Christian organization sends 100,000 Bibles to persecuted Christians around the world

One of the largest Christian ministries in America will send 100,000 Bibles to persecuted Christians worldwide thanks to a fundraiser in late November.

Open Doors USA is one of the largest and most prominent Christian ministries in America that aims to help persecuted Christians around the world. The fundraising efforts were part of the group's "Giving Thursday" event, which fell on Nov. 30 this year.

Open Doors says it costs around $7 per Bible to "get Scripture and discipleship materials into the hands of a persecuted Christian," according to Christian Headlines.

Open Doors USA is non-denominational and works across denominational lines to advance the gospel and provide assistance to persecuted Christians across the globe.

"Open Doors is intentionally non-denominational and ecumenical. Wherever people suffer because they claim the name of Jesus, we will help them. Period. This means we work with evangelicals and Catholics, Orthodox Christians and charismatic believers, Copts, and Anglicans. We believe the Church transcends local and cultural expressions," the group says in its mission statement.

The organization wanted to focus its efforts primarily on North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, and Pakistan this year, as these countries are currently the top five most persecuted countries in the world for Christians, according to the organization's website.

President of Open Doors USA David Curry called the charitable effort the "greatest outpouring of support among believers in the United States," according to Faithwire.

“The need is greater than ever, and it’s encouraging to see Americans rise to meet that challenge,” he said. “It will make a tremendous difference in the lives of persecuted Christians around the world," Curry told Faithwire.

The organization ships Bibles into dangerous areas around the world and smuggles them by hand, or they cannot be delivered. Open Doors also secretly prints copies of the Bible in places where it is banned, according to Faithwire's report.

For over 60 years, Open Doors USA has followed the example of its founder, Brother Andrew, who smuggled copies of the Bible across the Romanian border in his Volkswagen during the height of the Cold War.

David Curry expressed strong support for freedom of conscience, indicating supporting the decision of people to worship or not to worship is a primary motivator to the organization's efforts to get the Bible into the hands of people around the world.

“This includes making their own choice to own a copy of God’s Word for themselves — rather than having the government or militants make that decision for them,” he told Faithwire.