Sound Life Church is a multi-generational Assemblies of God congregation rooted in the Frederickson area of Tacoma, Washington, with additional campuses reaching into Orting, Lakewood, and Eatonville. Its central campus sits on 176th Street East, and from that hub the church has grown into a four-location family with a shared mission: to help people flourish through knowing Jesus. The church describes itself as a diverse, multigenerational community shaped by devotion to Christ, growth in faith, life on mission, and walking together as a family of believers.
Four Campuses Across South Sound
Sound Life operates from four locations, each led by a campus pastor and shaped to its own neighborhood while sharing one teaching voice across the church.
- Frederickson (Central): 3425 176th St E, Tacoma, WA 98446. The largest campus, with four Sunday services in two venues.
- Orting: 101 Corrin Ave SW, Orting, WA 98360. A single Sunday gathering at 10:30 AM, led by Campus Pastors Oran and Robin Denton.
- Lakewood: Meetings are held at Harrison Preparatory School, 9103 Lakewood Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499. Campus Pastor Shawn Backus oversees the work here.
- Eatonville: 570 Eatonville Hwy E, Eatonville, WA 98328. Led by Campus Pastor Josh Vitzthum, with a 10:00 AM Sunday gathering.
The Frederickson site also houses the main church office. Office hours run Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Sundays at Sound Life
The Frederickson campus offers four Sunday services - 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, and 12:30 PM - in two different styles. The 9:30 and 11:00 AM services, along with the 8:00 AM and 6:30 PM services in the Auditorium, are called Live Gathering and feature frontline vocalists, a full band, and live preaching. Also at 8:00 AM in the Chapel, the Traditions service pairs video teaching with piano, organ, and a band that leads the hymns and spiritual songs of the church's broader faith tradition. Kids ministry is offered during every morning service for children from three months old through fifth grade.
The three satellite campuses each meet once on Sunday morning in a single, contemporary format called The Gathering. Orting and Lakewood gather at 10:30 AM, and Eatonville gathers at 10:00 AM. Each service includes vocalists, a band, and live or video teaching, and Kids ministry is offered for the same age range during those services.
Visitors are told to expect a welcoming environment with free coffee, friendly greeters, and team members ready to help with directions. A parking team is on hand to assist on busy Sundays, and the church emphasizes that authentic relationships are a vital part of discovering the life God offers.
Worship and Media Arts
Worship is central to the Sunday experience at every campus. The Worship and Media team runs vocals, bands, computers, lights, cameras, and other production elements. Singers and instrumentalists are invited to audition for the worship teams, which play weekly and at special events throughout the year. The Frederickson campus alone offers two distinct musical settings - a modern, full-band expression and a more traditional, hymn-rich environment - so worshipers can pick the style that helps them engage.
For those who can't attend in person, services are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook every Sunday at 9:30 AM, and past sermons remain available on YouTube as a continuing library.
Next Gen: Kids, Students, and Young Adults
Sound Life invests heavily in its Next Gen ministries, with the aim of raising up the next generation of devoted followers of Jesus.
Kids: Spaces for infants, preschoolers, and K-5 students are available during every Sunday service across all campuses. Each age-appropriate room offers age-specific lessons, trained and background-checked volunteers, and an environment designed for safety and discipleship.
Baby and Child Dedications: Parents can publicly commit to raising their child to follow Jesus, with dedications scheduled during the last morning service of set weekends. A parent commitment form is available online.
Students (6th to 12th grade): A dedicated youth service is offered each week at each campus. Frederickson and Orting meet on Sundays at 6:00 PM. Lakewood meets on Thursdays at 6:00 PM at Hudtloff Middle School. Eatonville meets on Sundays at 4:00 PM. Each gathering includes worship, biblical teaching, and small group time with trained leaders.
Young Adults (ages 18 to 28): Young adults meet monthly for special events and worship nights, with opportunities for young professionals, married couples, and college students to build friendships and a shared foundation. The Internship Director and YA Pastor, Kaeli Harkness, oversees this work alongside the Young Adults community that gathers weekly during SLLC programming.
Growth Groups and Alpha
Sound Life's small group ministry is built around Growth Groups - home gatherings of eight to fifteen people who meet weekly to share life, discuss the previous Sunday's sermon, and support one another under a trained leader. Groups run in three sessions across the school year and take a summer break, with active groups meeting across Frederickson, Eatonville, Lakewood, and Orting.
Alpha is offered as an introductory path for anyone exploring Christianity. Each week includes a meal, a video talk, and honest discussion in a welcoming setting, and Alpha is offered at the Frederickson, Lakewood, and Orting campuses.
Men, Women, and the 55+ Crew
Sound Life organizes ministry around the rhythms of adults at every stage of life.
- Women: Women's ministry connects through Bible studies, retreats, and events throughout the year. Two practical serve opportunities are built around it - a Meal Ministry that provides meals to families in crisis, and an Event Team that helps champion women's gatherings. A dedicated Sound Life Women Facebook page keeps everyone up to date.
- Men: Men's ministry centers on Growth Groups and events throughout the year, with branded apparel available to help men represent the community.
- Seniors (55+): Prime Time Midweek meets Wednesdays at 10:30 AM in the Frederickson Campus Chapel with hot coffee, light refreshments, worship, prayer, and conversation around tables. ROMEOS (Retired Old Men Eating Out) meets Thursdays at 8:00 AM at Mary Mary's Cafe for breakfast and fellowship. Game Day for Adults is held on the first and third Fridays at noon in the Frederickson Campus Chapel and is open to all adults.
Sound Life Leadership College
Sound Life Leadership College (SLLC) is a four-year ministry and academic program run in partnership with Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. Through this partnership, students can earn accredited certificates, associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees while being fully immersed in real ministry at Sound Life.
The In-Person program serves in all ministry areas of the church, paired with weekly mentoring, and earns three free internship credit hours per semester toward a Northwest University degree. The Flex program is designed for students balancing careers, family, or other commitments, with personalized internship options.
A typical SLLC week for an in-person student includes Sunday ministry and attendance, Monday rest, a Tuesday on-site day with prayer, staff meeting, and internship hours, Wednesday meetings and practicum with optional Young Adult community in the evening, a flexible Thursday, Friday margin, and a free Saturday. Tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year at 24 credits totals $10,934, including waived practicum tuition, application fee, confirmation deposit, health services fee, and student services fee for NPP students.
Each four-year track student participates in a mission trip between their third and fourth years, and the program includes monthly community building, monthly Staff Chapel, and an annual SLLC Retreat.
Homeschool Co-op and Christian Preschool
Homeschool Co-op: Based at the Orting Valley Campus, Sound Life Homeschool Co-op is a parent-led enrichment program for families exploring or pursuing homeschooling. Parents stay on campus, serve as teachers or helpers, and pay a $75 semester registration fee that covers background checks and operating costs. The program begins and ends with prayer and operates from a biblical worldview, with a parent handbook and code of conduct guiding the community. Periodic Homeschool 101 and Start Strong informational meetings help families decide if homeschooling is a fit.
Sound Life Christian Preschool: The church operates a preschool under the direction of the Kids and SL Christian Preschool Director, with a Parent Handbook published each year. A registration link is provided through the church's main site.
Baptism, Child Dedication, and Welcome Party
Sound Life practices water baptism by immersion as a public declaration of what Jesus has done in a believer's life, symbolizing His death, burial, and resurrection, and the believer's own death to the old self and resurrection to new life. Baptism classes are offered for those ready to take the step, and baptisms are typically arranged for children old enough to understand what they are declaring - usually around 10 to 12 years of age. For younger children, Baby and Child Dedications serve as the parallel family milestone.
For newcomers, a monthly Welcome Party is a 45-minute gathering where newcomers hear the heart and vision behind Sound Life, ask questions, discover ways to get involved, and meet others in a welcoming environment. Children are invited to Kids Church during the event.
Mission Forward and Feed the Community
Mission Forward is a dedicated generosity fund that supports missions and compassion efforts locally and globally, pooled through reliable ministry partners to place Jesus at the center and create substantial impact. A flagship local initiative is Feed the Community, a partnership with local schools that supports students without stable housing by resourcing them with single-serving, shelf-stable food. Donations can be dropped off at the Mission Forward table in the Frederickson lobby, ordered through an Amazon shopping list, or given through the Mission Forward fund.
Beyond ongoing local ministry, the church organizes short-term mission trips, with past teams serving with partners like the Short Creek Dream Center in Hildale, Utah - a residential life skills and community engagement program offering education, hunger relief, and community empowerment.
Serve on a Team
Sound Life runs a wide range of volunteer teams that anyone can join, all of which require a background check. Serving roles include:
- Coffee Team: Brewing coffee and welcoming guests.
- Greeter Team: Creating a first impression at the door.
- Check-In Team: Assisting in classrooms or helping new families at Kids check-in.
- Kids Team Assistant: Helping teachers in classrooms or leading elementary small group discussion.
- Media Team: Running lights, cameras, and audio behind the scenes.
- Parking Team: Greeting and helping direct cars on Sundays.
- Photography Team: Capturing services and events.
- Midweek Team: Front desk, café, office administration, and maintenance during the week.
- Worship Team: Singing or playing an instrument in weekly services or special events; an audition is required.
Lead-level positions in Kids, Worship, and other ministry areas require church membership as part of leadership accountability.
Beliefs and Affiliation
Sound Life Church is an Assemblies of God congregation in the Northwest Ministry Network, with all pastors credentialed and held spiritually accountable through that governing body. The church affirms the classical Pentecostal statement of fundamental truths and teaches that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God. Sound Life confesses one God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and affirms the virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death, resurrection, and promised return of Jesus Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ's finished work, and the church practices two ordinances instituted by Christ: water baptism and Holy Communion.
The church believes in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, including spiritual gifts for the edification of the church, in the baptism in the Holy Spirit as an initial and ongoing experience, and in Christ's healing power available today through His atoning sacrifice. Sound Life also articulates biblical convictions on human life, gender, and marriage that reflect its reading of Scripture.
Giving and Connection
Tithes and offerings can be given by check or cash at any Sunday venue or in the church office Monday through Thursday. Online giving is available through Shelby Giving, and a Text Giving option allows givers to text any amount to 253-258-0009. Stock donations are also accepted. The Mission Forward fund can be designated separately for missions and compassion work. For those wanting help managing personal finances, Financial Peace University is offered periodically.
To stay connected, Sound Life maintains active Facebook and Instagram pages, a YouTube channel for live services and sermon archives, a Spotify podcast, and a Church Center account where newcomers can register, sign up for events and groups, and submit prayer requests. A weekly playlist of worship songs is also available on Spotify for personal use throughout the week.