OPEN DOORS

Some of you may have heart of Brother Andrew, who founded a ministry called “Open Doors” in 1955 with the express purpose of smuggling bibles behind the iron curtain. I was living in England at the time and met him on several occasions when he visited the church and conferences I attended to tell us about his work.

He has written a book “Prayer Works” and being the Christian statesman that he is, I thought that a few quotes from the book would not go astray.

“Some of our biggest Christian churches have absolutely zero impact on their communities and the world because they are nothing more than luxurious showcases for people who want to “feel good about themselves” and impress each other with the way God has “blessed” them, instead of doing what God has commanded them to do. They are places where Christians devote themselves to the pursuit of happiness instead of the pursuit of God’s Kingdom.”

“I am appalled and saddened by what I see; a herd of Christians so busy tapping their feet to music, so entranced by the showcase of talent up on the stage, and pastors so consumed with the task of counting new members…that hardly anyone hears the cries of those who are suffering and dying all over the globe – or even in the few square miles surrounding their church building.”

Brother Andrew knows what he is talking about. He is a member of a church in Holland where 100% of the young people are missionaries. He travels around the world bearing the message of the needs he confronts to the churches he visits so he has seen it all. As one man, he has achieved more in his lifetime than what many a church has achieved in their whole history.

Brother Andrew says that the church should be a recruiting station, a basic training camp, a support and supply conduit for those called to the frontline. “It was never intended to become a centre for entertainment, social activity, self-promotion or empire building.”

Again, I have to ask the question “is your church a POW camp or an army barracks.” If it is the former, Satan rules. If it is the later Jesus reigns. If it is a POW camp, Satan keeps you in bondage and won’t let you join the army of the Lord to fight the good fight, which we are called to do. If it is the latter, Jesus equips you to be part of his fighting force that goes out and defeats Satan and takes back the territory that he has stolen from us.

A POW camp is only interested in the status quo and survival. An army barrack is a staging post to train the troops and then to send them out to battle…and win.

HOW anyone is satisfied to be a POW is beyond me. In wartime, all prisoners of war have as their prime directive to escape. Are you doing anything to enable your people to escape your churches POW camp?