Smuggler, written with John and Elizabeth Sherrill. [9] An autobiography, God's Smuggler tells the story of his early childhood, conversion to Christianity, and adventures as a Bible-smuggler behind the Iron Curtain. Due to the press exposure following the book, van der Bijl stopped personally smuggling Bibles and Christian literature to other countries, and shifted to evangelism and fundraising campaigns in North America and Europe to support Open Doors. [7] [2] By 2022, it had sold over 10 million copies and was published in thirty-five languages. [10] A comic book adaptation of God's Smuggler was published in 1972 by Spire Christian Comics. [11] Later life [ edit ] He determined he would ask God to guide him to the one person who was ready for the gospel. Instead of spending his time calculating and strategizing, he would follow the guidance of the Spirit. The world first became aware of Brother Andrew’s ministry when his biography, God’s Smuggler, written with John and Elizabeth Sherrill, was published in 1967. It was translated into 35 languages and sold 10 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling Christian books of all time. A comic-book adaptation was published in 1972.

In 1955, a youthful Dutch missionary attended a worldwide communist youth congress in Poland, which was at that time part of the Soviet bloc. But he wasn’t a communist: he was a Christian. People of other faiths even recognize Brother Andrew’s incredible legacy, including U.S. Ambassador-at-Large Rashad Hussain, who is Muslim. In his tribute to Brother Andrew, Dr. Albert Mohler reminded listeners that “the power of God’s word is such that, once it is in the hands and it is read with the eyes, the Holy Spirit does the work of taking that word read with the eyes into the heart and bringing about a transformation that only the word of God can bring.”

In September 1953, Brother Andrew started his studies at the WEC Glasgow bible college. Over the entrance of the wooden archway of the college were the words‘have faith in God’. During the following two years whilst studying, Andrew learned about having faith in God and put his faith into practice in many ways. The Kings Way Having read God's Smuggleras a child, I know that your story has inspired millions of people around the world to speak out on behalf of the voiceless and suffering.” Andrew spent the first few months in England painting the WEC headquarters building (Bulstrode). While living at Bulstrode, Andrew began spending time with God at the beginning of everyday – a Quiet Time. This was something that Andrew found helpful and endeavoured to do every day of his life. Once Andrew had finished painting Bulstrode, he then moved in with Mr and Mrs Hopkins. Living with Mr and Mrs Hopkins, they developed a wonderful relationship. Andy learnt so much from the couple because they were utterly without self-consciousness and opened up their home to drunks and beggars. As a child, brother Andrew was mischievous and dreamt of adventure. When Germany invaded, Andrew amused himself (and the rest of the village) by playing pranks on the occupying troops. If you would like to, you can make a gift to continue Brother Andrew’s legacy of supporting the persecuted church. MAKE A GIFTWhen speaking to American audiences in the early 2000s, van der Bijl regularly asked Christians if they had prayed for Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda. When US forces killed bin Laden in 2011, he expressed sadness. Unsure of Gods will for his life, Andrew spent a Sunday afternoon alone with God, speaking aloud with God. Through this time, Andrew realized that he needed to say ‘yes’ to God who was calling him to mission. Before this, Andrew had been saying ‘Yes BUT I am lame.’ ‘Yes BUT I have no education’. Andrew said yes. In an amazing instant, Andrew made this step of yes, and in God’s grace he healed Andrews lame leg. Andrew goes to England Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture I want to take to Your children. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.”