TIM CORBIN (M.Div. '06) and his wife Amy are both Texans and came to Beeson Divinity School from Dallas Baptist University. Tim and Amy are both musically gifted and were involved in a Gospel-sharing team as undergraduates. The Corbins were drawn to Beeson because of a passion for serious study of the Bible done in the context of spiritual formation and practical theology. The focus on community life at Beeson was also attractive and the Corbins established rich, life-long friendships with other student couples here.
A great part of who I am today is because of those three incredible years at Beeson,” Tim recalls. Not only what happened in the classroom but real relationships—visiting in the home of Ken and Dea Mathews over dinner with other students; hallway conversations with Dr. Norfleete Day to discuss the practical implications of deep theological teachings; or taking Dr. Robert Smith to lunch at the PawPaw Patch and getting a glimpse of his great love for life. What made the Beeson faculty special? Thorough, excellent scholarship presented in a spirit of humility and centered on the great evangelical essentials of the faith, finding unity in the Gospel and the Great Tradition of the Christian faith without compromising personal convictions or denominational distinctives. This way of doing theology, Tim says, has become a “driving principle in my own life and ministry.” While Amy did not earn a theology degree at Beeson, she was certainly in the thick of things doing excellent work in the Office of the Dean as my administrative assistant.
So where are Tim and Amy Corbin now? Over four years ago they moved to Seattle, Washington, a long way from their Bible-belt roots in Texas and Alabama. Their hearts were moved by the vast spiritual lostness of the Northwest where, out of a population of four million people, 90% attend no church of any kind, and less than 4% attend an evangelical church. They began with a small Bible study in their home, and then moved to meet on Sunday mornings in an elementary school. And God has blessed their persistence and faithful witness. “Through planting our church called The Commons,” Tim says, “we have now gathered over 130 on Sundays with an additional thirty-five teenagers and forty-five adults who meet weekly in homes throughout the community. Most of them have never owned a Bible and certainly do not know the truth of Jesus as revealed in Scripture. It is one of the greatest joys to see someone work through their understanding of salvation and then finally come to the point of receiving it! We have had the privilege of baptizing over fifty new believers in three years.”
When I was in Seattle not long ago, I hosted a luncheon for our Beeson graduates in the area. BRIAN HARPER (M.Div. ’93), DALE BRASWELL (M.Div. ’03) and ANDREW ARTHUR (M.Div. ’07) are among the growing number of Beeson alums God has led to the Northwest in recent years.
What about the future? Tim says, “God is up to something really, really big in 2012. This next year, we are looking forward to starting more groups through our church. Our heart is to reach more people by multiplying Gospel-communities throughout every neighborhood of Seattle. Our prayer is that we will continue to be found faithful with what we have been entrusted to proclaim to others.” Will you take a few minutes at the beginning of this New Year and say a prayer for Tim and Amy Corbin, and their three girls, Rylie, Madison and Taitlyn.
Pray also for Brian, Dale, and Andrew, and for all of our Beeson graduates in the Northwest. If you would like to know more about the ministry of The Commons, check out their website http://discoverthecommons.com.
