Former Open Doors CEO David Curry is pursuing a distinct new vision and mission as [name of organisation]. Both organisations remain committed to serving the persecuted church and will continue to work independently to advocate and to mobilize support and prayer for this vital cause.

The scale of persecution of the church is so great that there is room for many ministries to tackle this issue. Open Doors International was founded in 1955 by Brother Andrew to support persecuted Christians worldwide and “strengthen what remains and is about to die” (Revelation 3:2). We continue this mission today through our 25 international bases around the globe, including our ongoing ministry to connect the US church, led by Interim CEO Lisa Pearce.

Lisa Pearce has taken on leadership of Open Doors’ ministry in the US as Interim CEO. Lisa has 20 years of experience in the Open Doors family as a board member and CEO, most recently as Chief Development & Advocacy Officer for Open Doors International.

The current arrangement is that existing supporters of Open Doors in the US have transitioned to the new organization [name]. Please sign up here to continue to receive content from the global Open Doors network, the largest underground church network serving the persecuted church. This includes stories of courageous faith, authoritative research. Order your free copy of Open Doors 30th anniversary World Watch List report on the top 50 countries where Christians experience the highest levels of persecution and discrimination.

Persecution of Christians worldwide has become such a significant issue that Release International, Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide and the Evangelical Alliance have joined together to form the Religious Liberty Commission.

The Religious Liberty Commission exists to raise awareness of persecution, but also to encourage individual Christians and churches in the UK and Ireland to take action on behalf of the persecuted Church worldwide - whether through prayer, advocacy or financial aid.

Steve Clifford, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, said: "The Evangelical Alliance is part of the Religious Liberty Commission because it is our brothers and sisters, members of our family, who are suffering and even dying for their faith. We cannot, and must not, ignore their plight. They must know they are not forgotten by us."

Because Open Doors works with indigenous Christians and, as a result of our longstanding underground network, the sources of our information are almost always directly from the field, based on eyewitness accounts from our contacts.

We have developed personal relationships with the churches we serve, and have often worked with the pastors of these congregations for years. This is partly why we are so careful to protect the identity of persecuted Christians and why we often cannot disclose the nature or location of the assistance we are providing in full detail.

In addition, we refer to news reports published in the countries where the events have taken place, and news services including World Watch Monitor News Service, which reports on Christian persecution exclusively.

Open Doors operate with the highest fundraising principles. All money raised for Open Doors is donated through individuals, churches and charitable trusts.

We have a dedicated in-house staff team managing inbound and outbound telephone calls. We do not call supporters to ask for money.

Brother Andrew is the founder of Open Doors and an ordained minister in a very large Protestant/Evangelical denomination, but he does not pastor a church. Like John Wesley, "The world is his parish!" The name 'Brother' is not a title, nor is he a monk - he was first called 'Brother Andrew' by the persecuted church. When they asked him his name, he would say, "I am a brother of all those who love and follow Jesus Christ." In 1955, he went on a group tour to Poland where he discovered a remnant church behind the Iron Curtain, desperately in need of the Word of God. He responded to God's call in Revelation 3:2 to "Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die," and began distributing suitcases full of Christian literature into Eastern Europe, marking the humble beginnings of Open Doors with Brother Andrew. His autobiography, God's Smuggler, is an international bestseller and details his early experiences of dangerous border crossings, KGB pursuits, and Brother Andrew's courageous journey towards living radically for Jesus Christ. In 1997, Brother Andrew was the recipient of the World Evangelical Fellowship's Religious Liberty Award, recognising his lifetime of service to the persecuted church and passion for spreading the gospel.

We produce an annual budget which is approved by our Board of Trustees and Open Doors International, and we report our progress to both groups monthly.

Our accounts are audited annually by an independent firm of auditors. Our Annual Review and full audited accounts are available on request.

It is our policy that the church determines the need, and together with them, we try to find answers to their needs.

Every country has different needs and every church has its own unique struggles. We are careful not to push our own agenda on the church.

If a pastor needs a pulpit, we help supply that. If they request Bibles, we are quick to provide what we can. We have also helped with economic relief, rebuilding of destroyed churches and whatever else our brothers and sisters have requested.

Open Doors delivers standard (Protestant) Bibles. Most of the work Open Doors does takes place in non-English speaking countries, so the Bibles we distribute are most often in other languages. All of the translations are fully approved by the Bible Societies.

Our Bibles cost around £5 each, which includes delivery. The actual printing cost varies from country to country but we combine those figures and this is the worldwide average amount.

For some, the cost of delivering God's Word to other Christians has been a prison sentence or exile from their home and family. A few have lost their lives for distributing the Word of God in their respective countries.

Our training varies, depending on the country and depending on the need of Christians in that country.

For example, in several countries in Africa, we concentrate on building up church leaders, most of whom have little or no previous pastoral training. The training is done for one week each month, for 10 months.

The course is completed in three years, and is based on 2 Timothy 2:2, with the emphasis on faithful men who are able to teach others.

It is unique and valuable because it was developed locally, and students are not taken out of their community during their schooling. They stay in touch with their real world and apply teachings immediately.

Fellowship is possible between pastors and students, and tutors are also local residents who are in touch with the real needs of the students.

In some countries the difficulties are still very great, but the dedication of the students and teachers keeps the programme alive.

In countries where training must be absolutely secret, seminars are arranged for several days, and everyone stays in seclusion for the entire time. Again, these training courses and seminars vary according to the country, but we have taught on topics such as "The Faithful Pastor," "The Kingdom of God," "Christian Leadership," and "Preaching and Teaching."

One of our most powerful seminars is "Standing Strong Through the Storm". It seeks to teach Christians living in high-risk areas how to thrive under severe persecution and suffering.

The study Bibles we deliver are designed to edify. They are doctrinally sound and much appreciated in places where Bible study "helps" are almost nonexistent. We believe that by providing study Bibles, we are strengthening new believers in their faith and furthering their understanding of and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The current arrangement is that existing supporters of Open Doors in the US have transitioned to the new organization [name]. Please sign up here to continue to receive content from the global Open Doors network, the largest underground church network serving the persecuted church. This includes stories of courageous faith, authoritative research. Order your free copy of Open Doors 30th anniversary World Watch List report on the top 50 countries where Christians experience the highest levels of persecution and discrimination.