A five-day, onsite visit is designed to help an existing church celebrate its strengths and strengthen areas of weakness. During that visit, the Bensons come alongside the pastor in a strategic partnership. Surveys, questionnaires, interview formats, and diagnostic tools are tailored to the church. A series of interviews are conducted with a variety of leaders and lay members chosen by the pastor with a focus on discovering their view of the strengths and weaknesses of the church. The bulk of the time, however, is spent in intensive meetings with the pastor and spouse. A confidential, comprehensive report and interview summary with proposed strategy and recommendations are presented to the pastor after the onsite visit.

Most pastors receiving the Five-Day Onsite Evaluation elect to continue the coaching relationship over the following 12-month period in order to maximize development potential. The recommendations are often extensive and provide a pathway to healthy advancement over a period of at least a year or more.

Implementing change can often be sensitive and merits ongoing coaching. Wisdom and experience can help provide the energy and strategy for change. Many pastors elect to continue the coaching relationship well beyond this first year. Some pastors request the coaching relationship as a stand-alone ministry, apart from the onsite evaluation.