View source for Open Doors

{{About|the Christian foundation|Italian film|Open Doors (film)|the Nosa album|Open Doors (album)|architectural open house|Doors Open Days}}

{{Infobox organization
| name = Open Doors
| logo = Open Doors logo.jpg
| logo_size = 250px
| type = Christian Charity
| founded_date = 1955
| founder = [[Brother Andrew]]
| locations = [[Santa Ana, California]]
| origins = 
| key_people = [[Brother Andrew]]
| area_served = 70+ countries
| focus = Strengthening persecuted Christians worldwide
| method = 
| revenue = $116.3 million (2015; including affiliates)
| endowment = 
| num_volunteers = 
| num_employees = 
| num_members = 
| owner = 
| Non-profit_slogan = Serving persecuted Christians worldwide
| homepage = {{URL|opendoors.org}}
| dissolved = 
| footnotes = 
}}
'''Open Doors''' is a [[non-denominational Christianity|non-denominational]] [[mission (Christian)|mission]] supporting [[Persecution of Christians|persecuted Christians]] in the world. They work with local partners to distribute Bibles and Christian literature, give [[discipleship]] training<ref>{{cite book|last=Green|first=George W.|title=Special use vehicles: an illustrated history of unconventional cars and trucks worldwide|publisher=McFarland|year=2003|pages=151|isbn=0-7864-1245-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CCZcwlhyaJsC&pg=PA151&dq=open+doors+brother+andrew|access-date=2009-04-06}}</ref> and provide practical support, such as emergency relief aid. Open Doors' stated aims are to raise awareness of global persecution, mobilising prayer, support and action among Christians from around the world. It is based in [[Ermelo, Netherlands|Ermelo]], [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]].  Open Doors is also a member of the [[Forum of Bible Agencies International]].

Open Doors has 20 affiliate offices and a presence in 60 countries around the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.opendoors.org/|title=Open Doors worldwide|publisher=opendoors.org |access-date=September 19, 2020}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Darling|first=Daniel|date=March 29, 2021|title=Hide It Under a Bushel? Maybe.|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/march-web-only/daniel-darling-characters-easter-nicodemus-joseph-arimathea.html|url-status=live|access-date=March 30, 2021|website=Christianity Today|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
Open Doors was founded in 1955 by [[Andrew van der Bijl]], a Dutchman more widely known as [[Brother Andrew]], when he decided to smuggle Bibles to persecuted Christians in [[History of Poland (1945–1989)|Communist Poland]].<ref>{{cite book|last = Hertzke |first=Allen D.|title=Freeing God's children|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2004|isbn=0-7425-0804-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oEBROQZMCo0C&pg=PA401 |access-date=2009-04-06}}</ref> He continued this work in smuggling Bibles to many of the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-controlled countries and in 1957 was given a blue [[Volkswagen Beetle]] which he used to make deliveries within the Communist bloc.<ref>{{cite book|last=Desmond|first=Kevin|title=The Least Likely: If God Can Use Them, He Can Use You!|publisher=Kregel Publications | year =2005|page =113|isbn=0-8254-6061-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a_BavuACGbkC&pg=PA113 |access-date=2009-04-07}}</ref> With this new car he was able to carry more literature. Thereafter, the work of Open Doors continued to expand as it extended its network throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. He was responsible for smuggling millions of Bibles behind the [[Iron Curtain]].<ref name=":1" />

On 18 June 1981, Open Doors delivered one million contraband Chinese Bibles in one night to a beach near the city of [[Shantou]] in southern China on a mission they named Project Pearl. Project Pearl was carried out by an international crew of 20, led by Brother David. A semi-submersible, 137-foot barge, named ''Gabriel'', was loaded with 232 waterproof, poly-wrapped, one-ton packages containing a million Chinese Bibles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/open.doors.project.pearl.25th.anniversary.of.delivering.1.million.bibles.to.china/6713.htm|title=Open Doors: Project Pearl - 25th Anniversary of Delivering 1 Million Bibles to China|website=Christian Today|language=en|type=Press release|access-date=2018-01-20}}</ref> A 97-foot tugboat named Michael was used to tow ''Gabriel'' to the beach, weaving through a maze of anchored Chinese navy ships. The crew arrived at the beach at 9 pm. 10,000 Chinese Christians had gathered to bring the Bibles to shore and then deliver them all over China.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radiofreechina.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/brother-david-gods-smuggler-to-china-had-died-at-70-today/|title=Brother David "God's smuggler to China" had died at 70 today|last=Hattaway|first=Paul|date=May 8, 2007|work=Radio Free China|access-date=April 20, 2018|agency=Assist News Service|language=en-US}}</ref> ''Time'' magazine described Project Pearl as "A remarkable mission… the largest operation of its kind in the history of China."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924980,00.html|title= Risky Rendezvous at Swatow| last1 =Hoyle| first1 = Russ| first2= Bing W | last2 = Wong |date=1981-10-19|work=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]|access-date = 2009-04-07}}</ref><span id="Project Pearl"></span>

In 1988, Open Doors used [[Glasnost]]<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-08-06/local/me-6951_1_santa-ana|title=Local News in Brief: Santa Ana Group to Legally Ship Million Bibles to Russia|date=1988-08-06|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=2009-04-07|page=2|issn=0458-3035}}</ref> as an opportunity to openly provide one million Russian Bibles to the [[Russian Orthodox Church]], at a cost of $2.5 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=OC charity to ship first load of Bibles to Soviets by Dec. 25|last=Brodeur|first=Nicole|work=[[Orange County Register]]|date=1988-10-15|page=b.08|issn=0886-4934|id={{ProQuest|272237755}}}} (Registration required)</ref>  Open Doors partnered with the [[United Bible Societies]] to complete the task in just over one year.<ref>{{cite news|title=County-based ministry has sent 1 million Bibles to Christians in USSR|last=Owen|first=Mary|work=[[Orange County Register]]|date=1989-12-30|issn=0886-4934|page=E.05|id={{ProQuest|272433825}}}} (Registration required)</ref>

In 2005, 428,856 people from over 70 different countries signed Open Doors' global Right to Believe petition, saying Yes to religious liberty and No to the [[Defamation of religion and the United Nations|UN's Defamation of Religions Resolution]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Marking|first=J. G.|title=A Voice Is Calling: Living the Life You Know Exists|publisher=A Voice Is Calling|year=2005|pages=117|isbn=1-933204-07-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lx-Rj0TzLLwC&pg=PA117&dq=open+doors+brother+andrew|access-date=2009-04-06}}</ref> The petition was presented to the UN in New York in December 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/open-doors-global-petition-presented-at-un/|title=Open Doors' Global Petition Presented at United Nations - Open Doors USA|date=December 9, 2010|work=Open Doors USA|access-date=April 20, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2015, Open Doors (including its affiliates) delivered 3 million Bibles and literature, and delivered relief and aid to 239,164 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.opendoorsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/annual_2016_final.pdf|title=Open Doors USA 2015 annual report|publisher=Open Doors USA |access-date=March 27, 2018}}</ref> In 2018 the USA organization spent $19,291,134 on programs to the persecuted church with $4.7 M spent on fundraising and $2.8 on administration.<ref>Open Doors USA 2018 annual report. 
 [https://www.opendoorsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2018_Annual-Report.pdf Open Doors USA website]  Retrieved 1 December 2019.</ref>

==Programs==
Open Doors and its affiliates conduct the following programs in many countries:<ref>George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, ''Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5'', Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 1688</ref>

* Delivering Bibles and other Christian literature<ref name=":0" />
* Providing pastoral and discipleship training
* Conducting seminars on Christian living, family life. "Standing Strong Through the Storm" is the seminar they use to teach churches on how to survive under persecution.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/ChurchAndMinistry/PersecutionWatch/ans_PersecutionSeminar.aspx|title=Preparing for Persecution in Indonesia|last=Dykstra|first=Jerry|publisher=Christian Broadcasting Network|access-date=2009-04-07}}</ref>
* Running Bible-based literacy courses
* Supplying equipment and vocational training to help widows, families of prisoners of conscience, the displaced, and the unemployed to earn a living<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/20171013/ottawa-county-patriots-to-host-event-about-christian-persecution|title=Ottawa County Patriots to host event about Christian persecution|last=Sentinel staff|date=Oct 13, 2017|work=Holland Sentinel|access-date=2018-05-09|language=en}}</ref>
* Providing legal aid and spiritual and emotional comfort to prisoners and their families
* Financing and supplying equipment to pastors, churches, and Bible colleges
* Supplying printing presses, radios, cassette players, photocopiers, and A/V and transport equipment
* Sponsoring Bible colleges, reconciliation ministries and restoration centres for Christian refugees, widows and orphans.

===''World Watch List''===
The organization publishes an annual ''World Watch List'' which ranks countries by the severity of persecution that Christians face for actively pursuing their faith. The WWL is based on the research and comparison of field researchers, external experts, academics{{who|date=September 2016}}, and publicly available research documents. It is a qualitative instrument based on these subjective opinions. In 2012, the methodology of the WWL was comprehensively revised in order to provide greater credibility, transparency, objectivity and scientific quality.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} In 2013, further refinement of the methodology took place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/about-wwl-ranking/|title=World Watch List Ranking Methodology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115030537/https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/about-wwl-ranking/|archive-date=2017-11-15|url-status=dead}}</ref> Countries are ranked on a scale from 0 to 100 depending on persecution in the areas of church life, national life, community life, family life, private life and use of violence against Christians. Depending on the score, countries are arranged into the categories "Extreme Persecution", "Very High Persecution" and "High Persecution".  
 
The 2020 list of the 50 highest ranked countries are as follows:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.opendoorsusa.org/2020-world-watch-list-report/|title=2020 World Watch List Report|date=2018|work=Open Doors|access-date=February 13, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Casper|first=Jayson|date=January 15, 2020|title=The 50 Countries Where It’s Hardest to Follow Jesus|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/january/top-christian-persecution-open-doors-2020-world-watch-list.html|access-date=2020-09-17|website=Christianity Today|language=en}}</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
'''Extreme Persecution''' 
# {{flag|North Korea}}
# {{flag|Afghanistan}}
# {{flag|Somalia}}
# {{flag|Sudan}}
# {{flag|Pakistan}}
# {{flag|Eritrea}}
# {{flag|Libya}}
# {{flag|Iraq}}
# {{flag|Yemen}}
# {{flag|Iran}}
# {{flag|India}}
'''Very High Persecution'''
# <li value="12">{{flag|Saudi Arabia}}</li>
# {{flag|Maldives}}
# {{flag|Nigeria}}
# {{flag|Syria}}
# {{flag|Uzbekistan}}
# {{flag|Egypt}}
# {{flag|Vietnam}}
# {{flag|Turkmenistan}}
# {{flag|Laos}}
# {{flag|Jordan}}
# {{flag|Tajikistan}}
# {{flag|Malaysia}}
# {{flag|Myanmar}}
# {{flag|Nepal}}
# {{flag|Brunei}}
# {{flag|Qatar}}
# {{flag|Kazakhstan}}
# {{flag|Ethiopia}}
# {{flag|Tunisia}}
# {{flag|Turkey}}
# {{flag|Kenya}}
# {{flag|Bhutan}}
# {{flag|Kuwait}}
# {{flag|Central African Republic}}
'''High Persecution'''
# <li value="36">{{flag|Palestine}}</li>
# {{flag|Mali}}
# {{flag|Indonesia}}
# {{flag|Mexico}}
# {{flag|UAE}}
# {{flag|Bangladesh}}
# {{flag|Algeria}}
# {{flag|China}}
# {{flag|Sri Lanka}}
# {{flag|Azerbaijan}}
# {{flag|Oman}}
# {{flag|Mauritania}}
# {{flag|Bahrain}}
# {{flag|Colombia}}
# {{flag|Djibouti}}
{{Div col end}}

==See also==
*[[Anti-Christian sentiment]]
*[[International Christian Concern]]
*[[Religious intolerance]]
*[[Religious persecution]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.opendoors.org/}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Christian missions]]
[[Category:Christian charities]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1955]]
[[Category:Persecution of Christians]]
[[Category:International human rights organizations]]
[[Category:Religious organisations based in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Bible smuggling]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States]]
[[Category:1955 establishments in the Netherlands]]