Learn More About Sycamore Church of Christ

Mission of The Church

The mission of the church is the glorification of God and the salvation of mankind through the making known of the gospel of Christ.

Vision of Sycamore

Our vision is to be a loving, united, and evangelistic body of people who hope to impact our community in giving glory to God throughout the world.

Mission of Sycamore

Our mission is to share God’s love as we want it shared with us.

Seek God

Pursue a personal relationship with Him through worship, prayer, and the study and application of His word.

“But without faith is is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6

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Serve God

Pursue a life of service to Him by serving in the church and community through special work projects and kind deeds.

“If anyone serves Me, let Him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” – John 11:26

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Share God

Pursue an evangelistic mind-set in which we will reach out to others with the gospel and spiritual events.

“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” – Mark 5:19

Where We Stand

Nothing can stand, including the church, without a firm and solid foundation. The responsibility of the eldership at Sycamore is to make sure that it has such a foundation. We are committed to following the words of the Apostle Paul:

  • For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (I Corinthians 2:2)
  • For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:11)

Sycamore is committed to the same purpose – to maintain the soundness of the Lord’s church by focusing on devotion to Jesus, the Head of the church, and to the foundation laid by the apostles upon the word of God.

We believe in the eternal and unchanging Godhead (God).
  • The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit make up the eternal Godhead (I John 5:7, Romans 1:20).
  • God created everything (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1-3). He is the sustainer of all things (Psalms 55:22).
    He is omniscient (I John 3:20). He is omnipotent (Gen. 1:3, Psalms 33:6). He is omnipresent (Colossians 1:17).
  • He is love (I John 4:8), but He is also just (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalms 89:14). God does not change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8).
  • To Him, we will all give account of our lives (II Corinthians 5:10, Romans 2:1-11, Hebrews 4:11-13).
We believe that God’s Word (the Bible) is the revelation of God’s will for man and the absolute truth.
  • It is truth (John 17:17), and it is the righteousness of God (Psalms 119:172).
  • It was written by men but authored by God through the Holy Spirit (II Timothy 3:16-17, Acts 2:4).
  • It reveals God’s will to us (II Timothy 3:15), and by this word, we will be judged (John 12:48).
  • It is His complete revelation to man (II Timoth 3:17).
  • It is the only source of true faith (Romans 10:17).
  • As absolute truth, God’s Word is unerring and it does not change! (Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33).
  • The unchanging nature of His Word creates our firm foundation. We must not be moved! (Psalms 1).
We believe that the Old Testament is vital to understanding the nature of God and His church.
  • We resolve to teach the Old Testament to learn the true history of the origins of man.
  • The law of Moses had a purpose, to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24-25) which it fulfilled (Colossians 2:14).
  • It holds much learning for us. It must be taught as a vital part of the whole counsel of God (Romans 15:4)
  • We are not bound by Old Testament law today, but its principles and prophecies shaped the Lord’s church.
We believe that sin separates man from God and can cause the loss of his soul.
  • Sin is lawlessness or a transgression of God’s law (I John 3:4). It is disobeying any of God’s commands.
  • It is a result of human desires and a failure to overcome temptation (James 1:13-15).
  • It began with Adam’s sin and has spread to all of us (Rom. 3:23, 5:12). All people sin (I John 1:8).
  • Satan tempts us, but temptation can be overcome (I Corinthians 10:13), so when we sin, it is our own fault.
  • Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Separated from God, man is hopelessly lost!
We believe that salvation from sin is possible through Jesus and such salvation is God’s will for man.
  • God created a plan for man’s salvation before the world was formed (Ephesians 1:3-6).
  • This plan was the result of God’s immeasurable love for man, and it has a name: Jesus (John 3:16).
  • God wants no one to be lost (II Peter 3:9), so Jesus was sent specifically to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
  • The gospel (or good news) of Jesus consists of His death, burial, and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-4).
  • Nothing but the blood of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice can wash away man’s sin and save his soul (Revelation 1:5).
  • Jesus is our only hope for salvation and reconciliation to God the Father (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).
  • Salvation is offered to man by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8). Without God’s grace, salvation from sin is impossible!
We believe that the Bible reveals one method for man’s salvation – obedience to the gospel of Jesus.
  • God’s grace offers salvation to all, but man must accept that grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
  • Scripture reveals by command and example the following requirements for accepting God’s salvation:
    • Hear the word of God (Romans 10:17, Acts 9:6) – and Believe the word (Mark 16:16, John 8:24, Acts 16:31).
    • Repent and commit to God (Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3).
    • Confess publicly that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32, Acts 8:37, Romans 10:8-10).
    • Be baptized for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16) Baptism marks the point of man’s salvation because it brings us in contact with Jesus’ blood, but it requires all the other listed steps listed above.
    • Remain faithful to God and grow in faith because salvation can be lost (Matthew 24:13, Revelation 2, Revelation 3).
  • Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and faith alone without works is dead (James 2:17); so, we must do works to be saved; not works of merit to “earn” salvation, but works of obedience to God’s word.
  • God’s plan of salvation is unchanging and cannot be compromised. (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19).
  • Those obedient to God will live eternally in Heaven – those who do not, in Hell (Matthew 7:21-23, John 5:28-29).
We believe there is but one church. It began on Pentecost (Acts 2), and it is the kingdom of God.
  • Jesus is the head of the church, and it is His body (Colossians 1:18, 24). There is only one body (Ephesians 4:4).
  • The saved are added to the body (Acts 2:47) and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son (Colossians 1:13-14).
  • The church has no earthly headquarters, no centralized leadership, and is governed only by scripture.
  • Dividing the Lord’s body is sin (I Corinthians 1:10), and unity comes from adherence to the word of God (Ephesians 4:3-6).
  • Sycamore will not fellowship with denominations.
  • Congregations of the Lord’s church are autonomous and overseen by a plurality of elders who must meet qualifications set by God and who are to lead by example (I Timothy 3, Titus 1, I Peter 5:1-4).
We believe that God commands us to worship Him and instructs how to do so.
  • Our corporate worship is to follow the instructions given in scripture and the example of the early church.
  • Worship is edifying to those participating but is intended to please God. It is not a performance, it is praise.
  • Worship is to be led by men. This not a matter of ability or rank, but the role God has given (I Timothy 2:8-12).
  • We sing congregationally and without instruments because only singing is expressly authorized (Ephesians 5:19).
  • We partake of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week by example of the early church (Acts 20:7).
  • We have no choirs, no praise teams, etc. because worship is not to be watched, it is to be participated in.
We believe in the unchanging moral standards set by God, not the changing ideas of society.
  • We must love our neighbor as ourselves and treat all people as we wish to be treated (Matthew 7:12, 22:39).
  • Life begins at conception (Psalms 139:13-16); therefore, to end that life constitutes murder.
    God made all humans either male or female – gender is not a choice (Genesis 5:2, Matthew 19:9).
  • Fornication consists of all sexual relations outside scriptural marriage, and it is always a sin (I Corinthians 6:18-20).
  • Homosexuality is and has always been unnatural, vile, and abominable to God (Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:24-27).
  • The husband is to be the head of the home and wives are to be in subjection. Children are to honor their parents by obeying them and should be properly disciplined (Ephesians 5:22-33, 6:1-4, Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 15).
  • God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Remarriage is only allowed due to death or adultery (Matthew 19:9, I Corinthians 7:39).
  • Holding grudges and being unwilling to forgive each other will cause God to not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).
  • Lying, dishonesty, drunkenness, unrighteous anger, hatred, prejudice, the love of money, improper motives, failure to forgive, and condoning evil are prevalent in the world, but God calls them all sin.

A full list of things we stand for and against cannot be contained in this short section, but these are the foundational elements we stand on which give a glimpse of what you can expect from us and what we expect from you.

God is our creator and sustainer. His Word is unerring, must be obeyed, and will judge us in the last day.

To these truths Sycamore is wholeheartedly committed and to them, we ask you to be committed too!

– Sycamore Elders

Want to know more?

Visit our Contact page and ask whatever other questions you may have. We will do our best to reply back to you as soon as possible!

Contact Information

 
Address

1144 Crescent Dr.,
Cookeville, TN 38501

Phone

(931) 526-5427

Email

office@sycamorecoc.com

Service Times

 
Sunday Worship

9:00am | 5:00pm

Sunday Bible Study

10:15am

Wednesday Bible Study

6:30pm