My name is Jeffrey Trester, and I am raising funds to build a Christian community center called Bibles, Billiards & Beans —a place where faith is lived out through relationship, conversation, mentorship, and service. This vision did not come overnight. It was forged through pain, grace, waiting, and a calling that began more than four decades ago.
The Beginning…
In 1982, I was young, reckless, and desperate to be seen. I chased approval the only ways I knew how—pushing limits, standing out, and testing danger. That year, I bought a brand-new high-performance motorcycle and, one beautiful night, decided to see just how fast it could go.
Fully suited in riding leathers, I sped down Ward Parkway, confident and in control—until I wasn’t. The throttle locked wide open. At over 115 mph, skill no longer mattered. Trees rushed toward me. I jumped the curb, sideswiped a tree, and was launched through the air. The crash destroyed the motorcycle, scattered parts for blocks, and severed all the toes on my right foot.
By every medical and physical law, I should not have survived.
Yet I did.
As I lay bleeding out, a man appeared—calm, steady, with steel-blue eyes that erased my fear. He held pressure on my leg for over twenty minutes, spoke peace into my panic, and told me plainly, “It’s not your time.” Then, when help arrived, he vanished. No EMT, officer, or witness ever saw him. I believe with everything in me that God sent an angel that night.
For years, I asked why my life was spared. I assumed it must be for something big, public, or dramatic. Instead, God taught me something far more humbling and far more powerful:
If one soul comes to Christ because I was spared—then my life was worth saving.
That truth followed me quietly through decades of work, leadership, and responsibility. I built teams. Managed large facilities. Balanced budgets. Provided for my family. But the calling never left.
The Awakening…
Recently, during what I call my “Coffee with Christ,” everything came into focus.
In prayer, I felt the Lord ask me plainly, “Do you trust Me?”
Not intellectually. Not verbally. Unshakably.
When He asked what my dream was, my answer came without hesitation: “To serve You.”
And when He asked what I wanted to do, I finally said it out loud again: “I want to open a Christian community center—Bibles, Billiards & Beans.”
Then came the conviction: the only thing stopping me wasn’t money—it was faith.
That conversation changed everything.
The Mission…
Bibles, Billiards & Beans is not a church—and that’s intentional.
It’s a welcoming, Christ-centered community space for people who may never walk into a sanctuary but will sit down for coffee, open a Bible, shoot a game of pool, and have an honest conversation. It’s a place where barriers come down, relationships form, and discipleship happens naturally.
This center will provide:
Bible studies and faith conversations
Mentorship for men, youth, and families
Safe fellowship spaces rooted in truth and grace
Outreach to the searching, the broken, and the overlooked
Not judgment. Not politics. Relationship.
Jesus met people where they were—and that’s exactly what this center is designed to do.
The Ask…
I am raising $250,000 to bring this vision to life. These funds will be used to:
Secure and prepare a physical location
Complete initial renovations and furnishings
Build gathering, coffee, and recreation spaces
Cover startup operating and program costs
This is not about building something flashy. It’s about building something lasting.
I believe God spared my life for this purpose. I believe He has called me to step forward in faith. And I believe He is inviting others to help build it alongside me.
If you feel led to support Bibles, Billiards & Beans, know that your generosity is not just funding a building—it’s helping create a place where lives can be changed, hope restored, and souls pointed toward Christ.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for praying. And thank you for being part of this journey.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” — Proverbs 3:5–6