a publication of
The
Navigators®
SPRING 2013
FELLO W SHIP
Building the Rich R e l at i o n s h i p s t h at Create Com m u nity
Being a “Trained Responder” Jerry Bridges Talks about True Community The Unseen Connections that Advance the Kingdom
fellowship
Why
Prayer
The Word
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TH
AN
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verses about fellowship, including Matthew Ask most followers of Jesus if they think fel18:20 and Hebrews 10:24,25 in The Topical lowship with other believers is important and Memory System. you’ll get a resounding affirmation. Many can In this issue of Disciple! longtime Navigator cite the familiar Scripture verses that exhort friend Walter Henrichsen explores the basis us to “consider how we may spur one another of our fellowship—the bedrock upon which on toward love and good deeds” and warn us our gathering together and encouraging of “not to give up meeting together, as some are one another rests: the person of Jesus Christ. in the habit of doing, but encouraging one And our interview with NavPress author, Jerry another—and all the more as you see the Day Bridges provides insight into the important approaching” (Hebrews 10:24,25). role that community plays in the life Does “meeting together” really T N of a disciple. matter that much? Is “spurring E CHR EDI I B S Fellowship revolves around one another on” all there is O the redemptive work of God in to biblical fellowship? How our lives. As we meet together important is fellowship in the and share the things that God life of someone who wants to Witnessing Christ Fellowship has done, we get a bigger picbe a disciple of Jesus? ture of God’s work. As we see Jesus Himself said, “By that bigger picture, we come to this all men will know that know Christ better. And as those you are my disciples, if you love IN A C TION around us see how we interact with one another” (John 13:35). Jesus one another, they recognize us as belongmade it pretty clear there was something ing to Him. They have the opportunity to see about how His followers were to relate to one redemptive behavior in action. They, too, see a another that would make it obvious to others bigger, clearer picture of Jesus—lived out in the that they belonged to Him. It wasn’t just that lives of those who follow Him. they were gathered together in one place. It For 80 years Navigators have purposed, wasn’t just that they shared a common creed “To Know Christ and to Make Him or set of philosophical beliefs. Jesus indicated Known.®” Living in fellowship—in biblical that it was the way they interacted—in love— community—plays a huge role in making that that would set them apart. happen. Our hope is that as you explore the Some 80 years ago The Navigators stressed topic of fellowship, the things you discover the importance of biblical fellowship—includwill help you to know Christ and make Him ing fellowship as a spoke in The Wheel illus® known as well. D! tration as a fundamental element in the life of a growing, obedient disciple. Navigators Dig Deeper at my.navigators.org/discipleresources also encourage memorization of key Scripture
TI
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esus made it pretty clear there was something about how His followers were to relate to one another that would make it obvious to others that they belonged to Him.
matters
Photograph by Sean Sheridan
FOLLOWING JESUS IN TODAY’S WORLD
FIELD NOTES Cultivating
W
Community
hen people ask me what makes someone a Navigator, I tell them I envision an everyday person living next door to people everywhere in such a way that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is advanced. These normal, everyday people live in such a way that they, “Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God . . .” (Philippians 2:15, msg). Navigators engage in community. They are “there” for others—laughing and crying with them and sharing their lives. They love people deeply. They genuinely care about the people around them. They are there for others—both those who believe and those who don’t yet believe. They share life with them through the highs and lows. They are available and involved. They reach out to the people around them because they love these people the way Jesus does. They value relationships with others. They understand that relationships are far more important than any tools or knowledge they might impart. They live out the words of Paul: “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (1 Thessalonians 2:8). They understand how to relate to others. They’ve developed “emotional IQ.” They know how to go beyond the surface and address the real issues of life. They live in a winsome way around other people, in partnership with Jesus. They help people help others. They help people internalize and apply biblical truth to life—and teach these people how to help others, cultivating lifelong communities. They engage in the Body of Christ in the work of Christ. They understand that they are part of the Body of Christ and they are engaged missionally with the rest of the body to advance God’s Kingdom. This is what leads to deep, rich fellowship with one another within the Body of Christ. May we create the kind of community that enables those around us to see Jesus among us. In His Grip, Doug Nuenke U.S. President, The Navigators Read more from Doug at blogs.navigators.org/DougNuenke/Blog
Unseen Connections So of ten, when we
he replied, “my advisor
think about fellowship
was a Christian, part
and community, we
of a house church and
think about those in
eager to speak dis-
our immediate vicin-
creetly about his faith.”
ity—and that’s a good
Fascinated, I asked
thing. It’s living, visible
him, “What attracted
evidence of the pres-
you to him?”
ence of God in our lives.
My friend replied,
It’s an opportunity for
“He was kind, humble
those around us to see Christian love in action.
[not common traits for such advisors], and
We are, however, part of a much larger
concerned about me. He started me thinking
community that we sometimes aren’t even
of Christianity as a real possibility.”
aware of. There are unseen connections that
The words of Ephesians 4:32 immediately
sometimes play a significant role in advancing
came to my mind: “Be kind and compassion-
the Kingdom of God.
ate to one another, forgiving each other, just as
Christians in the West, sometimes think
in Christ God forgave you.”
(consciously or subconsciously) that influ-
As I considered the intelligent, well-edu-
ences for the Gospel begin here and spread to
cated, accomplished man sitting before me—
the rest of the world. But that’s not always the
thinking in a second language that Jesus Christ
way it works. One of our staff members works
might be real because a humble believer in a
with international students at a university in the
closed country was willing to obey God—I
Midwest. Most of the students with whom he’s
smiled to myself, thinking, “It really works!”
engaged come from parts of the world where
“How little it takes,” I thought initially. Then
openly discussing spiritual ideas carries serious
considering what the advisor risked to obey
consequences. He recently related a conversa-
God, I refocused my conclusion: “God, give
tion he had with one of his international friends.
me the strength to do what it takes!”
The first time my friend and I met, we dis-
Please pray for the many believers in
cussed his interest in reading the Bible during
closed countries who have a quiet but signifi-
his stay here as a visiting scholar. I asked him
cant spiritual impact. They are an integral part
if any individual had influenced his interest. “My
of our community! D!
Ph.D. advisor,” he replied without hesitation. Muffling my surprise, I asked him if he meant his advisor in his home country. “Yes,”
For more information visit my.navigators.org/us/ministries/navmissions
my. n av i gato r s .o rg/ d i s c i pl e
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FOLLOWING JESUS IN TODAY’S WORLD
FIELD NOTES NOTES
Stone to Flesh: The Slow, Exciting Process of Transformation by Evan Griffin, Collegiate Ministry, University of Cincinnati The Gospel is about transformation— about God changing peoples’ character. It’s an exciting, mysterious process that sometimes seems excruciatingly slow—especially when you invest most of your time in the fast-paced lives of college students like those here at the University of Cincinnati. Maybe that’s why a particular passage from Ezekiel made such an impression on me recently: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh . . . (Ezekiel 36:26,27). A young man named “Nidal” had begun hanging around the students in our ministry in his freshman year. He was full of shame, anger, and cynicism, and he was hard to be around. Still, he hung out often with the Navigator kids on campus. Nonetheless, Nidal was distant— apparently numb to any attempts to break through his protective shell. Last fall, however, while attending our student conference, something happened. Using his own experience as an adoptive father, the speaker shared about how God wanted to adopt us as His own—to be our Daddy. Later, Nidal approached one of his Navigator friends, with tears rolling down his face and asked how he could make God his Daddy. It took three years for God to change Nidal’s heart—but what an amazing transformation! God’s transforming work, however, doesn’t stop when we come to faith in 4 | d i s c i pl e! | s pr i n g 2 013
Christ. I’d known “Stephanie” for three years as well. Even as she became increasingly involved in our ministry, I thought of her as kind of a “blunt instrument.” She was down-to-business, factual, driven—almost hard. I wondered to myself if she would even recognize a feeling if it smacked her in the face. Then I received an email from her in which she talked about being brokenhearted about several of her friends who didn’t know Jesus—or who weren’t living out their faith. I feel like God has been throwing people who aren’t following Jesus into my life since sophomore year. You told us about Jesus telling His disciples to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into His harvest. You cautioned us about asking that because God might choose us to be those workers. After being around some of my friends who don’t know Jesus, or aren’t walking with Him, I actually sat in public and started weeping! Two years ago I would never have let myself do such a thing. Now, I’m so saddened that friends I love don’t know the love of God and the sacrifice and love of Jesus, that it actually breaks my heart. I could tell you a hundred more stories just like these. God is transforming hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Sometimes it takes years— but the process is both humbling and exciting. And it’s why we keep doing what we’re doing! D! Navigators Evan and Kim Griffin have been ministering to students at the University of Cincinnati for almost 25 years.
knowi
J
by Lorne Sanny
ohn began his first epistle by reflecting on the fact that he had actually met the God of heaven and earth—the one who spoke and brought everything into existence, who flung the stars into space by a word, who breathed into man the breath of life. John had actually heard and seen and even touched him—the Creator God—in the form of Jesus Christ. What an incomprehensible experience! If something is precious to us, we are often naturally inclined to conceal it, jealously guarding it from others. You may have had the experience of conversing with someone who greatly stimulated your thoughts, and you resented others entering the conversation. But John said, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:3). To know God brings about sharing that knowledge with others. It is remarkable the fellowship that others have with the living God in no way detracts from our own relationship with Him. On the contrary, it enhances it. John said, “We write this to make our joy complete” (1 John 1:4). Note also from John’s words that Christian fellowship is both vertical and horizontal: with God—“Our fellowship is with
wing god the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (v. 3); and with each other—“that you also may have fellowship with us” (v.3). The second depends on the first. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete” (1 John 1:1–4). In later verses of this chapter we are given the basis for fellowship with God. The first prerequisite is deciding to obey Him. “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth” (1 John 1:6). To walk in the light is simply to walk in obedience to God’s truth—the Bible. To walk in darkness is to live in disobedience. The second prerequisite is forgiveness: “If we walk in the light . . . we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin” (1 John 1:7). To fellowship with the Holy God, we must be separated from our sins. Obedience is our responsibility. Forgiveness is God’s. These two prerequisites for our vertical fellowship also become the ingredients for our horizontal fellowship. I fellowship with other
the root of rich relationships
believers because together we are committed to God’s Word, and we have had the mutual experience of meeting God and being forgiven by Him. As disciples and disciplemakers, our calling, our ministry, and our message may be narrow and specialized. However, without losing sight of these, we must be careful not to be exclusive in our fellowship. It is a temptation, as we recruit faithful and able men and women as disciples, to eliminate the weak from our ranks. We can ill afford to yield to this temptation. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together points out, “The elimination of the weak is the death of the fellowship.” We say a chain is no stronger than its weakest link and a team no stronger than its weakest member. This is absurdly untrue when applied to the dynamic organism of the church of Jesus Christ. The New Testament reveals that the early Christians were often weak, unsophisticated, and in many cases problem-laden people who, chained together, proved to be indestructible. Of course, a disciple’s life and eager vision ought to set him apart. But the depth of his own commitment, and not intolerance of others’ weaknesses, should be the distinguishing factor. Our arms must be long enough and our hearts large enough to include in our fellowship all who seek entrance, allowing only a common allegiance to the Scriptures and a common experience of God’s forgiving grace to be the criteria. The Greek word for fellowship in 1 John 1, koinonia, has a rich, many-sided meaning. In Romans 15:26, Paul spoke of contributions
by Walter Henrichsen made by the Christians in Greece for the poor in Jerusalem, and the word for “contribution” is also koinonia. In the next verse the word is used in the sense of sharing—the Gentiles sharing in the spiritual blessings of the Jews, and the Jews sharing in the material blessings of the Gentiles. In Luke 5:10, James and John are described as fishing partners of Simon Peter. The word for “partners” is again this same Greek word. Fellowship is a close association, a relationship of involvement with each other. Finally, this partnership, this sharing, this contribution, this close relationship and communion mentioned in 1 John 1, is also an eternal fellowship. This is true because of the forgiveness in Jesus Christ which we share. We do not have fellowship with each other in the Body of Christ because of temporal matters such as shared vision or similar tastes or culture, or because the other person is mature and dynamic. We have fellowship with each other because we are from the same Body, washed in the same blood. In heaven we will fellowship with all of God’s people, irrespective of their background or ministry vision or particular convictions. Let it be so here on earth. D! Originally published in the January/February 1981 issue of Discipleship Journal. Used by permission of NavPress. my. n av i gato r s .o rg/ d i s c i pl e
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community
TRUE
A Conversation with Jerry Bridges
J
erry Bridges is a best-selling author and popular conference speaker. His most popular book, The Pursuit of Holiness, has sold more than one million copies. Jerry has served on the staff of The Navigators for more than 50 years, and currently works with the Collegiate ministry where he is involved in staff development and also serves as a speaker resource to the campus ministries.
When Jerry Bridges first wrote True Fellowship he focused much of his attention on the concept of koinonia—the Greek word usually translated as fellowship in English versions of the New Testament. One of the reasons was because he felt that for so many believers their understanding of fellowship had become so watered down that it didn’t convey much more than social interaction—having coffee and cookies in the fellowship hall after a church service. Years later, when he had the opportunity to review and update the book in its present form as True Community, he was pleased to note how much of the original content dealt with the intersecting ideas of fellowship and community. Disciple!: How do fellowship and community differ? Aren’t they kind of the same thing? Jerry Bridges: A community is essentially a group of individuals bound together by a common interest, need, or purpose. When we talk about biblical community, the thing that ties individuals together is that they are objectively in a community relationship with each other through their common union with Christ. Because they are in objective community relationship they should engage in the biblical idea of fellowship. That is what holds the community together.
D!: How do you think the kind of fellowship we often practice differs from the kind of fellowship the Bible talks about? Jerry: While fellowship is social, it’s much more than having coffee and cookies together after church. Biblical fellowship goes deeper. During my 50-plus years around The Navigators, “having fellowship” always included spending time together around the Word of God. A focus on the Scriptures is always an essential component of biblical fellowship. But it’s more than simply reading the Bible together or quoting verses to one another. It’s relational. It’s recognizing that we are bound together in a way that affects our actions toward one another. D!: What are the keys to having the kind of true, deep fellowship that results in strong, biblical community?
Jerry: It’s important to understand that koinonia is used in the New Testament to express four different but related dimensions of fellowship: community relationship, partnership, sharing spiritually with one another, and sharing material possessions. The first two are dimensions of koinonia that describe sharing together; the second two describe sharing with one another. It is because
Join the Community Are you looking for more out of fellowship than just coffee, cookies, and chitchat? In True Community, best-selling author Jerry Bridges explains biblical koinonia and its implications for today’s church. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this book will help you dig deeper into what Christian community 6 | d i s c i pl e! | s pr i n g 2 013
in the 21st century should look like. You will come away with a new appreciation for fellowship, the church, and what God intended the Body of Christ to be. Order True Community, download a free chapter, or get more information at my.navigators.org/truecommunity
nav update Look to the Rock From Which You Were Cut
we share together a common life in Christ that we are called to share with one another whatever we have, both spiritual and material resources. We can see an example of true fellowship and true community in action when we look at the biblical mandate to “share one another’s sufferings.” What that really means is that—because I belong to you and you belong to me—I make your suffering my suffering. And because of our shared suffering, I will do whatever I can to relieve your suffering. That’s what Paul was talking about when he wrote: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). D!: What are some of the hindrances to having true fellowship and developing true community? Jerry: One of the biggest challenges is that we have an individualistic mindset. We tend to think everything is about us. We pursue our individual spiritual growth. Even when the focus is on our church, our inclination is to focus on our church—rather than on the broader Body of Christ. When we do that, we miss out on both the privileges and the responsibilities that true fellowship and community represent. We live in an individualistic society. That’s at odds with a belief that your sufferings are my sufferings. Until we understand that what affects you affects me—and affects the rest of the Body of Christ—we’ll be limited in our fellowship and in our ability to experience community. D!
As The Navigators enters its 80th year of ministry, we are struck with both the rich heritage God has given us and with the rich promise of what He will yet do. God reminds us to remember our heritage:
however, goes back much farther than those Navigator sailors God scattered around the globe. It goes all the way back to Abraham and Sarah, and it reminds me of the way God takes small beginnings and multiplies them to bless the nations through the Gospel. God calls us to Look to the rock from which exercise the faith of Abraham and you were cut and to the Sarah in looking at our present cirquarry from which you were cumstances and to trust His promhewn; look to Abraham, your ises as, in each new generation, we father, and to Sarah, who lay the foundations of an ongoing gave you birth. When I called generational movement. Mike Treneer has served as the him he was only one man, international president of We do more, however, than and I blessed him and made The Navigators since 2004. simply look back at our heritage. him many (Isaiah 51:1,2). We look forward to what God will do in the future. We look for a supernatural moveWithin the Navigator heritage is a vital movement fueled by prevailing prayer. We anticipate a ment of the Gospel. After World War II many sailwork of God that is brought about through prayer. ors who were reached through The Navigators We look for a relational movement that flows during the war travelled the world as missionarthrough relational networks. Programs, events, and ies with other organizations such as Africa Inland meetings serve the movement, but at its heart it is Mission, Wycliffe, Sudan Interior Mission, Misabout life-to-life relationships. sionary Aviation Fellowship, and others. We look for an outward-looking movement that When I traveled in Nigeria in the 1970s, I often keeps the nations in its sights and carries us out of met older missionaries who were led to Christ our comfort zones to care about people from very and discipled by Navigators during the war. The different backgrounds. people continued to make disciples everywhere We look for spiritual generations of laborers— they went. To this day I meet Christian leaders all the steel thread that runs through this movement so over the world who tell me that they got their start that as it spreads and grows it results in workers for with The Navigators. the Kingdom next door to everywhere in community When I was in the island nation of Tonga after community, campus after campus, city after not long ago, I met a member of the Tongan city, and nation after nation. royal family whose life has been impacted by Remembering our spiritual heritage—the rock The Navigators. And on the opposite end from which we were cut—and looking forward to of the spectrum, I met men from what we believe God still wants to do are the Tonga’s maximum-security things that drive our thinking and prison who are in a Naviour actions as we continue, gator Bible study. “ To K n ow Chr ist and Navigator heritage, Make Him Known.” ® D! my. n av i gato r s .o rg/ d i s c i pl e
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Money Matters Four Ways to Build Savings by Matt Bell In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has (Proverbs 21:20). One of the most common New Year’s resolutions related to money is to save more. And that brings to mind a series of essays The New York Times ran offering various explanations for the generally poor job we Americans do with saving money. The writers blamed our poor saving performance on everything from the disappearance of defined benefits plans, to the irresistibility of new gadgets such as iPads, to the “fact” that “living beyond one’s means is a deeply ingrained American habit.” In short, they blamed everything except the individuals who weren’t saving. The good news is that it’s not impossible to save. Here are four suggestions to help you build savings.
❏ Make savings a priority. Set you priorities this way: Give a portion of all your income, then save or invest a portion, and then build your lifestyle on what remains. I’ve met people who’ve gone without Internet service to make this happen. Others went from two cars to one. You have to decide that giving and saving are higher priorities than spending.
❏ Make savings a habit. During the worst days of the recession
many people were ditching debt and building savings. But with the first hints that the economy was improving, debt increased, while savings decreased. This happens with stunning predictabil-
ity. Wouldn’t it be better if we always gave and saved or invested with the first dollars of our income and then spent on lifestyle?
❏ Make savings automatic. If we only have to decide to save once a month, it’s a lot easier to save. Why not decide right now to set up an automatic monthly transfer from your checking account to your savings account? ❏ Make savings emotional. Successful advertising makes an emo-
tional connection. I saw a billboard promoting a new Camaro that said, “You don’t park it, you display it.” Put that up against this slogan: “Put money in savings. It’s the right thing to do.” The Camaro ad speaks to the heart. The savings slogan speaks to no one. We need a compelling, emotionally charged reason to save. What if we connected savings to better health or better relationships (both of which have been demonstrated through research)? What if we knew in our hearts that putting $200 into savings each month would dial down the stress in our marriage? Add some joy? Wouldn’t that shine brighter than the latest musthave electronic item? D! Matt Bell is the associate editor at Sound Mind Investing and is also the author of three NavPress books. my.navigator.org/mattbell
part of the plan Financial “Spring Cleaning!”
W
hen it comes to the annual spring-cleaning of our houses, many of us do a pretty good job. But when it comes to cleaning up our financial houses, we sometimes find it a bit harder to do. Here’s a simple 10-point checklist to help you get started on putting your financial house in order.
A 10-P oint Checklist for Your Estate
gators have an Estate Planning Workbook that can help you draw up a will.
comatose, or in the event of a terminal injury, illness, or disease.
2. Do you have a Durable Power of Attorney?
4. Do you have an Estate Letter? An Estate Letter is a set of instructions for your personal representative that outlines your wishes with regard to how your estate should be administered. D!
A Durable Power of Attorney can help you avoid having a court-appointed legal custodian if you are incapacitated.
3. Do you have healthcare forms? The 1. Do you have a will? It is the final expression of your character and love for your family. It is one of the most important documents you will ever sign. The Navi-
8 | d i s c i pl e! | s pr i n g 2 013
Healthcare Proxy appoints another individual to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so. Also, a Living Will takes effect if you are
Please contact us at efp@navigators.org if you have any questions. Download the full 10-point checklist at my.navigators.org/estatetips
how the navigators
Ruined My Life By Jef f and Jess Clochesy,
Collegiate Ministry, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
When we received a card from Hannah, a recent graduate from the ministry here at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, we were a little surprised by the title of the journal entry included in the card: “How The Navigators Ruined My Life.” Somewhat stunned, we wondered what this college basketball player and political science major had on her mind. Here, in part, is what Hannah shared. When I began in college, I had a pretty great life: ambitious goals, a promising future, and a pretty clear identity. I planned to become a lawyer or a lobbyist because I wanted to help people. I also wanted to make money and be secure, so I wanted a career that would give me power and a good reputation. I felt secure about who I was: a good athlete, a good daughter and sister (most of the time). I was also confident I was a good person because I went to church almost every Sunday, taught Sunday school, and tried to be nice to people. Five years later, everything has changed, and I blame The Navigators for “ruining” my life. The main way they did that was by teaching me that it was never my life in the first place, and by pointing me to Jesus. As I was exposed to people from The Navigator ministry in college, I realized they had something I did not. They seemed happier, more joyful—and even nicer. I wanted to be like them, so I imitated whatever they did. It didn’t work. I didn’t feel any different. I was frustrated because my “perfect” plans and identity were not materializing. Eventually I decided that my only option was to get to know Jesus. I didn’t need to know what other people said about Jesus—I needed to know Him myself. When I did, He changed everything! My only goal and desire now is to get to know Jesus more and go wherever He takes me. What does that look like for me? I don’t define myself by my grades or my performance or by how my friends,
family, or strangers view me. It was so tiring to play several different roles in my life and keep all of them in check. Now, I let Jesus have the final say about who I am, and He says that I’m a treasured child of God and someone worth sacrificing everything for. I’m learning to be okay just being that, all of the time. Throughout this journey with Jesus so far, I’ve tried many times to take back the reins and feel in control of my life again. I’ve wavered in my belief that giving God control was really the best choice. But my Navigator friends kept encouraging me to lay my life down, reminding me that “whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it (Matthew 16:25). Those words wouldn’t have made any sense to me five years ago when I was so desperately clinging to my goals and my vision of a successful life. But The Navigators I’ve been around have helped me to see that Jesus’ version of life is more full and complete than I could ever have planned or dreamed it would be. I know transitioning to the next step in life will bring challenges, but I’m trusting God to provide fellowship wherever I go because He’s promised to meet all of my needs. I came to college with what I thought was a pretty good plan for my life—and it’s been completely shattered. So far, life with God has rocked my world, and I know now that God can use my life to do amazing things. I never would have changed my goals, motivations, or view of myself on my own. I know that it’s only possible through God’s power. Life as I once knew it has been utterly “ruined” because of Jesus. The Navigators played a huge role in that—and I couldn’t be more grateful. D!
I
was exposed to people from The Navigator ministry in college, I realized they had something I did not.
For more information about Navigator collegiate ministry check out www.campusnavs.org my. n av i gato r s .o rg/ d i s c i pl e
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responder?
A re You a Tr a ined
A
When we think about trained responders our
how God bridges that gap through Jesus. Brett
thoughts generally run to people such as EMTs
had drawn out that illustration many, many
painting, he was
(Emergency Medical Technicians). Their extensive
times. His training kicked in and he was able
reminded of another
training kicks in during emergency situations—
to communicate the truth of the Gospel to the
allowing them to deliver the right kind of care
artist—using the artist’s own painting. It wasn’t the
almost instinctively.
specific tool that was important, it was his training
s Brett studied the
illustration involving a bridge he’d learned during his Navigator training.
Navigators believe that there are some parallels in the life of a disciple. They train individuals in
that allowed him to respond to an opportunity provided by the Holy Spirit.
the disciplines of the Christian life so that when
That painting now hangs in Brett’s Colorado
an appropriate situation arises they, too, will be
Springs home. A short while later, a neighbor,
able to respond instinctively.
who doesn’t know Christ yet, was over for an open
Navigator Brett Clark knows what that’s like.
house and was looking at Brett’s painting. As they
He had befriended a man from Russia—a painter—
talked, Brett shared with him the two important
who wasn’t a believer in Christ. As the two men
points the artist had shared with him about the
looked at one of the artist’s paintings (entitled
painting. The neighbor replied, “That kind of goes
Across the Bridge, shown here),
along with your Navigator thing, doesn’t it?” Being
the painter told Brett that there
ready as a “trained responder,” Brett was able to
were two things he needed to
use the painting once again to share the truth of
understand about the painting.
the Gospel with his neighbor.
First, it is up to someone to make
The apostle Peter wrote, “but sanctify Christ
a decision to cross the bridge
as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to
themselves. Second, he explained,
make a defense to everyone who asks you to give
that no one can force anyone to
an account for the hope that is in you, yet with
cross the bridge.
gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). Are you
As Brett studied the painting,
trained as a spiritual “responder?” D!
he was reminded of another Across the Bridge was painted by Parshin Sergey Nikolaevich.
illustration involving a bridge he’d learned during
You can download a free copy of The Bridge to Life
his Navigator training. It’s used to illustrate the
illustration at my.navigators.org/bridgeillustration
separation between God and sinful men—and
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Resources for Today’s Disciple
When it comes to living out our faith, we all need a little extra help at times. Here are some resources to help you pursue a deeper walk with God.
books
bible studies
Communities of Grace by Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol Communities of grace open the door to gaining permission to share truth among fellow believers and the unbelieving world. This downloadable chapter from the book, The Kingdom Life, will help you discover the value this type of community offers and learn how to live in a place where you mature into the person God created you to be.
Brothers! Calling Men into Vital Relationships by Geoff Gorsuch Men need deep fellowship with other men. If you want to build accountable, lasting, growth-producing relationships, this Promise Keepers study guide is just what you’re looking for.
booklets Life-Giving Prayers for Your Church by Sandra Higley This easy-to-use prayer guide is filled with Bible-based prayers for your church. One pack contains 50 cards. Praying for your church is one simple way to make your church a community that nurtures both those within and outside its doors.
audio Fellowship by Jerry Bridges
In this 40-minute message, longtime Navigator staff member and best-selling NavPress author Jerry Bridges addresses the fact that we’ve lost the true meaning of fellowship. He talks about what the Bible means when it encourages us to have fellowship with one another.
Check out any of these resources at
Building Better Relationships by Susan Nikaido Better relationships lead to deeper fellowship and community. This Discipleship Journal Bible study offers a wealth of insight to help you develop deeper vulnerability, sensitivity, love, and loyalty in your relationships at work, home, or anywhere. Experiencing Community by Thom Corrigan Discover what it means to be a community of Christ-followers. Learn keys to building community and getting to know one another on a deeper level. This guide includes a seven-session Bible study and essentials for launching or renewing a successful small group.
my.navigators.org/discipleresources my. n av i gato r s .o rg/ d i s c i pl e
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Take it and Use It
No Unimportant Pieces:
D!2GO
A Visual Lesson About Fellowship
spring 2013 Ministry materials
One of the reasons we may struggle to enjoy true fellowship and genuine community is that we often don’t see how we’re connected. Sure, we may grasp the concept that we’re one in Christ, but in practical, day-to-day living we don’t see a lot of evidence of that fact.
ere’s a simple exercise you can try with your Sunday school class or small group Bible study that can give you a visual reminder of how we’re connected. Purchase a children’s jigsaw puzzle that has approximately the same number of pieces as you have group members. Mail one piece to each person, with instructions to bring that piece to the next meeting. When you get together, ask the group or class members to place their pieces into the puzzle. After everyone has had a chance to insert his or her piece, examine the puzzle together. Are all the pieces in place? This is a beautiful picture of the oneness of the Body of Christ. Each part contributes to the whole. Each part connects to the others and keeps them from slipping away.
to use on your own or in your small group
Feel free to copy this discussion guide for your own use or share with your small group. The page is set up to fit on letter-sized paper. Just place it face down at the edge of your copier. Or download a with the FREE PDF of this tool at my.navigators.org/d2go.
Then read the following passage: Just as a body has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:12–20). Are pieces missing? How does that affect the appearance—and function— of the puzzle? That’s a powerful illustration of how the Body of Christ is incomplete if each of us fails to use his or her gifts and to maintain fellowship with the rest. The picture becomes marred. Even the pieces that “showed up” may be isolated and unattached, making them more prone to fall out of the picture altogether. Whether your puzzle ends up fully assembled or woefully incomplete, you‘ve given your group members a fresh way to visualize their importance, even if they only feel like a small piece of God‘s puzzle. D! Adapted from No Unimportant Pieces, published in the March/April 2003 issue of Discipleship Journal. Used by permission of NavPress.
Copyright © 2013. Chief Development Officer: Jim Young; Donor Stewardship Director: Stephanie Rich; Editor: Mike Smith; Art Director: Anne Meskey Elhajoui; Memberships: Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and Evangelical Fellowship of Missions Agencies. The Navigators • P.O. Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934. www.navigators.org Feedback or Story Ideas? Email us at info@navigators.org. 12 | d i s c i pl e! | s pr i n g 2 013