Olivet Nazarene University

Michael W. Benson

Dr. Michael Benson serves the Olivet University community as chaplain to the University, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, chapel themes were instituted as challenges for an entire semester. This approach has helped the campus community to maintain a spiritual focus for several weeks of a semester, adding to the long-term effectiveness of the chapel ministry.

Dr. Benson has more than twenty years of local church ministry experience, having served in a variety of positions — staff ministry, senior pastorate, and as an itinerant evangelist for eight years. He has conducted 400+ revivals, retreats and camp meetings. Two districts elected him as their district NYI president. He continues to be a popular speaker at campuses and churches across the country, preaching more than a hundred times annually.

He is a published author. In addition to having published several articles, he writes a column in The Olivetian as well as a regular feature on the ONU website, Chaplain's Notebook. The book Disciplines for the Inner Life was co-authored with his father, the late Bob Benson.

Rev. Michael Benson is a graduate of Southern Nazarene University and of Nazarene Theological Seminary. He earned the Doctor of Ministry degree in Spiritual Formation from Asbury Theological Seminary in May 2001.