About this deal
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.
This is the story of an ordinary Dutch man who went undercover for God. He smuggled Bibles into the most closed and dangerous countries of the world, risking his life over and over again. His life of faith and surrender is such a testimony and inspiration. Do we love and see God’s Word as precious as he did? The people receiving these Bibles sure did. As the Soviet Union began to crumble in the early 1990s, he turned his attention to the Middle East and helping Christians there. Eventually, he founded Open Doors, a mission that supports and spreads awareness about persecuted Christians. Still alive today, Andrew continues to inspire Christians around the world with his amazing story. The book inspired numerous other missionary smugglers, provided funding to van der Bilj’s ministry Open Doors, and drew evangelical attention to the plight of believers in countries where Christian belief and practice were illegal. Van der Bijl protested that people missed the point, however, when they held him up as heroic and extraordinary. Wow! This is an amazing book! There are really no words to describe it other than Brother Andrew simply living in obedience to God. But how encouraging and faith-building it is to follow years of his ministry! Some people think of doing grand things for Christ, but often, Brother Andrew was just THERE...giving hope to the persecuted Christians that there is someone else in the body praying for them. Reading this book will raise your awareness of persecuted Christians and the struggles they face. It is not graphic at all (not even close to "Tortured for Christ"), but shows the seriousness and struggles of believers in closed countries. Brother Andrew has travelled extensively in the Islamic world, talking to the leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. He is among the few Western leaders to regularly travel to the Middle East as an ambassador for Christ to these groups. He also has broken through Christian religious barriers by being invited to speak in Catholic and Coptic Orthodox churches.
Today, of course, Europe has changed. The main threat to Christians today comes not from Communism, but from radical Islam. Brother Andrew has travelled extensively in the Islamic world, talking to the leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. He is among the few Western leaders to regularly travel to the Middle East as an ambassador for Christ to these groups. He has also broken Christian religious barriers by preaching in Catholic and Coptic Orthodox churches.
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. Brother Andrew; DeVore Williams, Susan (1990). And God Changed His Mind. Chosen Books. ISBN 0-8007-9272-6. His suitcase contained his Bible, a change of clothes and hundreds of leaflets entitled The Way of Salvation, which he planned to give away. He spent two years studying to be a missionary at the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade school in Glasgow, Scotland. Van der Bijl’s passing happened the same week as the general assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance’s (WEA) Arab world region, and pastors there paid tribute.Brother Andrew, who in 1993 was knighted by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, married Corrine in 1958. She died in 2018 and he is survived by their five children.
Brother Andrew's was married toCorry for 59 years, until her death in January 2018. He is survived by five children and eleven grandchildren. I believe everyone is reachable. People are never the enemy—only the devil,” van der Bijl said. “Bin Laden was on my prayer list. I wanted to meet him. I wanted to tell him who is the real boss in the world.” In 1955, Brother Andrew risked it all. Today, will you commit to pray, give and speak out to support your persecuted family? 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 endeavored 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 learned so much from the couple because they were utterly without self-consciousness and opened up their home to drunks and beggars.Today, the world is changing. The main threat to Christians comes not from communism, but from radical Islam.