Alumni brothers visit
Twin brothers and Liberty University alumni David and Jason Benham came to Liberty Wednesday, Oct. 8, to discuss their careers in real estate and their perspective on being “missionaries in the marketplace.”
The Benham brothers began their day Wednesday by speaking during Convocation and spent the rest of their day speaking to multiple communications and business classes. They also did promotional radio and television spots for Liberty and participated in a question-and-answer session attended by 60 students later in the day, according to Director of Spiritual Programs Dan Bolton.
As David Benham spoke to the students in the question-and-answer session, he emphasized that students should commit their dreams and goals to the Lord just as it is stated in the Bible in Psalm 37:5 and Psalm 16:3.
David Benham answered the question “How do I get from the classroom seat to where ultimately I want to go?” by telling students about what he calls a “kingdom paradigm,” a model of how Christians should engage the culture.
“We need to penetrate every sphere of culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ … (and) the key (to that cultural open door) is excellence with what you are given to do,” David Benham said.
After 10 years of building their real estate business, Jason Benham explained that he and David Benham were contacted by HGTV to create a TV show originally scheduled to premiere this October.
“We built our business according to God’s principles, and that’s what attracted HGTV to us,” Jason Benham said.
The network canceled the TV show after the Benham brothers started to receive heavy criticism for statements that were viewed as anti-gay, according to CNN.
Jason Benham cited the canceled show, as well as the end of their baseball career, as of one of the many ups and downs the brothers have faced in their life.
“I learned (with baseball) what it felt like to let something go, to die to your dream,” Jason Benham said. “David had to go through the same thing. He quit (professional) baseball as well and ended up taking a position as a janitor at a local Christian school, so how about dem apples?”
After getting a few laughs from the crowd, the brothers talked about their first book, “Whatever the Cost: Facing your Fears, Dying to your Dreams, and Living Powerfully.”
“If you want to live powerfully, first you’ve got to face your fears and recognize that the greatest blessings in life come on the other side of your greatest fears,” Jason Benham said.
The brothers wrapped up their last session by praying and talking with students before leaving.
For more information on the Benham brothers, visit benhambrothers.com. Their book, which will be released Feb. 10, is available for preorder at amazon.com.
Weyant is a feature reporter.