The Navigators reaches and disciples people in need of the gospel where they work, live, worship, and play. In this sense, disciplemakers are “next door to everywhere” in our vision for ministry. Navigators Military ministry has been discipling and sending men and women next door to military locations all over the world since Dawson Trotman met his first sailor in the 1930s. The Navy is where The Navigators grew its roots. Because of the faithfulness of those sailors, generations of men and women have since gone to the ends of the earth!
Today men and women are being trained in all the military branches and are serving as active duty disciplemakers, faithfully following Jesus in every place our military is stationed. Some disciplemakers who have retired from the military choose to live near a military installation, offering their availability to reach and disciple active-duty troops and enjoy the benefits of access to the base.
Navigator Associate Rabi Singh is one such retiree. He became involved with The Navigators at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. During his time on active duty with the Army, Doug Cote (then an active duty disciplemaker) discipled him. Later, Navigator staff Cecil Bean trained him to make disciples. Throughout his entire 21-year military career, Rabi sought out Navigator mentors and younger men to pass on what he was learning in his walk with Christ.
After retirement, Rabi, his wife, and their four children moved to Jacksonville, Florida, near Naval Air Station Jax. Since then, he has been praying for faithful sailors to pass on what he has been taught. In addition to praying, he regularly scours the base, initiating conversations with those he comes across, looking for anyone who is curious about Jesus, wanting to grow in Jesus, or wanting to learn how to make disciples of Jesus.
Last summer, he met Isaac*, a Navy corpsman, who was interested in a Navigators Bible study in his barracks. A couple months later, Philip*, another corpsman, saw them studying the Bible and joined in. Ever since, Rabi has been intentionally building into these men, and others like them, through prayer, reading the Bible, living everyday Life-to-Life®—the rich disciplines that grow mature disciplemakers. They, in turn, are sharing the Good News with those around them and inviting others who are already believers to a Bible study that Rabi leads.
Recently, all three came to visit us in Savannah, Georgia. We enjoyed touring Savannah together. Even more so, we had a great time focusing on what it means to raise up the next generation, to be like Jesus, to ignite disciplemaking communities, and the Navigator role in this mission. Rabi shared his heart to see this Bible study develop into a disciplemaking community, where these sailors can meet other men and women who, like them, are being discipled and growing in the practice of making disciples.
Rabi is a great example of a local leader—a regular person, working a regular job while living out our shared vision of “making disciples next door to” the military.
Praise God for those who reach out to and disciple active-duty military personnel. Pray that generations of disciplemakers will have an eternal impact on those serving our country.
For more information on Navigators Military go to navigators.org/ministry/navigators-military
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) visual or content does not imply or constitute DOD endorsement.
I met Rabi at ROTC Advanced Camp, FT Bragg. We were in the same platoon. I was a young, immature Christian and he mentored and encouraged me. Also, hung out some at Navigator events while I was stationed at FT Knox. An example to me and others.
This is so very powerful. I pray for you Sheldon. An Army Chaplain that didn’t really know the Lord is really quite pitiful. Sheldon, don’t miss ANY of the Navigators devotional. They are absolutely wonderful and will help you with your continued growth. It has me.
I accepted Christ while serving in Panama with the Army in 1971 after a night of drugs. It was just the Lord and the Holy Spirit working through the word as I read a Bible that Sunday afternoon. The next day I went to see an Army Chaplain to help me understand what had happened in my life. Unfortunately he didn’t know the Lord himself and was no help at all. My spiritual growth was very slow due to not having any kind of Bible Study like Navigators available to me at the time. I Praise the Lord for his faithfulness but have to wonder how it might have been if I would have come in contact with someone from Navigators at that early point in my spiritual life. Thank you for how you are serving our military.
Iam pleased to hear that there are still opportunities in the military to share your faith without official interference. Praise God.
lord bless and anoint the disciple makerts with HOLY SPIRIT & Fire !! 🙂
In the late 1960’s the US Navy sent me to “A” school at the NAS and training command in Jacksonville, Florida. It was my first assignment after boot camp in San Diego CA. I was visited in the barracks by Mike Sumogi a First Class Petty Officer and instructor, serving in both the Navy and the Navigator ministry. He invited me to a Bible Study. I went. It was through him, and several other Navigator missionaries, I was led to confess my faith in Christ. I have many fond memories of that time. Then young men, now like me grown old serving Christ all over the world. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His faithfulness and mercy towards all of us and His continued blessing to the ministry of the Navigators today.
While stationed at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio ,Texas I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. I attended a small store front church and heard the Gospel and received Jesus. Then I was directed by the Lord to the Navigators Ministry. I am now in the ministry and have pastored for over 40 years.
II Corinthians 5:17 is so True. And those who take the time to disciple others is so Important.
How wonderful to learn that the Navigators have NO boundaries. Your faith and courage is what faith is all about. My husband, deceased, was so proud to be in the Navy many years ago. Looking back, it would have been such a blessing for him to have had access to the Navigator discipleship. I pray for you daily, and I know that God is smiling at you. NO boundaries simply means you are always going in the direction that He leads you. God bless each of you.
Great to hear of this taking place.