Brother Andrew (Andrew van der Bijl, 1928–2022) was a Dutch missionary famous for smuggling Bibles into communist countries behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, eventually founding the global organization Open Doors to support persecuted Christians.

Brother Andrew’s life proved that closed doors are often only closed in the physical sense. His ministry was built on the radical belief that God’s Word cannot be chained, and his daring missions into high-risk territories redefined what it meant to be a sent-one in the modern era.

Background and Calling to Christ

Born in the Netherlands in 1928, Andrew van der Bijl began his adult life as a soldier in the Dutch East Indies. After a wounding injury led to a period of deep soul-searching, his conversion ignited a daring journey. He felt a specific, “divine calling” to go to the oppressed believers in Eastern Europe, a mission that demanded both immense courage and a deep, abiding faith in God’s protection.

Unique Missions Work: Defying the Iron Curtain

Affectionately known as “God’s Smuggler,” Brother Andrew’s ministry was characterized by strategic risk and miraculous intervention:

  • The Smuggler’s Prayer: When crossing guarded borders with a car full of forbidden Bibles, Andrew famously prayed, “Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children across this border. 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.”
  • Clandestine Support: His missions were not just about Bibles; they were about letting the underground church know they were not forgotten.
  • Creative Outreach: He often used unorthodox methods to bypass communist surveillance, proving that creative strategy is a vital component of successful evangelism.

Legacy and Global Impact

Brother Andrew’s life is a testament to the power of faith in action. His impact on the global church includes:

  1. Open Doors: He founded one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to serving the persecuted church, ensuring that spiritual nourishment reaches those in repressive regimes.
  2. A Shift in Perspective: He challenged the Western church to see people in hostile nations not as enemies to be feared, but as souls to be reached.
  3. Modern Underground Missions: His innovative strategies continue to influence daring evangelists who work in modern-day restricted-access nations.

The Connection to To Every Tribe

At To Every Tribe, Brother Andrew’s daring example is a cornerstone of our strategic training. We carry his legacy forward by:

  • Thinking Beyond Conventional Limits: We don’t believe in closed tribes; we believe in unreached ones. We train our missionaries to find creative ways to enter even the most restricted environments.
  • Specialized Strategic Skills: Our training programs incorporate creative evangelism and risk-assessment techniques, preparing missionaries to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
  • Breaking Insurmountable Barriers: Like Andrew, we believe no political or geographical barrier is final. We empower our trainees to bring the transformative message of Christ to tribes that society, and sometimes the church, has written off as unreachable.

FAQs

What was the “Iron Curtain”?

The Iron Curtain was the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II to seal off itself and its dependent central and eastern European allies from open contact with the West and other noncommunist areas.

Was Bible smuggling legal?

No, it was strictly illegal in the communist countries Brother Andrew entered. He believed that the higher law of the Great Commission overrode the earthly laws that sought to suppress the Gospel.

How does Brother Andrew’s work relate to To Every Tribe’s Phase 1: Arrival?

In restricted areas, Arrival (Phase 1) is often the most dangerous part of the mission. Brother Andrew showed us that arrival requires Strategic Outreach: the ability to enter a region undetected or under a different guise to establish the initial bridge for the Gospel.

1967 Volkswagen Beetle from the Dare to Dream Collection. Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.