A Church That Isn’t Afraid to Take Risks

The book of Acts tells the story of how the church began as a bold movement built on the resurrection of Jesus. Within just a few weeks of the resurrection, thousands were coming to faith and the church was spreading across the Roman world. But with growth came controversy. In Acts 15, the early church faced its first major theological crisis: who gets in? Do Gentiles need to become Jewish—adopting the law of Moses, circumcision, and 613 commandments—before they can be part of the church? Or is salvation through grace alone, by faith in Christ alone?
This controversy is deeply relevant for us today. Many of us have felt excluded by churches that made it unnecessarily difficult to belong. At the same time, churches often wrestle with how to hold together both truth and grace. Acts 15 reminds us that God knows the heart, that He saves by grace, and that the church should not make it difficult for people who are turning to Him.