• Michael Benson moves out of the chaplain's office for a new position as director for church relations to Indiana.
  Chaplain Benson
  

ChapDaddy made his last appearance in chapel Wednesday.

Just after the start of the fall semester, Michael Benson, now the former university chaplain, received a new position at Olivet, as director of university and church relations for the state of Indiana. He will work out of the alumni center.

This is a new position on campus, created by ONU President John Bowling and Brian Allen, vice president for institutional advancement. Benson said he will be working with churches in Indiana with four different groups of people: new students, pastors, alumni and new friends of Olivet.

“I will be the face of Olivet in churches in Indiana,” Benson said.

He will be there for fellowship, friendship and a source for information about Olivet.

If this position works out, there will be a similar position for Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin – the other states in Olivet’s region. For now, Benson’s position is a work in progress. There are no footsteps to follow and no shoes to fill.

“The upside is I’m not following anybody and I’m going to learn how to do this and I’m going to figure it out before anybody else does,” Benson said. “The down side is I’m not following anybody and I could fail before anybody else does.”

So far, there is not a replacement for Benson. Mark Holcomb, an assistant professor in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry, is filling in as platform host until a replacement is found.

As platform host, Holcomb is responsible for “beginning chapel with a welcome and Scripture reading when appropriate, introducing the praise set, offering the prayer, introducing guest speakers, and anything else needed for that particular day,” Holcomb said.

Benson was chaplain for eight years. One student who worked closely with Benson the past two years is junior Evan Karg, who was a class chaplain his freshman year, vice president of spiritual life his sophomore year and is now student body president.

“I cherish the times spent working with Dr. Benson, but I know that God will use him in great ways in his new position,” Karg said.

Benson has the same confidence in God’s plan for this position. He is certain that it is right because Bowling thinks it is.

“This is going to sound corny, but if he (Bowling) thinks I’m right, then I’m right,” Benson said. “Dr. Bowling is the only president students here have ever known (so) they don’t have a sense of what an incredible leader he is. When someone that gifted says, ‘I have (a) need … and I think you could do that and would you like to consider it,’ you sit up and take notice of that.”

Even though this position is new and maybe slightly unsettling for Benson, he is ready for it.

“Ready or not, here we come,” Benson said.