A word from Josh...

Hello to all who have ventured to this page. It’s June 2nd, and I am today’s official Bink Blogger. I suppose that makes you either The Blogged or Bloggees? Beau asked me to write a little bit about living here in the ministry house, commonly referred to as “The Bink” (367 Binkley Drive), so here I go.

Being a full time musician, one thing that is always hard for me is plugging in to my church and community. Most of the time I stay very busy with music. If I’m not writing, I’m recording, and if I’m not recording, I’m usually on the road performing. While writing and recording allow me to stay in town and fairly involved in my local church, performing takes up the largest portion of my time, which means that I have to travel a great deal. I’m out of town most weekends.

While I’m able to download my pastor’s sermons online and take them with me, it’s just not the same as seeing Christian friends at church on a weekly basis. I think this one-on-one fellowship is a vital part of the Christian life. It’s keeps us sharp. It keeps us fresh. It keeps us keeping on. It’s easy to get discouraged on the road because frankly, it gets rather lonely.

One of my favorite things about living with these guys is that they keep tabs on me when I’m out of town. They help me to stay encouraged and remind me that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. If I’m not getting a phone call from Beau wanting to pray with me, I’m getting a funny text message from Ross or an email from Dave asking me when I’ll be home to go to Wing-Stop. Being a single guy who is in between living with my family and (hopefully someday) starting a family of my own, it really is nice to have someone to come back to and laugh with, to catch up on life with, to live with.

Over the past year the four of us have grown to be great friends. The greatest part though is that we’ve got a deeper relationship than just an ordinary friendship, because our relationships are centered in Christ. And if the focus on Christ ever shifts, there’s a good chance that at least one of the four of us are in a place to help sharpen the others and re-align that focus.

An update from Beau

Things have been going well here at the Bink. Last fall we worked through a study in Hermeneutics, using the book “Grasping God’s Word” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. We would like to thank Dr. David Wilson, Pastor of Southcrest Baptist Church in Lubbock, TX funding the purchase of these textbooks.

Our study was very revealing and rewarding as we addressed the difficulties and rewards of searching scripture for the truth God has revealed to us there. All of us had grown up in the church, but had never had an in depth look at the actual study and interpretation of scripture (hermeneutics). I was fortunate to have Dan Dewitt personally mentor me in this a few years ago and knew firsthand the paradigm shift that occurs when a person addresses hermeneutics honestly and in depth.

Last December we all took a weekend to backpack the Fiery Gizzard trail in East Tennessee. It was a lot of fun and our first excursion of the sort with all 4 of us. There was an asteroid shower the first night we were there and it was amazing! I have never seen so many shooting stars. We had brats and say by the campfire until really late. The weather was perfect for a fire: not so cold that it was miserable, but cold enough to make you really appreciate the warmth of the coals.

Randall Jackson, pastor of Concord-Grandview Baptist just south of Nashville donated his time, material, and expertise to help us put in another door to the master bath so that it can be accessed from the hallway. (He also hooked us up with a dishwasher that actually works!) Earlier this spring I did some basic renovation to the bathrooms, adding GFCI outlets, updated fixtures, and fixing the walls and paint. The house is coming along!

Our wonderful neighbor, John Baker, donated a lawnmower to our cause (to cut the back yard) and we have worked out an arrangement so that he cuts the front yard and we do his weed-eating. Sweet deal! He has been a blessing. Last summer he cut our grass every time but once....we owe him big.

Last March we hosted an evangelism forum, lead by Sam and Art Rainer. We had around 20 people in attendance and spent the afternoon eating, fellowshipping, and discussing the responsibilities and implications of the Great Commission. Judson Baptist Church donated 30 folding chairs for the event and is letting us keep them for future events that we host.

In March we also managed to get 3 of the Bink boys on the Appalachian Trail for 3 days and 2 night. Josh couldn’t get away. Dave, Ross, and I had a blast (not to mention blisters).

There is also a girls ministry house in the works here in Nashville (around the corner!) and in Louisville.....more about that soon!

(oh yeah, I thought I'd add this photo...the fellowship of the bink)

Welcome to the Bink!

At the beginning of August 2006, four men ages 20-25 moved in together at 367 Binkley Dr in Nashville, TN. Unlike other living situations where you might find 4 strapping young bachelors, the purpose of the community at 367 Binkley is specifically to build disciples in the name of Christ within the house (among the 4 residents) and outside the house in keeping with the great commission.

Recognizing a lack of male Christian leadership in the church and in the world, and recognizing a heartbreaking rate of departure from the church when young Christians graduate high school (which I believe is a direct result of a failure in education and true spirituality/discipleship), I, Beau Bristow, in conjunction with the Jonathan Edwards Education Foundation took on a leadership role in this "house ministry" in the spring of 2006.

After months of praying and searching for house members and a specific house, God blessed this work and lead me to our current house at 367 Binkley Dr and the current house members: Josh Wilson, Dave Dykstra, and Ross Creel.

We have given our house the title: "The Fellowship of The Bink." (Clearly an almost humorous blend of the address "367 Binkley" and the infamous "Fellowship of The Ring"....i emphasize almost)

Today's blog is an introduction to what we pray will be many months of growth and God's glory. Stay tuned...

-Beau Bristow
(beau@beaubristow.com)