What is an open heart church?

Often, the early church in Acts is idolized of the perfect example of what Jesus had in mind when He said He would build His church.

But the truth is, the early church wasn’t perfect. In fact, Acts 15 shows us that from the very beginning, there were blockages—spiritual restrictions—that kept God’s love from flowing freely through His people.

When the Church Debated Who Could Be Saved

The church began in Jerusalem, among Jewish believers. Many assumed that Christianity was simply an upgrade to Judaism—that in order to follow Jesus, you had to first adopt Jewish traditions.

But as the gospel began to spread through Paul’s missionary journeys, something shocking happened: Gentiles—non-Jews—were being saved. The Holy Spirit was at work in people that the Jewish believers never imagined God would include.

This led to the first major church meeting, now known as the Jerusalem Council. The question on the table was staggering: Who gets to be saved?

Some argued, “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). In other words, they wanted to make it harder for outsiders to come to Jesus.

Peter and James Speak Up

Peter stood up and reminded everyone:

“God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us… We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are” (Acts 15:8, 11).

If it took grace to save us, why would we expect others to earn it? Why would we raise the bar for them when God lowered it for us?

After hearing the testimonies of Paul, Barnabas, and Peter, James brought the discussion to a close:

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19).

This was a defining moment. The church realized that God’s plan was bigger than their traditions, wider than their comfort zones, and more inclusive than they ever imagined.

Open Doors Aren’t Enough

It’s possible for a church to have open doors but closed hearts. We may welcome people into the building while still holding onto quiet judgments, subtle exclusions, or unspoken expectations.

An Open Heart Church doesn’t just let people in—it removes blockages so that the love of God can flow freely to everyone He wants to save.

What About Us?

The same challenge given to the Jerusalem church applies to us today:

• Who do I silently believe has to “do more” before they belong here?
• Who makes me uncomfortable to see in worship?
• Who have I mentally kept outside the circle of God’s grace?

Sometimes our blockages are obvious—rooted in prejudice, tradition, or fear. Other times, they’re subtle—rooted in our personal preferences, our history, or simply the way we’ve always done things.

God’s love is bigger than our boundaries, deeper than our divisions, and wider than our preferences. If we’re going to be an Open Heart Church, we have to keep stretching—individually and collectively—to make room for whoever God has in mind.

That’s what the leaders in Acts 15 did. They recognized that their job was not to make the gospel harder to reach, but to clear the way so that everyone who was turning to God could find Him.

Your Move

An Open Heart Church starts with open heart believers. So here’s the question:

Are you making it easier—or harder—for people to turn to God?

With your words?

With your attitude?

With your expectations?

Let’s not be a people who build walls where God is tearing them down. Let’s be a people who, like James, say with conviction:

“We should not make it difficult for those who are turning to God.”

May our hearts be as open as our doors.