Who we are
We are a group of Christians who love God and His Word and who yearn to become all that God wants us to be.
The pastor, Vaughan Willis, serves this congregation with his wife Gaille. Vaughan has been in full-time ministry for 20 years with the Assembly of God in South Africa and Australia. He returned to secular work 10 years ago and during this time Gaille and he joined local churches close to where they lived. These included Pentecostal, Baptist and Presbyterian congregations.
In the last few years they’ve had a growing desire to re-enter ministry and after approaching a couple of denominations with a view to joining them, no “vacancies” opened up in Perth. So they launched Open Door Christian Church together with a few willing people. Open Door Christian Church is independent but associated with Southern Cross Association of Churches.
Vaughan was born and raised in Zimbabwe; Gaille in Johannesburg, South Africa. They have been married for 33 years and have two adult children and three young grandchildren. They have lived in Australia for over 16 years. Vaughan works as a graphic designer for a large printing company in Perth.
What’s in a name?
Why is our church called “Open Door Christian Church Inc” and what is the meaning of the logo?
To answer the second part first – the logo is a picture of a door with a cross depicted in it. A door will either obstruct entry or permit entry. The cross indicates the spiritual nature of the door.
In the Bible the door is very symbolic. Jesus said, I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:9-10 (NASB)) The only way to God is through Jesus and so at Open Door Christian Church we will preach Jesus.
Another time where a door is mentioned is when Jesus said, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20 (NASB)) Here the Lord was speaking to Believers who seemed to have become distracted so that Christ was no longer central in their lives but rather had been pushed outside. At Open Door Christian Church a strong theme of ministry will be Christian living. We will never dictate to anyone how they should live but we hope that, as this verse states, people have open hearts so that the Lord is not prevented from doing what He wants in the lives of Believers.
We could call a Church by any name (it’s not all that important) but Vaughan chose this name because, when Gaille and he started talking about “planting” a church, they spent time praying and asking God for guidance. One night Vaughan had a picture in his mind of an open door.