SMUGGLER WITH A CAUSE
Leader gives Christians tools to resist oppression
IN THE past year, Mike Gore and his charity Open Doors secreted more than two million Bibles and Christian books to church communities trapped by oppressive regimes.
The non-denominational charity helps Christians resist persecution and grow their congregations.
“We help people follow Jesus, no matter the cost,” Mr Gore said.
“We go to the most difficult places for Christians to practice their faith, whether in North Korea, Russia, the Silk Road countries of Central Asia, India and Indonesia because we see a functioning church as one of the most helpful systems for building hope and justice in oppressive countries.”
Open Doors started in 1955 by smuggling Bibles into the Soviet Union. Today it is active in 70 countries and its work varies from region to region.
They smuggle Christian books to some countries while providing food aid, business mirco-loans and professional development to others.
“Persecution ranges from violence, murder and sexual abuse, to non-violent means where cultural pressure renders the faithful to a life of abject poverty, where they are denied the freedom to work, denied medicine, legal protections or the right to vote,” Mr Gore said.
While dictatorships like those in North Korea are wellknown for persecuting minorities, Mr Gore said the liberal democracy could be equally oppressive. He said worshipping Jesus in India came with a death sentence now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in power.
“Modi is in partnership with Hindu extremists and in many rural areas, they drop flyers saying Christians have 20 days to leave,” he said.
“There are pastors being killed and abused and people being hung by electrical cords on trees in park.”
The charity has a legislative arm to pressure governments to change, but Mr Gore said persecution was part of the Christian experience. Open Doors gives communities a hand while their faith is tested.
“We do everything we can with trauma care, counselling and paying for medical fees for people who have been violently abused,” Mr Gore said.
“There are elements of support there, but we are saying it is a consequential to a life following Jesus.”
“We do not see persecution as something we want to end because we see it as a consequence of successful Christianity,” Mr Gore said.
The job placed Mr Gore in danger. He watched rockets fall over Niveveh Plains in Iraq, was forced to hide from kidnappers, and has been tailed by countless units of secret police but always felt protected.
“I trust that the Lord is in control,” he said.
Mike Gore will speak at fundraiser hosted by the Rangeville Community Church tomorrow at 7pm.