In Luke 19, Jesus calls Zacchaeus out of a sycamore tree and then invites himself over to a dinner party at Zacchaeus’ house. Many of the stories in the Gospels take place at gatherings like the one at Zacchaeus’ house. What do you think they were like?
I think there would have been plenty of good food and wine. There would have been music and laughter. There would have been guests from all walks of life—many who otherwise wouldn’t associate with each other. Jesus would have gravitated toward the wallflowers and outcasts before inevitably asking a provocative question about life and God. The guests would have wrestled with Jesus’s words before He eventually revealed that He resolved the tension of the question.
Some may have walked away from their time with Jesus puzzled or challenged. Others would have found the Truth. None of them would have forgotten the experience.
Sycamore Church is a Christian community formed around the vision of gatherings like the one in Luke 19. What would it be like to join Jesus for a dinner party? We are a church for people who want to move beyond cultural imitations to the real Jesus of the Bible. We are a church for people who are dissatisfied with Sunday-only niceties and want life-giving relationships. We are a church for people who believe that the world should be better because we are here. We are a church learning what it means to be children of God.
I think there would have been plenty of good food and wine. There would have been music and laughter. There would have been guests from all walks of life—many who otherwise wouldn’t associate with each other. Jesus would have gravitated toward the wallflowers and outcasts before inevitably asking a provocative question about life and God. The guests would have wrestled with Jesus’s words before He eventually revealed that He resolved the tension of the question.
Some may have walked away from their time with Jesus puzzled or challenged. Others would have found the Truth. None of them would have forgotten the experience.
Sycamore Church is a Christian community formed around the vision of gatherings like the one in Luke 19. What would it be like to join Jesus for a dinner party? We are a church for people who want to move beyond cultural imitations to the real Jesus of the Bible. We are a church for people who are dissatisfied with Sunday-only niceties and want life-giving relationships. We are a church for people who believe that the world should be better because we are here. We are a church learning what it means to be children of God.
Vision
We pursue Jesus. (Seek)
“And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.” (Luke 19:2–4 ESV)
Because of his short stature, Zacchaeus had to climb a sycamore tree to see Jesus. We want that same boldness. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and we want to be relentless in our pursuit of him.
We welcome others. (Welcome)
“So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, ‘He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.’” (Luke 19:6–7 ESV)
Jesus didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to forsake tax collecting before calling him to discipleship. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Similarly, we are people of grace. We model Jesus’s affection for the down-and-out and we welcome them to the table.
We give back. (Serve)
“And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.’” (Luke 19:8 ESV)
Zacchaeus’s encounter with Jesus changed him forever. He recognized that his corrupt lifestyle was incompatible with the kingdom of God. The first chapter of Zacchaeus’s life was about serving himself. The second chapter was about serving God and loving others. Like Zacchaeus, our faith in Jesus compels us go out into the world and make it a better place.
We are sons and daughters. (Heal)
“And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’ (Luke 19:9–10 ESV)
In finding Jesus, Zacchaeus also found what he didn’t even know he needed: a family. Wherever you are right now, I want you to know: you are loved. God made you for a purpose and He is calling you back to himself. Jesus Christ died for sins and rose from the dead! You are a son or a daughter and today healing can come to your house.
Mission
Sycamore Church exists to glorify God by embodying the gospel of Jesus Christ in South Kitsap County.
Core Values
Gospel
Jesus Christ died for sins and rose from the dead. We are gospel-centered and the gospel is Jesus-centered. Our message always comes back to Jesus—Who He is and what He’s done.
Real Relationships
Relationships are the best and messiest things about life. We are committed to real, life-giving relationships in online, public, social, personal, and intimate spaces. From the stranger on the internet to the person you promised “I do,” we want to love everyone like Jesus.
Doing Good
Our world should be better because we are here. Jesus is reconciling the world to himself and He has called us to be a part of the work. Our faith is never a Sunday-only thing—we take it out into the community and into the world.
Transformation
God has gifted you uniquely. We exist to help one another discover how we can grow by serving out of our gifting.
Core Practices
Liturgy
Rhythms of worship, prayer, feasting, and fasting form you. We are committed to life-giving rhythms that form us into the image of Christ.
Hospitality
Like Jesus, we welcome the stranger.
Service
Even the Son of Man didn’t come to be served, but to serve.
Beliefs
We believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
The Godhead
God is the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer of all things visible and invisible, eternally existing in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three Persons of the Godhead share the same nature and are worthy of worship.
(Matthew 28:18–19; John 1:14; Acts 5:3–4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:1–3; Revelation 1:4–6)
(Matthew 28:18–19; John 1:14; Acts 5:3–4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:1–3; Revelation 1:4–6)
Jesus
Jesus, the Son of God, is eternally co-existent with the Father. According to the wisdom and foreknowledge of God, the Son was conceived of the Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary, and became human. The incarnation did not compromise Jesus’ deity in any way. Jesus is the true human--like us in every way except without sin.
Jesus’ mission was to redeem humanity and reconcile creation to the Father. He accomplished this through his literal death on the cross and his literal resurrection from the dead. Although Jesus truly suffered on the cross, he willingly laid down his life. Before his ascension, he sent out the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, where he intercedes for all believers.
(Luke 1:30–35; John 1:1–2, 18; 3:16, 20:20; Philippians 2:5–8; Ephesians 1:22–23; Hebrews 4:15, 7:25)
Jesus’ mission was to redeem humanity and reconcile creation to the Father. He accomplished this through his literal death on the cross and his literal resurrection from the dead. Although Jesus truly suffered on the cross, he willingly laid down his life. Before his ascension, he sent out the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, where he intercedes for all believers.
(Luke 1:30–35; John 1:1–2, 18; 3:16, 20:20; Philippians 2:5–8; Ephesians 1:22–23; Hebrews 4:15, 7:25)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Son, takes up residence within the believer at the moment of faith. The Holy Spirit seals believers in Christ, convicts them of sin, gifts them, guides them into all truth, unites them, and conforms them into the image of Jesus.
(John 14:16–17; 16:7–15; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:13; Ephesians 2:22, 4:30; 1 John 2:20–27)
(John 14:16–17; 16:7–15; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:13; Ephesians 2:22, 4:30; 1 John 2:20–27)
The Bible
The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God. The Holy Spirit worked through the original authors to create a message that is God’s words with the nuance of human authors. The original manuscripts were inerrant, and the historical-critical method can help us reasonably ascertain the intent of the original authors. All of the Scriptures point us to Jesus. The proclaimed Word of God has the power to bring spiritually dead people to life through faith in the gospel.
(Isaiah 55:11; Mark 12:26, 36; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; 16:13; Romans 1:16, 4:17, 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
(Isaiah 55:11; Mark 12:26, 36; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; 16:13; Romans 1:16, 4:17, 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
Humanity and Sin
Human beings are created in the image of God. All people are fallen beings. Sin is both a power and an act. As a power, it drives all people into rebellion against God and pushes us toward death. As an act, it is lawlessness and disobedience to God. By our own strength, human beings are powerless to resist sin and justly fall under God’s righteous judgment. The proclaimed gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit are the only things that can turn a person to God for salvation.
(Genesis 1:26–28; Romans 5:12–17, 6:16, 8:8, 8:13; Galatians 5:19–21; Ephesians 2:4–6)
(Genesis 1:26–28; Romans 5:12–17, 6:16, 8:8, 8:13; Galatians 5:19–21; Ephesians 2:4–6)
Salvation
We are dead to sin and by nature children of wrath. Salvation is not a matter of reforming our behavior so that we are good enough to go to heaven when we die, but rather of trusting in the finished work of Jesus on our behalf. We are not saved by our faith; we are saved by Jesus (through faith). Even our faith is a gift from God; we bring nothing to the table except our sin.
The Scriptures use many images to describe what happened on the cross, including substitutionary atonement, victory over sin and death, and moral influence. Each of these models (and others) give facets of Jesus’ work, but none were meant to be exhaustive. Jesus died for us.
Faith is more than just intellectually assenting to certain facts about Jesus, but rather trusting in him to deliver us from sin and death. Faith is only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit and the proclaimed gospel. When we hear the gospel, the Holy Spirit calls us from death into life, but in his mercy and wisdom, God allows humans to resist this call of the Spirit.
Through faith, the believer is united to Christ so that what is true of Jesus becomes true of us. God then no longer sees the believer as who he or she is in himself or herself, but as he or she is “in Christ.” Jesus promises to bring to completion the work that he has begun in our hearts, so that believers can have assurance of their salvation.
Apart from the grace of God and the finished work of Jesus, human beings remain in sin and have no hope.
(Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 26:28; John 1:29, 3:7–18, 5:24; Acts 7:51, 13:39; Romans 3:25–26, 5:1, 6–9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:3, 7, 2:8–9; Philippians 3:4–9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:18–19, 3:18; 1 John 5:11–12)
The Scriptures use many images to describe what happened on the cross, including substitutionary atonement, victory over sin and death, and moral influence. Each of these models (and others) give facets of Jesus’ work, but none were meant to be exhaustive. Jesus died for us.
Faith is more than just intellectually assenting to certain facts about Jesus, but rather trusting in him to deliver us from sin and death. Faith is only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit and the proclaimed gospel. When we hear the gospel, the Holy Spirit calls us from death into life, but in his mercy and wisdom, God allows humans to resist this call of the Spirit.
Through faith, the believer is united to Christ so that what is true of Jesus becomes true of us. God then no longer sees the believer as who he or she is in himself or herself, but as he or she is “in Christ.” Jesus promises to bring to completion the work that he has begun in our hearts, so that believers can have assurance of their salvation.
Apart from the grace of God and the finished work of Jesus, human beings remain in sin and have no hope.
(Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 26:28; John 1:29, 3:7–18, 5:24; Acts 7:51, 13:39; Romans 3:25–26, 5:1, 6–9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:3, 7, 2:8–9; Philippians 3:4–9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:18–19, 3:18; 1 John 5:11–12)
The Church
The church is the New Testament community of the Spirit and is distinct from Israel. Everyone united to Christ through faith is a part of the church, regardless of their membership in a local congregation. The universal church always remains united in Christ, even when it looks or feels divided along doctrinal, political, or personal lines.
There are two ordinances of the church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is for believers through immersion. The Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated regularly. Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper are outward signs of inward realities.
The Holy Spirit gifts all believers for service within the church. Not every believer has the same gifting, but everyone’s gift is needed for the building up of the church.
There are two offices of the church: overseer and deacon. Both overseers and deacons are crucial to the functioning of the church, and their ministries differ in that overseers have a teaching ministry. The group of overseers is collectively known as “the elders.”
(Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19–20; Acts 2:42–47, 10:47–48; Romans 12:5–6; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, 12:4–27; Ephesians 1:20–23, 4:3–11)
There are two ordinances of the church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is for believers through immersion. The Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated regularly. Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper are outward signs of inward realities.
The Holy Spirit gifts all believers for service within the church. Not every believer has the same gifting, but everyone’s gift is needed for the building up of the church.
There are two offices of the church: overseer and deacon. Both overseers and deacons are crucial to the functioning of the church, and their ministries differ in that overseers have a teaching ministry. The group of overseers is collectively known as “the elders.”
(Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19–20; Acts 2:42–47, 10:47–48; Romans 12:5–6; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, 12:4–27; Ephesians 1:20–23, 4:3–11)
The End Times
Jesus will return to earth to set up a millennial reign. The millennial reign of Christ will be preceded by a great tribulation. Following the millennial reign, there will be a bodily resurrection of the just and unjust--the just to an eternal life of glory and the unjust to the second death in the lake of fire.
(Matthew 24:15–25:46; Romans 8:19–23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9; Jude 6–7; Revelation 20:1–3, 11–15)
(Matthew 24:15–25:46; Romans 8:19–23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9; Jude 6–7; Revelation 20:1–3, 11–15)