Taproot Church

THE OPPORTUNITY

Taproot Church is a small but vibrant church in Burien, Washington, a beautiful
suburb of Seattle. Taproot has a long history of faithfulness amidst the unique
challenges of doing ministry in the Pacific Northwest. The church is filled with
dedicated and faithful people who value each other through community and
service. Many of those who remain are regular attendees who have been at the
church for decades, including some who were present when Taproot was founded in
1963.

Volunteers have stepped into leadership during the transition. The community
groups are consistent and thriving. They value their children and place a high value
on both their safety and spiritual growth.

The people of Taproot are steadfast in seeking to know and obey the Scripture.
They are simple and straightforward about their faith, rooted in the Scripture,
loving one another, discipling one another, and being formed into the likeness of
Christ.

Taproot church is enduring. After a long journey through the toils of Covid
culminating in a painful process of fragmentation stemming from conflict among
leadership, they never lost their love for each other or the gospel. They are filled
with optimism and excitement about what the future holds. Their size is not an
indication of health. We are ready to engage and flourish in the soil of spiritual
maturity and the nutrients of wisdom, vulnerability, and the love of Jesus Christ.

Taproot Church values spiritual maturity, discipleship, and the mutual building up
of one another as the family of God. We are not focused on growth or hollow
gestures to the surrounding community but rather on the will of God for the church
flowing out of sensitivity to His will as we tap into the living water of the Word.

THE COMMUNITY 

Taproot Church sits in downtown Burien which is a suburb about 30 minutes outside
of Seattle. Burien is a unique community in that it is made up of many smaller,
changing communities.

It has a growing population of people who work in Seattle but have been pushed
out of downtown by the cost of living producing a scenario where many people
commute out of Burien until they can afford to rent closer to downtown or buy a
house farther away.

Despite that, Burien has a strong business community and a substantial number of
longtime businesses and residents. Covid took a significant toll on many of these
businesses but the community can still be seen and felt, especially as it starts to
come back to life with regular events that enjoy strong participation.

There is a highly diverse first-generation immigrant population in and around
Burien, including many individuals who make up the service economy supporting
the nearby Seattle Tacoma airport.

Burien’s proximity to downtown Seattle and location near the airport as well as the
junction between many major freeways contributes to high home prices and cost of
living, sometimes creating distinction between older, established neighborhoods
with longtime residents and apartment/rental communities near the center of the
city.

Burien is a majority non-religious community. Despite a fair number of small to
medium Christian churches, there are few other instances of public or established
religious practice. Burien is a politically liberal-progressive community in alignment
with the broader Seattle area.

Burien enjoys a good school system (Highline), Highline Community College,
Highline Medical Center, a good number of parks and recreational options,
restaurants, grocery stores, and proximity to the Southcenter Mall.