Who are we?

in a nutshell...

Located in University Place, WA, we are a blend of new and experienced followers of Jesus. Some of us are mature in our faith, others of us are still trying to figure things out. Some of us are older, others are younger. Some of us were born in other countries and others were born right here. Some of us love loud music, others prefer quieter moments. Some of us are welcoming new babies, others have suffered recent losses. With all of our differences, we are still one family in Christ and our differences help us grow!.

As a church we reside within the stream of historic orthodoxy and specifically embrace the doctrinal statement of our larger fellowship, IFCA International.

our dna

Saying “AND” strongly flavors life at Sunset Bible Church. Every local church is uniquely equipped by God and faces decisions about how to use their gifts. This typically involves saying yes OR no, going here OR there, starting this OR that ministry. Such “OR” decisions are necessary. However, we believe there are some broad, categorical areas where Jesus doesn’t give us the option to say “this OR that,” but calls us to say “this AND that.”

The following are some of the specific areas to which we say “AND.”

Grace AND Truth

We believe a church can share God’s message of grace and love without watering down God’s standards. We also believe that a church can be biblically literate, teach good theology, and talk about sin without becoming grumpy or unkind. We strive to be this kind of church—one marked by grace AND truth. At Sunset, you will find both a place of acceptance and a call to growth and maturity.

Seeking AND Teaching

From hosting outreach events to participating in city activities, we spend significant time and resources being part of our community. At the same time, we give considerable attention to helping existing members pursue Jesus and mature in their faith. While our teaching strives to be accessible to people who are less familiar with church, those who have attended church a long time will find themselves regularly challenged. We long to see people come to Christ, but we won’t forget about you once you are here.

Local AND Global

Jesus is doing incredible things around the world. Believing we are called to be a part of this global work, we have partnerships with several outstanding ministries around the world. At the same time, everything we expect of our global partners we hold ourselves to locally. Local outreach is a strong thread that runs through all of our ministries. We want to be a part of what God is doing around the world AND we want to be Jesus’ presence in our community!

Young AND Old

We are blessed with a generationally diverse membership. Older believers and younger believers benefit each other, bringing both experience and energy to our church. We are very intentional in pursuing an intergenerational element in the majority of our ministries—from small groups that connect people at different stages of life, to worship services where we sing both old and new music as an act of deferring to one another.

what we strive for

We strive to be a family for those who are lonely, a community of restoration for those who are hurt, a place of biblical instruction for all who will listen, a place—most of all—marked by the fragrance of Christ. We are growing in biblically-based diversity and are eager to speak and show the good news of Jesus, both in our community and around the world. If you are looking for a church that loves both truth AND grace, a church that both builds up believers AND reaches into the community, a place of diversity AND unity, then this is the place for you.

If you have questions, please contact us!