Who We Are

Photo Gallery

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We see you checking us out, but hey we don’t mind, that’s what the pictures are here for! Here are just a few snapshots from events and life over the years.

Have fun scrolling through!

Our Core Values

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The passion to know, love, and become like Jesus Christ.  The truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures for the whole of life.  The transforming power of the Gospel.  The leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit.  Expectant faith and persevering prayer rooted in the promises of God.  The dignity and value of every person.  Love and grace expressed among us in community.  Families and relational networks in discipling the nations.  Interdependent relationships in the Body of Christ in advancing the Gospel.

Our Vision

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We see a vital movement of the Gospel, fueled by prevailing prayer, flowing freely through relational networks, and out into the nations. Workers for the Kingdom are next door to everywhere!  What characterizes this movement?

A heart for the whole person . . . climates of grace and compassion for the vulnerable and broken . . . sacrificial unity embracing diversity . . . cultural relevance and sensitivity . . . interdependence with others in the wider family of God . . . transformed men and women, fragrant with humility and the aroma of Christ.  They are marked by a deep engagement with and obedience to the Scriptures as the Word of God. They believe the promises of God. Both personally and in committed communities, they seek to know and pursue the purposes of God.  Laborers and leaders are emerging, with an increasing passion for Jesus Christ. They demonstrate faith and courage as they live and move among their friends and families. As spiritual parents, they model authenticity and relevance.  Ordinary people, in many walks of life, are joyfully leading integrated lives. They live as fruitful insiders among the lost. There is perseverance in the face of hardship and suffering. Around the world, many are coming to faith. As they become established in discipleship, some grow to be foundational for further generations. The Gospel spreads naturally and powerfully, as believers share Christ . . . life upon life . . . family to family.  Crossing cultures into new cities and nations, teams of mobile pioneers intentionally proclaim and embody the good news of Jesus Christ, in such a way that transformed communities multiply. These communities are bringing joy and hope to their surrounding environments as relationships are healed and justice increases. Indeed, the lost and unreached burn in their hearts, as they move the Gospel into the nations.  The leaders of this movement, developed and empowered for God's service, live out a growing commitment to Christlikeness. They are dependent upon the Holy Spirit. New generations of leaders are emerging, rooted incarnationally in their local and national contexts. An international leadership community brings focus, alignment, and energy to their movement. These leaders are clearly committed to long-term impact in generational ministry.

Our Beliefs

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That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life.

In one God, the Creator; eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

That Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and that He was and remains true God and true man.

That God created Adam and Eve in the divine image; that they sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God; and that, as a result of Adam's sin, all human beings are now born with a sinful nature and stand guilty before God.

That the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.

In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His present life there for us, as High Priest and Advocate.

In the blessed hope of the personal and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

That all who by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God.

That the Holy Spirit indwells and gives spiritual life to all believers, enables them to understand biblical truth, empowers them for godly living, and equips them for service and witness.

In the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.

Our History

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The ministry of The Navigators began in the 1930's through the call of God to a young Californian, Dawson Trotman. He began to teach high school students and local Sunday school classes. Then in 1933, he and his friends began to extend their work among sailors in the U.S. Navy.

Many hours were spent with individual sailors in Bible study, Scripture memorization and prayer with an emphasis on each teaching another what he had learned. By the end of World War II, thousands of men on ships and bases around the world were learning the principles of spiritual multiplication.

At the same time, the high school students whose lives Dawson had touched went on to reach out to others around them in Southern California. Today, nearly seventy years later, we minister not only in the military and with students on college campuses, but in the marketplace with businessmen and women, among homemakers, ethnic groups, international students, in countries around the world ... wherever there are people who need Christ.

The Navigator ministry has been at the University of Texas since the 1950s. As students began to minister to their friends the vision of reproducing your life grew and by the 1970s laborers were being raised up and sent out to all parts of the world. By the 1980s, The Navigators became a recognized student organization and has continued to see students impacted with a desire to know Christ and make Him known on campus, in this city, across the nation, and around the world.

For Parents

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As the parent of a college student, maybe you’ve experienced what relay runners feel as they make the all-important baton pass to their teammates.  Fear – “Will I make the pass successfully?” Sadness – “Wow, my part is done. Could I have done better?” Joy and Relief – “I did it! It’s their turn now.”  Like a coach, you’ve worked hard in training your children, preparing them for that time when you “hand them off” to the next level of maturity. And the “baton” pass is a critical component in assuring your child’s success through the race of life.

What will they find on campus? Maybe not what you’d typically think. Research expert George Barna, in an on-line report, states that 80 percent of today’s teens claim religious faith as very important. “Most teens are desperately striving to determine a valid and compelling purpose in life,” Barna concluded. “There exists an opportunity for the church and para-church organizations to position themselves as a place of valuable insight and assistance."

Three important dynamics of collegiate life: THE THREE R's

REAL RELATIONSHIPS:
 This generation of students desires genuine relationships. In small group Bible studies and one-to-one mentoring, students from every walk of life connect in life changing relationships. You will find students in the dorms and off campus, of various majors and backgrounds, of various involvements with activities and organizations who consider themselves part of the Navigator "family.”

REFRESHING RECREATION:

College just wouldn’t be college if it wasn’t filled with recreation. Having fun and making memories is a huge part of what we hope to provide students who join us during their college experience. From kayaking on Town Lake to trips into the Texas Hill Country, or from ultimate frisbee to camping, ski trips to tailgate parties , fun is most definitely on the menu.

RELIABLE AND RELEVANT LIFE PRINCIPLES:
 When it comes to church or God, students often ask "So what? What does that have to do with my life?" We seek to minister to students from the Bible about issues they are dealing with, from relationships to finances, priorities to character. Whether in small group Bible studies, large group meetings or at conferences, The Navigators meet students on their own turf to help them understand and apply the reliable, relevant Word of God.

PARENTS PERSPECTIVE:

"Our son, Tim, became involved his freshman year with an organization called 'Navigators.' Who were the 'Navigators'? An obvious concern was 'cults.' Was this one? In due time, all of our concerns were alleviated. We have spent time with many of Tim's Navigator friends, and we have yet to find one we didn't like and/or admire."
- Bob & Susie Bastian,
Former Member
Penn. House of Rep.

"Our son was a member of a Navigators group, and he benefited greatly from his relationship with the well-trained Nav staff members, who provided wise counsel in decision-making and often welcomed students into their home."
- Thomas and Carla Mockabee
VP and Publisher Bible Group
Zondervan Publishing Company

“My husband and I have been so pleased by our daughter's experience in Navigators at an Ivy League College. The weekly Navigator worship services, as well as the Christian friends she has met through these gatherings, have kept her Christian walk strong. We would recommend Navigators to any parent."

- Diane S. Pasno,
Executive Vice President
Focus on the Family

PERSPECTIVE OF CHURCH LEADERS:

"On a scale of one to ten, I place The Navigators as a 'ten' among parachurch ministries today. In my college days, The Navigators taught me the value of a disciplined life. In our Crusades, they developed the unsurpassed follow-up methods we use today. Thank God for the Navigators."

- Billy Graham

"Close enough to comfort or confront, to replace self with Christ. That's the stuff of which The Navigators are made. And that's the stuff that changed my life."
- Dr. Charles Swindoll

"The Navigators are doing a great service to all Christian denominations. My experience with The Navigators has been the finest - helping people begin a personal relationship with Christ."

- Father Duane Stenzel
Director
School of Evangelization