The evolution of the ministry of Destination Known displays the guidance of a sovereign and loving God. Members have come and gone, musical influences have changed, and new stages of life have unfolded. Over the last three years, the band has played hundreds of concerts and led worship for hundreds of thousands of students and adults across the U.S. Their success as an independent band is reminiscent of Caedmon’s Call and is otherwise unparalleled in the independent Christian music industry. But despite changes and God-given success, the one thing that has never changed is the mission of DK. Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:9, it reads

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ.”

DK’s earliest beginnings date back to 1997 when founding member, Blake Bollinger, began a weekly tradition of Monday night band practice with various friends in his family’s converted garage. After months of practice and songwriting, the band was ready to “go live”. From pool parties to school rallies, the band established itself as a hard working group that never turned down a chance to play.

Former members, Joey and Andy Vanderveer, joined and added one of the band’s signature attributes of unique harmonies. During this time, Bollinger invited the twins to his home church, McKinney Memorial Bible Church in Fort Worth. It was only months later that the twins accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and the group formed the church’s youth praise band, which carried on for several years. This series of events propelled the band towards a career of sharing God’s love through quality worship and original music.

In May of ’98, Jordan Critz, childhood friend of Bollinger, was asked to join the band. His contributions on guitar, vocals, keys, violin, tin whistle, and bagpipes were exactly what the group needed to round out there acoustic sound. As the years progressed, the acoustic/folk sound was gradually modified and replaced by the louder, more pop/rock sound that so clearly defines the band today. Extensive harmonies remained and continue to set the group apart.

In January of 2001, God directed the band to partner with Vertical Ministries. Vertical commits itself to partnering with only those ministries that demonstrate the highest quality, integrity, and devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In addition to Destination Known, they work with Chaos on Wheels, Joel Engle, Jeff Scott, Brock Gill, Jarrod Jones, Alex Himaya, and Travis Crim to provide them with accountability and development of the unique calling in ministry.

By the summer of 2001, things were gearing up but the band lacked a bass player. Never did they imagine that they would find such a character as Jozef Bobula. Arriving in the U.S. from Slovakia on a music scholarship, his abilities helped push the band to a new level of musicianship. Bobula’s humor and no-nonsense approach to life keeps the band laughing and on it’s toes to this day.

Friend and fraternity brother of Bollinger, Brian Oswalt, (affectionately called “Ozzy”) was asked to travel with the band on their extensive summer youth camp tour beginning may 2002 as the band’s sound tech. It only took 3 weeks for the band to realize that his abilities were much better suited behind a drum kit. Oswalt and Bobula combined to form a solid and impressive rhythm section that is requested and showcased in almost every concert.

By 2003, the band was juggling fulltime school work with an extensive traveling schedule that kept them on the road more than 100 days out of the year. Churches were responding to the band’s unique ability to connect with their students on and off the stage by asking them to return year after year. Their reputation also continued to expand around the eastern United States and requests just kept rolling in. By this time, their touring schedule consisted of church-wide services on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights, worship weekends, concerts, singles events, and summer youth camps.