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We often ask for feedback following the events in which
we are involved. Helpful criticism is carefully
considered and our ministry is adjusted as needed. Compliments we
publish widely. Here’s what some
people are saying...
“My first experience with Benchmark was
eight years ago, and the first thoughts that come to mind were dread,
fear and frustration. I slowly began to realize that these feelings
reflected not just my feelings about the initiatives,
but they mirrored the feelings I was having about going overseas.
During my brief time doing various missions
work I began to see things I had been “warned” about
through my Benchmark experiences. These things were not
a shock to me, and so they were easier to deal with or work through.
I have so many faults, and Benchmark helps
me work on them in a very constructive way.”
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Miriam Hardin, Overseas Apprentice,
College Missions Program
& BENCHMARK Instructor
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“Thank you for your help with my management team. I appreciate
your focus on leadership and clear communica-
tion, as they are things that we most constantly evaluate ourselves
on, and also improve upon. We all benefited
from the activities and discussions during and after the activities.
My team has made several references back to
that afternoon and the concepts that they came away with. I may
look to you for future sessions with other mem-
bers of my team.
Thank you for your time and assistance,”
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Jason King, Group Vice President / Area Manager
SunTrust Bank, Nashville
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“I think we were better prepared for our trip because
of benchmark’s training. Specifically I learned that God
can speak through all of our senses, not just through sight. I learned
this through one of the benchmark exer-
cises. I also learned that when your attitude is determined by your
circumstances it shows your immaturity. I
have used both of these principles since returning home. Benchmark
has helped me in both of these areas.”
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Travis Penn, Pastor, Calvary Free Will Baptist Church
& E-TEAM Student Missions Team Leader
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“Benchmark has been an integral part of our mission effort
in the Boulder, Colorado area for the last two years.
James Evans is a very capable leader who incorporates Biblical principles
in his leadership at all turns. James
sees a project to it’s end no matter how large or small. I
would highly recommend using Benchmark to enhance
your youth, men’s and missions activities at your church.”
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Mark Brockman, Recreation Pastor
Crestwood Baptist Church, Louisville, KY
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“At the risk of over-spiritualizing, I’d like to
share a big-picture lesson God taught me on the trip this past weekend.
In
a physical sense, I saw an analogy of how the body of Christ should
minister to the weak and weary. As I mentioned
in a previous post, Saturday was an extremely hard day for me. If
I remember correctly, we started hiking around
8:00 and were scheduled to hike about 17 miles from Fort Collins
shelter to Mollie’s Ridge. I was having some trouble
with the ups and downs before we got to Silers Bald. It just seemed
like I couldn’t get into a comfortable pace.” For
full story, click here
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Keith Fletcher, Director of the Digital Division,
Randall House Publication
& BENCHMARK Board of Directors
member
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“I first had an experience with Benchmark when I was
15 and preparing for a short term mission trip. Back
then, I was someone who thought I was about to enter another country
and change everyone’s perspectives
about God. Now I’m 21, and have worked for Benchmark for almost
three years. I have learned that when I
meet people it’s all about me serving and loving them and
letting God first, change my perspective. Bench-
mark will do that to you.”
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Shelly Bracey, Overseas Apprentice
College Missions Program & BENCHMARK Instructor
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“Benchmark is a leader in teaching and modeling teamwork.
I have had the privilege to utilize Benchmark’s
unique ministry to groups ranging from sixth graders to high schoolers
to adults. From different environments
such as a cliff overlooking an incredible valley to a chapel. Each
time Benchmark tailored the learning to
what my group needed based on our initial conversations. I think
of Benchmark as a ministry partner to our
church and it’s ministries.”
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Jeff Nichols, Executive Pastor
The Donelson Fellowship, Nashville, TN
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“I think one of the things that BENCHMARK does particularly
well is the advanced planning and research of
an event. With our Colorado trips, as with many of your events I
am sure, there is a wide variety of people,
personalities, and physical ability levels in the same mix. I really
appreciated how you catered the events to
as many people as possible and made different options for people
to choose from at the same event based
upon their personal abilities and preferences.
I also appreciated the fact that you would continue to challenge
everyone and push them some to conquer
their fears and meet their personal goals.”
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Kelly Clark Recreation Ministry Assistant Director
Crestwood Baptist Church, Louisville, KY
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“Don’t think that you are too inexperienced or
too “urban” to participate, and to benefit greatly from
a Bench-
mark ministry. What you don’t know but will grow to understand
is that being outdoors and active makes
you more alive. And being more alive allows you to understand the
Word in a way that you will never have
experienced it before.”
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Mark Bates, Louisville, KY
2008 Boundary Waters Paddle & Fish
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“I highly value the way Benchmark does an amazing job
at making students learn to think! Think about what
is going on around them, think about how they are reacting and why,
think about how they can work together,
think about what God is doing, think about how to process it all.”
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Joni Hubbard, Student Missions Coordinator
Free Will Baptist International Mission
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“Hiking on the AT with Benchmark has given me the confidence
to try other new and potentially challenging
things. God has called us to live richly and freely and sometimes
our daily grind can rob us of that. Getting
out in nature and experiencing His glory all around me has been
some of the best and closest moments I’ve
had with Christ in many years. Benchmark events are about so much
more than hiking or climbing!”
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Katrina Winchester, Nashville, TN
2007 Funding Hiker
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