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God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew, Sherrill, John, Sherrill, Elizabeth (August 4, 2015) Paperback
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 21, 2024
This is really difficult to rate because it's someone's story that you're judging. Autobiographies are so hard for me to rate for that reason. I loved the uplifting tones and the continual message to trust God for provisions and you can put your hope and faith in Him.
For that I feel it deserves five stars. That being said I loved the first part of this book, it was the second part that had me not as invested. Overall my enjoyment ranged from four-ish to upper three stars.
I loved the story of him coming to faith in Jesus, it was so beautiful! It was so interesting to learn about the persecution in the communist states and all about the iron curtain. A subject I didn't know about at all. The faith in this book was amazing! How God provided continuously for Brother Andrew was beautiful and so reassuring for anyone.
Some quotes I loved ❤️
“It isn’t that I don’t thank You for this room above the toolshed, Lord. Just because it’s dark and dank and mildewy and—doesn’t mean I’m not grateful.”
“I do believe I should share with you something that has happened. Do not think it is the result of your visit—it was coming anyhow. I have been forced to resign from the university. Do not feel sad: Many have given up far more for their Saviour.”
“Because if we go, who will be left to pray?”
“Corry, we don’t know where the road leads, do we?” “But, Andy,” she finished for me, “let’s go there together.”
For that I feel it deserves five stars. That being said I loved the first part of this book, it was the second part that had me not as invested. Overall my enjoyment ranged from four-ish to upper three stars.
I loved the story of him coming to faith in Jesus, it was so beautiful! It was so interesting to learn about the persecution in the communist states and all about the iron curtain. A subject I didn't know about at all. The faith in this book was amazing! How God provided continuously for Brother Andrew was beautiful and so reassuring for anyone.
Some quotes I loved ❤️
“It isn’t that I don’t thank You for this room above the toolshed, Lord. Just because it’s dark and dank and mildewy and—doesn’t mean I’m not grateful.”
“I do believe I should share with you something that has happened. Do not think it is the result of your visit—it was coming anyhow. I have been forced to resign from the university. Do not feel sad: Many have given up far more for their Saviour.”
“Because if we go, who will be left to pray?”
“Corry, we don’t know where the road leads, do we?” “But, Andy,” she finished for me, “let’s go there together.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2025
Really enjoyed this exciting, adventure-filled account of missionary work in Communist countries during the Cold War era. The epilogue was also super interesting.
May 15, 2024
Very good biography of a Christian missionary bringing bibles into closed communist countries over decades.
June 19, 2024
Fascinating look at mission work during the Cold War era and insight into the state of the communist countries and their attitudes toward Christianity. Very well written!! I have some theological disagreement with the description of the work of the Holy Spirit and the hints of ecumenism, but it is not meant as a theology book. Content considerations for children: one brief mention of the dead bodies of a mother and baby at her breast on the street during war in Indonesia, one brief mention of a factory coworker discussing “sodomy” (doesn’t go beyond this), mentions of his drunkenness prior to Christ.
August 20, 2024
I have distant memories of this book in our home when my mom read it. I received a free copy after donating to Open Doors, the organization that eventually grew from Brother Andrew’s work. The book is a quick and easy read and tells the fascinating story of how God used one man to minister to the needs of the church in communist countries. The most interesting part, to me, was how God answered prayers and addressed needs when Brother Andrew trusted him to do so. Funds appeared in the exact amounts needed precisely when needed, volunteers arose when and where they were needed with precisely the skills that were needed, border guards didn’t see what was right under their noses, a car broke down at exactly the point along the road where a mechanic was met, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2024
Truly an amazing story of faith and courage. Brother Andrew’s story is an amazing testament to the faithfulness of God.
April 27, 2024
I especially enjoyed the interview at the back, discussing interactions in the middle east.
May 13, 2025
fascinating! loved it
June 22, 2025
Easy to read, gripping story, absolutely incredible accounts. Extremely encouraging, heart warming and inspiring.
October 4, 2025
Crazy story of God’s faithfulness and joyful provision in crazy situations
July 24, 2025
Easy and interesting read. I’d recommend to anyone.
October 2, 2024
Reads like a diary, with faith-building nuggets along the way.
Quotes:
Page 58 “Going, they were healed.”
Luke 17:14 “And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”
Page 68-69 “Lord, I need to know if I can trust You in practical things. I thank You for letting me earn the fees for the first semester. I ask You now to supply the rest. If I have to be even a day late in paying, I’ll know I’m to go back to the chocolate factory.”
God honored my prayer. But not without first testing me in some amusing ways.
-There were many examples of God giving him the money he needed to the penny. A couple times he considered getting the money in lame ways like looking for it on the sidewalk, but he caught himself, went home, and waited for God to give it to him in a royal way, and God did.
Page 102 “He placed the envelope in my hand. I didn’t even open it. By now I knew enough of this remarkable group to know the envelope contained precisely the amount I would need for the trip.” God told them what to give.
Page 103 “For the very first time, I said the Prayer of God’s Smuggler: “Lord, I have Scripture to take to Your children. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see what You do not want them to see.” (The guard paid more attention to his conversation about the weather than he did what he saw in the suitcase.)
Page 111 the car that ran when it shouldn’t have been able to
Page 112-113 I would bring it (the Bible) to these children of His behind the wall men had built.
Page 148 Strengthen the things that remain. How courageous they were, this remnant of the church. (Bulgarian Christians having to keep their faith hidden, receiving Bibles in secret.)
Page 166 Should I cancel the work order? No. I saw God’s hand too clearly in this—stopping precisely at the emergency telephone, having the engine wear out here in Germany where it came from, rather than in some spot where replacement would have been impossible. I was too familiar with the way Christ looks after the practical side of ministry to miss these signs. This was His timing, and the question of the money was in His hands. I was fascinated to see how He would work it out.
167-169 Wasn’t I claiming to depend upon God, but living as if my needs would be met by my own scrimping?
You are a mature Christian, Act like one.
Was I living in an atmosphere of want that was un-Christian?
Now I saw this pattern of poverty into which we had fallen, an attitude that hardly went with the Christ of the open heart that we preached.
Page 200 On the sidewalk in front of the barred door, I began to pray, binding any force that could prevent me from going where God willed, proclaiming the fact that Christ had been victorious over any power opposed to the rule of God. Back and forth in front of the building I walked and prayed for two hours.
Page 212 Remember, your motive is love. Recognize how weak you are…so weak that you must depend totally upon the Spirit of God.”
Page 218 Why did Andrew go to those considered the enemies of Christians? “The best thing we can do is win our enemies to Christ,” he says. “But to do that, you need to become friends. You can never win an enemy to Christ. As long as we see any person as an enemy—whether Communist, Muslim or terrorist—then the love of Christ cannot flow through us to reach them.”
Quotes:
Page 58 “Going, they were healed.”
Luke 17:14 “And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”
Page 68-69 “Lord, I need to know if I can trust You in practical things. I thank You for letting me earn the fees for the first semester. I ask You now to supply the rest. If I have to be even a day late in paying, I’ll know I’m to go back to the chocolate factory.”
God honored my prayer. But not without first testing me in some amusing ways.
-There were many examples of God giving him the money he needed to the penny. A couple times he considered getting the money in lame ways like looking for it on the sidewalk, but he caught himself, went home, and waited for God to give it to him in a royal way, and God did.
Page 102 “He placed the envelope in my hand. I didn’t even open it. By now I knew enough of this remarkable group to know the envelope contained precisely the amount I would need for the trip.” God told them what to give.
Page 103 “For the very first time, I said the Prayer of God’s Smuggler: “Lord, I have Scripture to take to Your children. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see what You do not want them to see.” (The guard paid more attention to his conversation about the weather than he did what he saw in the suitcase.)
Page 111 the car that ran when it shouldn’t have been able to
Page 112-113 I would bring it (the Bible) to these children of His behind the wall men had built.
Page 148 Strengthen the things that remain. How courageous they were, this remnant of the church. (Bulgarian Christians having to keep their faith hidden, receiving Bibles in secret.)
Page 166 Should I cancel the work order? No. I saw God’s hand too clearly in this—stopping precisely at the emergency telephone, having the engine wear out here in Germany where it came from, rather than in some spot where replacement would have been impossible. I was too familiar with the way Christ looks after the practical side of ministry to miss these signs. This was His timing, and the question of the money was in His hands. I was fascinated to see how He would work it out.
167-169 Wasn’t I claiming to depend upon God, but living as if my needs would be met by my own scrimping?
You are a mature Christian, Act like one.
Was I living in an atmosphere of want that was un-Christian?
Now I saw this pattern of poverty into which we had fallen, an attitude that hardly went with the Christ of the open heart that we preached.
Page 200 On the sidewalk in front of the barred door, I began to pray, binding any force that could prevent me from going where God willed, proclaiming the fact that Christ had been victorious over any power opposed to the rule of God. Back and forth in front of the building I walked and prayed for two hours.
Page 212 Remember, your motive is love. Recognize how weak you are…so weak that you must depend totally upon the Spirit of God.”
Page 218 Why did Andrew go to those considered the enemies of Christians? “The best thing we can do is win our enemies to Christ,” he says. “But to do that, you need to become friends. You can never win an enemy to Christ. As long as we see any person as an enemy—whether Communist, Muslim or terrorist—then the love of Christ cannot flow through us to reach them.”
January 6, 2024
I am absolutely amazed by what some people are willing to do to further the gospel of Jesus. It is humbling, thought-provoking and inspiring. To read about how the gospel changed this man's life AND how he repeatedly put himself in danger to ensure that same life-saving gospel reached as many people all over the world-INCREDIBLE! Most certainly worth you time to read!
December 18, 2025
great story of a broken man who found Jesus that turned his life upside down. I love the testimonies of God's guidance and miracles not only being the iron curtain ( communist counties). Encouraging, interesting and exciting stories!
December 1, 2025
God’s Smuggler is a book I wanted to love more than I actually did. The premise is undeniably compelling—Brother Andrew’s mission to deliver Bibles behind the Iron Curtain has all the ingredients of a gripping, high-stakes memoir. There are moments that genuinely caught my attention, especially the glimpses into life under communist regimes and the courage of underground Christian communities.
However, the book didn’t fully work for me. The storytelling felt uneven, with long stretches that seemed more like embellished anecdotes than a thoughtful memoir. Several events are described in ways that feel overly idealized or miraculous without much reflection or nuance, which made it harder for me to stay emotionally connected. I also found the pacing slow in places, and some chapters felt repetitive rather than building toward something deeper.
While I can appreciate what this book means to many readers, and I do think the historical context is interesting, it ultimately wasn’t as engaging or grounded as I hoped.
However, the book didn’t fully work for me. The storytelling felt uneven, with long stretches that seemed more like embellished anecdotes than a thoughtful memoir. Several events are described in ways that feel overly idealized or miraculous without much reflection or nuance, which made it harder for me to stay emotionally connected. I also found the pacing slow in places, and some chapters felt repetitive rather than building toward something deeper.
While I can appreciate what this book means to many readers, and I do think the historical context is interesting, it ultimately wasn’t as engaging or grounded as I hoped.
May 14, 2025
It was interesting reading the story of this Dutchman now living in the Netherlands myself. I highly recommend reading this if you need encouragement and motivation from a fellow Christian's testimony. The story of him coming to faith, and how God leads him to become such a blessing to Christians in persecuted countries, is truly inspiring and humbling. I read this book at a time when I was feeling quite far from God. It was a great reminder on the importance of sticking close to the Lord and how realizing how privileged our lives are. You realize that there are Christians whose struggle is persecution and the right to believe, who might not have many material things in life, and depend on God for everything; while at the same time there are Christians whose struggle is that they have everything material they need.
June 25, 2024
There aren't many books I read/listen to multiple times; this is one of the few. John and Elizabeth Sherrill do an excellent job of bringing Brother Andrew's story - of growing up as a poor, adventure-seeking boy in Holland, experiencing Jesus' transformative power, and finding true adventure in sharing God's Word behind the Iron Curtain of Communist Europe - to life through his own voice. I'm left marveling at God's faithfulness to provide when we walk by faith.
Fun fact I didn't realize until reading it the third time: Brother Andrew's ministry blossomed into Open Doors, an organization that equips missionaries, distributes Bibles, unites prayer warriors, and ministers to humanitarian needs around the world.
Fun fact I didn't realize until reading it the third time: Brother Andrew's ministry blossomed into Open Doors, an organization that equips missionaries, distributes Bibles, unites prayer warriors, and ministers to humanitarian needs around the world.
June 28, 2025
I much appreciated reading this book. It gave me a glimpse into post-WWII missionary work that I had never thought about. A bit like Corrie ten Boon's The Hiding Place, this book while distinctly Christian is not Catholic. But it is also not anti-Catholic.
It did make me wonder about why God is so close to some non-Catholic people, even though they are not a part of his one Church. One reason may be to reward their extreme faith, which they certainly have. I aspire to faith like that. Dad pointed out also that you can receive lots of actual grace without being a Catholic. However, you must be a Catholic to receive sanctifying grace, which makes sense.
It did make me wonder about why God is so close to some non-Catholic people, even though they are not a part of his one Church. One reason may be to reward their extreme faith, which they certainly have. I aspire to faith like that. Dad pointed out also that you can receive lots of actual grace without being a Catholic. However, you must be a Catholic to receive sanctifying grace, which makes sense.
December 17, 2025
One of my all-time favorites! This true story of God working through "Brother Andrew" to smuggle illegal Bibles during the Cold War tops many books for its suspense and inspiration. From Andrew's heart struggles and walk with God to the pulse-pounding border crossings, the story is hard to put down! I love seeing how God turned a humble man into a sneaky smuggler that the authorities couldn't seem to track down.
I've read this book at least twice now. Each time it strengthens my faith and inspires me to live courageously for God. Highly recommended for teens and older.
And yes, God's Smuggler was part of the inspiration behind my CORE Series!
I've read this book at least twice now. Each time it strengthens my faith and inspires me to live courageously for God. Highly recommended for teens and older.
And yes, God's Smuggler was part of the inspiration behind my CORE Series!
January 2, 2026
God's Smuggler is an amazing book. Period. It is about the story of Brother Andrew the founder of Open Doors, an organization who distributes Bibles to countries and people that really need it. What I really enjoyed about the book was that throughout the entire story, from his family and childhood in Holland, to his deployment in Indonesia, to him smuggling Bibles into Russia and other countries, his dependence on God really shone through. There were many inspiring stories of when he couldn't pay for a certain thing, he would pray, and God would show up in a miraculous way. I hope that this book inspires you to depend on God more.
January 11, 2026
Very simple, straightforward, recalling accounts of an amazing life lived. I enjoyed the simple but profound wisdoms scattered around the boat. It increased my faith in praying for supernatural intervention in everyday situations. Hero of the faith and leaves an amazing legacy behind him. Simple but seemingly radical. A lot of emphasis on trust and faith. Stepping out of the boat so only God can catch you.
May 16, 2024
Really good book about Brother Andrew’s life as a missionary behind the Iron Curtain. Super cool to see his faith in God and just his full reliance on Him alone! I’m rating it 4.5 stars just because the last few chapters felt very rushed and I wish we got some more detail but other than that a great book and I do recommend reading!
July 24, 2024
This is an engaging account of how an unruly, heavy drinking, monkey loving Dutchman becomes an adventurous messenger to believers in communist countries. That last quarter or so became less interesting, since there were fewer details and read much less like a story and more a summary. If you want to be encouraged to have more faith, Brother Andrew is your teacher.
September 26, 2025
A perfectly timed audiobook in a season where the world has felt heavy and life feels big. I was so encouraged by the life, faith and testimony of Brother Andrew and how he lived with such tenacious reliance upon and obedience to the Lord. If you are in a place where you need some encouragement in the Christian faith, I can’t recommend this enough.
November 9, 2025
This was such a powerful testament to God’s faithfulness in Brother Andrew’s missionary work to communist countries during the early 20th century (within the Iron Curtain) and beyond—including Cuba, Brazil, and countries in the Far East. His faith and zeal are both profound and deeply humbling. Highly recommend!
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November 13, 2025Inspiring and challenging testimony of Brother Andrew's encounter with Christ, recognizing his sinfulness and giving his whole life to bring God's Word to people behind the Iron Curtain post WWII. His growing reliance on the Lord to supply every need through prayer was convicting and challenges how we view our own 'trusting' in the Lord.
July 19, 2025
This book was so hard for me to finish, but once I did I knew that God led me to reading it for a purpose. I feels I much more connected with him than with any other Christian book is actually amazing.
February 29, 2024
Incredible!
March 27, 2024
Challenging, encouraging, inspiring. Brother Andrew’s life is a breathing masterclass in walking out one’s faith.
March 30, 2024
This book showed over and over again how obedience to God opened doors which seemed impossible.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews