vision & values
a community of imperfect jesus-followers living for the good of Tacoma and the south sound
our values
Hospitality
We believe that everyone can belong in a Christ-following community. Seekers, cynics, Christ-followers and Christ-forgetters. Belief is not a prerequisite for belonging. We will open our arms and our doors to all, because we have found that same warmth in the One we follow.
Hope
At Anchor Church we believe that no marriage, family, person, neighborhood, or city is “beyond” hope. We will hold to this, not out of mere optimism, but because our hope is rooted in the One that has defeated death. We won’t give up or give in. Even as we struggle, we will hold fast and tight to the Hope-Giver.
Presence
In an age of distraction and glam, we believe the way forward for the Church is to be present. At Anchor Church, we will fight to be present with our neighbors, co-workers, and friends — those who follow Christ and those that don’t. We will do this because we have learned from Jesus himself, who stays with us in the mess and walks with us towards healing.
Purpose
Everyone has a story, passions, interests and pain. When all of those elements intersect and are surrendered to Jesus, they bloom into something worth committing to. We take deep delight in seeing people come alive and realize they were created on purpose and for a purpose.
What we Believe at Anchor
We believe ...
... that all of creation was created good, but fell through humanity's disobedience.
Creation is caught between broken and beautiful. We see this theme throughout our everyday lives. There is the beauty of a sunrise, and the brokenness of pollution; the camaraderie of a few close friends, and the ache of loneliness. There are endless examples. The wounded goodness of creation is all around us.
But God, not content to let this tension pull the world apart, has sought — and is seeking — to restore his creation. This seeking, restoring and saving work shows up in Scripture through covenants, prophets, promises and ultimately in the birth, life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending of his Holy Spirit to dwell in and through his followers.
This saving and healing work continues today in and through the life of Jesus’ followers. As we follow the way of Jesus, we see his restoring work in us and through us to our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools — in all areas of our everyday lives. While we await a day when Jesus will return and make all things new, healing creation completely, we desire to be — as a community of Jesus followers — a glimpse of that final renewal here in the present.
For more information on these themes and beliefs read through Genesis 1-3, Mark 1, Philippians 2:5-8, Romans 8, and Revelation 21:1-4. In addition, we happily reside within the stream of historic orthodoxy and specifically embrace the doctrinal statement of our larger family, the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Tacoma & the South Sound
It may sound counter-intuitive, but our main goal is not to make a good church; it’s to partner with God in making a great city. We love Tacoma, and the entire South Sound. We love its neighborhoods and businesses, its parks and schools, its families and social organizations. Our dream is to see how we can be a blessing to this place that is already so beautiful.
For us this means we want to create a gathering space focused on Jesus and characterized by hope, hospitality, presence, and mission. This also means planting more churches that want to love their neighborhoods and care for their community. It means helping Tacomans discern their sense of calling and start neighborhood initiatives, and more. We are farther along on some of these goals than others but we are excited to see them all begin to unfold into reality.
Our Larger Family
We are thankful to not be doing this alone. We are not independent or without oversight, rather we are a part of a family of churches called the Christian & Missionary Alliance. For information on this family of churches and what we believe and hold dear, follow the link below. Additionally, don't hesitate to reach out through email or phone; we’d love to get to know you.