How do you get thousands of college students rooted in Scripture and reading the Bible — all at the same time? For Dave Bachman, The Navigators City Director for Nashville, it came down to creating a challenge.
Several years ago, Dave’s friend did a 21-day challenge to read the entirety of the book of John with The Navigators at Penn State. Years later, Dave was considering his own ministry in Nashville, and he was talking with a pastor in the city about what it would look like to do a similar challenge there, inviting local colleges and churches to work together to reach students with the gospel.
“My friend got pretty fired up about doing it in Nashville,” Dave remembers. “But it was a big undertaking. Having another person excited about doing it was motivating, and it pushed the challenge from an idea that we might do one day to something we want to do right now.”
The idea was simple, yet effective: print 10,000 Gospel of John booklets and hand them out to students across all the college campuses in Nashville. Each interested student would receive two booklets — one for themselves and an extra copy to invite a non-believing friend to do the challenge with them. The student and their friend would read one chapter of John a day for 21 days, completing the book within a month.
“The challenge mobilizes Christians to reach their friends for Christ in a simple way, seeking those who are hungry and thirsty for the Word and can engage with Jesus through grabbing a tiny booklet,” Dave says.
Partnering with churches rooted in Scripture
Dave decided the perfect time to launch the challenge in Nashville was February 2024. However, to spread the word and distribute as many booklets as possible to the student community, he needed help.
Over 25 churches and ministry partners came out of the woodworks to join The Navigators, helping fund the purchase of the 10,000 booklets and share the challenge with their communities. Dave was surprised to find that many of the churches he worked with were already leading their congregations through the book of John or were preaching sermon series on courageously reaching friends for Christ. It felt like the Lord had already been preparing a way.
“We’ve always had a heart for partnering with churches and Christian organizations to do something evangelistically, whether that’s outreach oriented to campuses or a sense of stewardship between us and the larger body of Christ in the city,” Dave explains. “So when we connected the dots and worked together, it was a win for all these Christian ministries to partner over something that was focused on advancing the gospel.”
When the challenge officially kicked off, Dave was surprised with the response. Almost everyone that was invited to read the Bible said yes. “People had excitement and eagerness to jump in,” he says. “It stood out that, man, God’s on this.”
Softening student hearts for Christ
Almost all of the 10,000 copies were handed out, meaning that nearly 5,000 students and community members in Nashville were inspired and dedicated to read the Bible with a friend for 21 days. Throughout the challenge, Dave saw the Lord move in incredible ways as students formed relationships and doors were opened for non-believing students to take steps closer to Jesus.
One of these stories comes from two students named Dylan* and Kyle*. Dylan is a student with one of The Navigators campus ministries in Nashville, and he met Kyle on the bus going to the airport for Christmas break. Knowing about the upcoming challenge, Dylan invited Kyle — a stranger — to read the book of John with him. Kyle, curious about the Bible, said yes.
After doing the challenge together in February, Kyle felt drawn in by Scripture, though he was still hesitant to fully give his life to Christ. For spring break, he ended up joining a Navigators trip to Glen Eyrie, where he learned more about discipleship. “Throughout the trip, Kyle kept saying he felt so alive to be around our group and the conversations we were having,” Dave recalls. “We told him, ‘Kyle, that’s the Spirit of God among us.’”
After the trip, Dave met up with Kyle to share the Bridge to Life Illustration and gospel message. “I asked him, ‘Kyle, is there any reason why you wouldn’t pray to receive Christ?’” Dave says. “He said, ‘This is going to change everything for me, so I need to make sure I’m ready before I make this decision.’” Dave is still praying for Kyle to lay down his life for the Lord, but he sees so clearly how God is working in his heart.
“There’s something about the way that doors are opening that is highly relational,” Dave says. “We’re reading together, discussing together. Relationships with other disciplemakers are being established and strengthened, and they are being built for the next step in their journey.”
Looking ahead to the next challenge
As Dave looks back over the 21-day challenge, he is encouraged by the ways the Lord worked in the lives of students like Kyle and impacted the greater Nashville community. Looking ahead, Dave is envisioning replicating the challenge with a broader scope.
“We’re interested in doing this again in the fall of 2025, but reaching even more college students,” Dave says. “We’re praying and dreaming about ordering 25,000 copies of the Gospel of John. I think this is something that could be used really anywhere to mobilize believers.”
Join us in praying for The Navigators in Nashville, that the Lord would continue to bless their ministry on college campuses and in the community. Pray that students discover a heart for reading the Bible, discipling their friends, and growing Christ’s kingdom.
Discipleship Tip:
Through the 21-Day Challenge, thousands of students were inspired to not only read the Bible, but also invite non-believing friends to read with them. Sometimes, a simple invite like that can change someone’s life, like Kyle. Think through your networks and community — who could you ask to read the Bible with you?
A Life-Changing Encounter with the Gospel of John
In the 21-Day Challenge, students across Nashville were encouraged to read the book of John. Are you feeling inspired to also take up the challenge? Check out our resource, “A Life-Changing Encounter with the Gospel of John,” to read through the book yourself, guided with study prompts and reflection questions.
Now, you can join in this incredible movement!
With a gift of $25 or more, we’ll send you two copies of the same booklet that sparked change in Nashville – 21 Days in John. One copy is for you, the other is an invitation for a friend to join – just like the students in Nashville did. Let’s continue to spread the gospel, one relationship at a time.
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