Since 1962, the Navigators in Singapore have been advancing the Gospel and helping others do the same, impacting no less than 10,000 students and various individuals, estimates Jim Chew, one of our former national directors.

The goal has been to disciple these students, as they graduate, to become labourers for Jesus next door to everywhere.

Businessman Alex Lo is one of them. He was discipled by a Navigator student when he was at the Singapore Polytechnic. After graduation, he served in the military for seven years while continuing to minister to students at his alma mater.  He never lost the vision. Currently, Alex and wife Corinne are actively making disciples in their church and own business and personal contacts. He is also one of the key alumni who have been taking initiatives in encouraging the rest of the alumni to come together and press on with the calling.

Another Navigator alumnus, Henry, shared about meeting with his cell group member for a man-to-man time. Not knowing Henry’s background, this member asked, “Are you from the Navs? I know only Nav people give one-on-one time”. He then began thinking how to disciple his own girls at home.

Are you one of the 10,000 who would like to reach out the lost for Christ and train others as well, but need help and encouragement to do so? On 6 March 2010, a “Nav Alumni Gathering” will be held at YWCA (Fort Canning). The Navigators and the key alumni leaders hope to ignite passion and commitment among one another and also provide some practical on-going help, including disciplemaking trainings for those interested.

The Navigators hope to see this event kick off a faith venture of “seeing one hundred alumni not currently labouring, labour again wherever they are, within the next two years.”

(The “Nav Alumni Gathering” is open for all Navigator alumni. YWCA (Fort Canning), 3-5 pm, Saturday, 6 March 2010. For planning and catering purposes, please RSVP supra@navigators.org.sg or call Desmond at 63444133 x 103.)

In 1989 in response to God’s call, Doug left his full-time Navigator staff member status to enter law school. As a Navigator alumnus, he continued to labour during law school and as an attorney. Nine years of law practice later, he once again answered God’s call to join full-time Navigator staff and supervise various collegiate regions in the U.S., ultimately leading the Eastern and Central Divisions. His journey with the Lord has now led him to the shores of Singapore to direct the Singapore Navigators.

Whether as full-time staff member or as someone working in the marketplace, Doug’s passion to advance the Kingdom of God into the nations has kept him labouring and encouraging others to do the same.

Why Singapore?

I had always planned to come back to Asia with the Navigators after spending two years in Korea. Starting the ministry at Dartmouth was to be a stepping stone to China. After Dartmouth, plans to go to China were approved by Warren Myers, the leader of the Southeast Asia work, but the Lord led me to go to law school instead. A couple of years ago, I asked International President Mike Treneer if I could be a supervisor in Asia. He said, “I can’t place you there, but see if you can get invited over and renew relationships.” I didn’t know how to “get myself invited over”, but out of the blue the Korean Navigators invited Joyce and me over last summer. This led to Singapore extending an invitation to come to their staff conference, ultimately leading us to move to Asia. So leading and ministering as National Director in Singapore is the fulfillment of a life-long dream!

What is your dream/direction/goal?

That the Navigators Singapore lead the way in developing life-long labourers for the harvest in Singapore and around Asia.

What are some personal promises from God that you are claiming?

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.” Joshua 1:6 “ …and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:3b

Do you have a word of encouragement for the staff and labourers?

The Navigators Singapore have a rich tradition and wonderful strengths. I sense it is time now to build on that tradition and those strengths and boldly raise up multiple labourers for the harvest.

“I’m a youth worker in this strange land where the young people of this land communicate with a strange tribal language…I struggle how to connect, how to communicate that I care and only want to help.They seem hopeless and lost…But I decided to try and try again. Many times I feel like a fool…but I’m not giving up! My reward is that if even one of them is saved it’s worth the effort.”

A digital story by Oliver Kelly, staff member, The NavTeens

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Initially people thought I was working part time or being retrenched and I laughed over it.

At that same time, my company also informed the staff that due to the harsh economic crisis, there will be no promotions, no increment but a possible pay cut in salary. My heart was not disappointed, I know there’s a greater reward in serving, following, and working hard for God. 

Prov 14:4 says ‘Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.’ That period God blessed me in many areas. I came to know some students during those Thursdays that I took off from work and I was able to minister to them by serving them and sharing the word of God.

Around July last year, I was surprised to hear from my director and manager that they were going to promote one person despite their earlier announcement that there will be no promotion for the year. To my surprise, I was the one chosen for the promotion and also receive an increment in my salary!  I could not believe it because in the first half of 2009, I took a lot of annual leave either for NP Navigator Vacation Training Programmes or medical leave for my physio sessions due to my torn ligaments. I was surprised that working lesser days in the company ended up with an unexpected promotion. My wife was also surprised to hear that when I told her. Both of us laughed over it.

God has shown me that He will definitely not short-change any of his children when we serve Him wholeheartedly. - Alex Lim (not his real name), NP Navigator volunteer labourer

I recalled what I learnt from our study on Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Our Bible study leader shared with me how he experienced the truth of that verse when he gave some money to a brother who was in need, and how, to his surprise, he got back the money from God.

Maybe I could have the same experience too! So a month after I got the S$200 from my dad, I decided to give it to God by giving it to the Navigators.

When the semester started, a lecturer came to me and said I probably would receive a book prize award for the module she taught. I was nervous when I went in for the Book Prize Presentation Day because for the whole week I kept thinking about what prize I would get. I wondered whether it would sum up to what I gave to God.

I sat there restlessly, especially when the names of the top three students were announced. The third place was not me, nor was the second! The winner was – me! I got the most outstanding award for the whole academic year. My mind went completely blank. I was speechless. I was awarded three module book prizes and the cash prize summed up to S$250!

I was happy and excited, but also shocked. God granted my prayer – to experience the truth of his faithfulness as I gave to him. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

I gave and I reaped even more! The honour of getting the first place was amazing enough for me. I didn’t have much confidence that I could make it, but God encouraged my heart and helped me to give my best.

I praise God, not because I got more money or the award, but that God allowed me to experience his promises and his faithfulness. Through this, I grew in my faith and dare to commit to God the bigger things in my life.

My father surprised me with S$200. God surprised me even more! - By Nicholas Wong, Electrical Engineering, Year 2, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Navigators

Bishop Devasahayam of Church of South India (CSI) Madras, the largest denomination in South India, called 99 full-time ministers, principals and teachers of schools, evangelists, catechists, Bible women, lay preachers, youth and hostel wardens for a four-day Discipleship Training Conference last 15-18 October 2009.

Sensing the need for greater depth and leadership development, the Bishop sought help from the Navigators for the equipping of his pastors, evangelists and Bible teachers.

This conference has been twenty years in the making after a long history of relating and networking. Devasahayam, then a young seminary lecturer together with a handful of other young men sat under the tutelage of Job Jeyaraj ploughing faithfully through the Navigator discipleship training course. Later Devasahayam became the highly esteemed and loved Bishop of CSI.

Job Jeyaraj, the conference convener wrote: “God has done wonderful things… the Disciplemaking Conference was a mountain-top experience. God used Dr Jebaraj Samuel mightily. Royston Koh and his wife Jade (Singapore), Frank Tully (Boston) and Denny Repko (California) were the resource persons. The three books of the 2:7 series were the tools used. Frank Tully did an excellent job and Denny Repko was a great inspiration. Royston Koh was also equally contributing. The spirit of the Lord was moving and he was mightily at work.”

“This conference is one of the most effective conferences ever held. The Bishop extended invitation to the resource persons to come again to help. The participants have returned to their respective places full of enthusiasm to disciple men and women. The seeds have been sown and it is our prayer that they will sprout, get routed and grow and bear fruits. People have assured to water and keep the plant alive. It is our hope that God will bless the church with a very rich harvest.” - by Royston Koh, Church Discipleship Ministry, The Navigators, Singapore

The Navigators have a GPS as well… something that tells us how to get to where we want to go. It is our Calling:

To advance the Gospel of Jesus and his Kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of labourers living and discipling among the lost.

The three underlined words are of particular importance. 

Advance
The Navigators are not about maintaining the status quo. We are about advancing the Gospel and the Kingdom. Jesus is our role model. Knowing that traveling to Jerusalem would result in his certain death, he nevertheless “resolutely set out” for the city. (Luke 9:51)

David is also a wonderful model of advancement. When faced with an adversary three-metre-tall, covered with bronze armor and carrying a huge spear, David, “ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.” (1 Samuel 17:48)

Navigators “resolutely set out” and “run quickly to the battle.”

Labourers
The Navigators are not just about us reaching the lost and making disciples. We are about equipping others to reach the lost and make disciples.

About a year ago one of our staff women, Lee Yin, taught one of our polytechnic girls the 2 Timothy 2:2 principle of investing in a faithful few. The poly student began to pray for three younger pre-believing poly girls by name. Recently one of the younger girls called Lee Yin and asked if she could get together to talk bout faith issues. Lee Yin could easily have met with the younger girl alone, but instead quickly called the older student and arranged for the three of them to have lunch. At lunch the older girl led the younger girl to the Lord, and is now following her up.

Navigators help others reach and disciple others.

Lost
Labourers have one purpose…to work in the harvest… sowing,cultivating and reaping. (Matthew 9:37, 38)  This was Jesus’ purpose. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

The Navigators are not about one way of reaching the lost. We are constantly on the look out for what works best in any particular culture and at any particular time, recognising that sometimes several different methods work well.

Bottom line… we agree with C.S. Lewis who wrote, “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.”

Navigator are about labourers for the lost. - by Doug Erdmann, National Director

Thomas Chua completes his two terms (nine years) as national director in November 2009.

Sign up now for the Navteen’s annual training camp!
7 - 11 December 2009
Christ Church Secondary School
20 Woodlands Drive 17 Singapore 737924

“OMG (Only My God), Desire! is a camp that aims to help teens grow in their desire for God in two ways. First, by knowing how much God desires for us, and that we can and should respond in kind by loving God. Second, by learning how to deal with various temptations and things that the world has that distract us from God. Prayerfully, we hope that teens will learn how sustain their desire for God even after the camp itself is over.” - Cliffton Tay Xiang Rui

For more info, please visit The NavTeens or find them at Facebook.