About Us > The Navigators

The Navigators is an international, interdenominational Christian organization committed to the making of disciples. Our purpose is "To know Christ and to make Him known".
Jesus Christ gave His followers the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, 20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. The primary aim of The Navigators is to help fulfill this Commission by making disciples and developing disciple makers in every nation.

A key indicator of our ministry is one-on-one relationships and small group Bible studies which focus on discipleship.

Reproducing the Christ-life in others is our passion. But we have no liberty to stop until they themselves are building deeply into others. We've set our sights on the third generation- those reached by the ones we disciple. (2Timothy 2:2)

Why? Because the transmission of the Gospel must continue. Each generation embodies the Gospel of hope in the midst of the daily chaos of spiritually directionless people. We see them as the good seed of the Kingdom, thriving where they are planted, nurtured by the truth of Scripture. One by one, people helping people ... and a nation is reached.

 

A global movement

• Served by 3882 staff of 62 nationalities working in 104 countries
• 30 of the 59 countries are in the 10/40 window almost a third of these staff minister outside their own culture and among a different ethnic people from their own.
• We work among 210 people groups using 161 languages.
• There are more than 405 mega cities of more than one million persons; our staffs are active in at least 146 of these.

 

What Binds Us Together?

• Our loyalty to CHRIST
• Our confidence in SCRIPTURE
• Our calling to DISCIPLE

 

What drives us?

• THE GOSPEL: A passion for those who do not know Christ (John 3:16)
• DEPTH OF DISCIPLESHIP: Our commitment to the third generation (2 Timothy 2:2)
• SPIRITUAL MULTIPLICATION: Helping the little one become a thousand (Isaiah 60:22)
• THE NATIONS: Building disciples in every culture (Matthew 28:18-20)
  

 

Our History

The Navigators began in 1933 when Dawson Trotman began teaching sailor Les Spencer the principles of Christian growth. They spent many hours together in Bible study, Scripture memorization and prayer. Gurney Harris, a shipmate of Les Spencer's asked him about the secret of his changed life. Les brought Gurney to Dawson Trotman and said, "Teach him what you taught me!" Dawson's answer, "You teach him!" was the birth of the Navigators.

Les accepted the challenge and he demonstrated the principle of spiritual multiplication by teaching Gurney everything that he had learned from Dawson. The foundational verse for The Navigators is 2 Timothy 2:2- "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others".

Today, over 70 years later, tens of thousands of individuals worldwide are being reached for Christ as the work of The Navigators has grown and borne fruit. A heart for individuals continues to motivate us to teach on a one-to-one basis and in small groups. The Navigators minister to students, working people, church members, and military people.

There are over 4,000 Navigator staff of over 60 nationalities ministering in over 100 countries. The Navigators international office is located in Colorado Springs, USA.