Seattle
Why “The Hallows Church”?
Hallow is a vintage term meaning to consecrate, revere, or set apart as holy. The term captures the essence of who the church is to be and what the church is to do. On one hand, God hallows the church. He sets local churches apart as His people commissioned to fulfill His holy purposes. On the other hand, local churches consist of people who revere God as holy in their lives and community. As a local church, then, we are a company of people rescued through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). Using a verb as a noun reflects the dynamic nature of the local church. We do not exist to be a stale institution but a distinct catalyst of gospel-fueled personal, local, and global transformation.
Why Seattle?
Seattle is a culturally diverse and influential city. Seattle’s influence stretches far and wide affecting everything from national and global economics, politics, and technology to music, art, and literature. The city is home to Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing as well as many other prominent businesses. Several significant universities draw students from all over the world to Seattle. The University of Washington is the largest with a student enrollment of over 42,000.
Approximately 90% of the city’s population does not attend a church of any kind. Less than 4% belong to an evangelical faith community. Yet, many people subscribe to a form of spirituality. Some of the more popular practices include eastern mysticism, Wicca, New Age spirituality, and Mormonism. The city’s diverse ethnic population contributes to the city’s diverse spiritual climate. Although the largest percentage of the population is Caucasian, many African, Asian, and Hispanic Americans live there as well. Spanish is the second most common language. Many African refugees are migrating to the city. The Asian population seems to be expanding at a rapid pace due to educational and economic opportunities available in Seattle as well.
Planting a church in Seattle presents a remarkable opportunity to impact all nations for the glory of Christ. A gospel-centered church with a global, disciple-making vision located in Seattle will have a strategic vantage point to see lives transformed throughout the world.
Why the Urban Sprawl of Seattle?
In many ways, the urban sprawl represents the heart of Seattle. It contains historically and culturally significant areas such as Queen Ann, Capitol Hill, Fremont, and Wallingford. The area hosts a major cross-section of cultures and sub-cultures, ethnicities and economics, youth and experience. Five substantial universities are located therein: University of Washington, Seattle University, Seattle Central Community College, Seattle Pacific University, and North Seattle Community College. We believe that we can reach the nations by reaching the urban sprawl of Seattle.
Also view a printable Seattle info sheet. (PDF Download)