#11087
THE NAVIGATORS U.S. MILITARY MINISTRY
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
A Magazine for Military Laborers Around the World
PAID
PERMIT NO. 10 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
The Navigators U.S. Military Ministry Post Office Box 6000 Colorado Springs, CO 80934
A Magazine for Military Laborers Around the World
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1
Address Service Requested by Dave Mead, Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves (Ret); Director, U.S. Military Ministry
Movement 101
Preparing the Soil by Ken Norwood, Deputy Director of The Navigators Military Ministry Anything new requires preparation. In planting and gardening, we may visualize the fruit, but forget about the importance of the soil. We anticipate the harvest and miss that its bounty is dependent on the previous season’s preparation. Have we prepared our hearts, the very soil of our soul—for change, for relationship, for spiritual movement? Preparation is the hard work of the heart—the embracing of change, the uncertainty of the future, and the peace that comes in Ken Norwood waiting. What are you preparing? We are all experiencing either the hard work of preparing soil or the yield of our initial efforts. In either case, there is work, trust, and acceptance. In this inaugural re-launch of Frontline, we trust you will be encouraged in the preparation to which Christ is calling us. Our greatest action lies in the work of a prepared heart, open to a new season of planting and growth. Ken is married to his college sweetheart Meridith. They are the proud parents of three amazing sons. Ken loves people and coffee, and combining the two any time he can. The Navigators is an international evangelical Christian organization. Jesus Christ gave His followers the Great Commission to go and make disciples. The aim of The Navigators is to help fulfill that commission by multiplying laborers for Christ in every nation. Frontline is a quarterly publication of The Navigators U.S. Military Ministry. U.S. Military Ministry Director: Dave Mead. Editors: Cyndee Larson and Ken Norwood. Designer: Steve Learned. Copyright ©2011 by The Navigators, P.O. Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934. Send submissions, address changes, prayer requests, and questions to U.S. Military Office. Phone: (800) 955-4422.
Preparation is the hard work of the heart— the embracing of change, the uncertainty of the future, and the peace that comes in waiting. Scan this code with your smart phone to see a video about The Navigators U.S. Military Ministry or go to www.vimeo.com/navmilitary. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Read this issue of Frontline online at:
www.navigators.org/frontline
My first deployment was in September 1982 in the Sinai, Egypt. As a young Second Lieutenant, I led a platoon to help keep the peace between Israel and Egypt. That was my military mission; my life mission was to live and share Jesus. God used my military mission to embed two life lessons. We divided the platoon into three elements of 15 men occupying the top three northern outposts next to the Gulf of Aqaba. Every week I rotated to another outpost. During the second month of our mission, I decided to intentionally share the Gospel with the platoon. In the next six weeks, I shared the Bridge Illustration with 34 men, and of those, 13 prayed to accept Christ! My friend (and future bride) Melo Bush sent Bibles and studies to follow up these new communities of believers. The Holy Spirit was on the move in my platoon! And here’s the rest of the story . . . when we returned to Fort Campbell, only one of the 13 came to Bible study. What happened to the other 12? The temptations of the soul and the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life thwarted the fruit of maturity (Luke 8:13-14). First Life Lesson: Be faithful to sow the Word of God broadly, realizing only a few will hear with an honest and good heart, hold fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15). Laborers will always be few. So what happened to the faithful one? I don’t know. My limited philosophy was, “he’s got the Holy Spirit, gets in the Word, and he knows he’s going to heaven, so no problem.” Additionally, I was ministering to others who were growing and interested in laboring.
Second Life Lesson: What we do is relational. Relationships last a lifetime. To see spiritual generations, I need to be committed to my friends for life. I see movement through two different lenses. One is to be sensitive and agile Dave Mead enough to follow the Holy Spirit. The second is to be mobile, to flow and follow our friends. We need a vibrant and authentic relationship with God, following Jesus regardless of our work. Movements are initiated, empowered, and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Is there anything hindering our relationship with God? Are we able to move with the Holy Spirit? We also must have space and support to connect and follow our friends as they move to other installations or into the rest of life (outside the military). Over the last 30 years of laboring, Melo and I realize that we’ve had a number of significant “Kingdom” touches from men and women investing in our lives. As Navigator staff, we’ve seen our friends grow to become fruitful laborers though multiple relationships and involvement in Kingdom communities. Here’s our challenge, the one thing that I didn’t understand for many years—we need to connect our friends well to others who live out the passion of our Calling. And if that’s not possible, we must continue walking with them within their environment. We need to be “mobile alongsiders,” helping our “insider” friends walk with Jesus and labor in the Kingdom within their context—not ours. We are shifting from a staff-centric ministry to a laborercentric movement. For that to happen, laborers will need space (freedom) and support (relationally) to engage and live out our Calling. Are we mobile enough to follow our friends? In Genesis 12:1 the Lord said to Abram, Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you. It’s notable that the blessing and promise follow the command to move out. It’s time for us to deploy and move out! As we journey together into a movement focus, we want to share stories about how God is working as we come alongside others in their everyday lives. I trust you will be encouraged as you read the ministry stories in this inaugural edition of Frontline. Dave and Melo Mead have lived in Colorado Springs since 2009. A little known fact is Dave was captain of his high school chess team. Please tweet Dave @davemeadtweets.
Moving the Gospel at the Pentagon
Military Staff Assistance Fund No amount of planning can prepare you for the unexpected financial crisis. With your financial gift, we can help ease the burden for military field staff in need. Please give to our Military Field Staff Assistance Fund #22390553.
by Bill Veilleux
This first thing I noticed about Harvey was the 1000-hour patch displayed prominently on the left shoulder of his green bagger suit. As Bill Veilleux a career Air Force officer, he had logged that many flight hours in an F-16 fighter—no small feat! I asked him if that was the most defining accomplishment of his career. Harvey’s most memorable stories from the three commands he had the privilege of serving during his 30-year career related to opportunities to come alongside the young men and women serving with him. As a follower of Christ, he saw the Air Force as his vehicle and community to live out his faith. Every Wednesday I journey to the Pentagon to encourage men like Harvey, as well as Department of Defense civilians and defense contractors. My desire is to help them view their work as God’s ministry for them. I have been challenged by a small book, Work: The Meaning of Your Life by Lester DeKoster, who has a refreshing definition of work: “Work connects us with people and gives us opportunity for relationships allowing us to come alongside others and help them discover who Jesus is and learn to follow Him.” This is happening throughout the Pentagon behind closed doors. Bill Veilleux serves on the Military Leadership Team as Movement Influencer. He and Mary focus on being “alongsiders” in the DC area, advancing the Gospel among their friends and helping others do the same.
Donate online at
Rabi Singh (far right) uses pizza in building long-term relationships that lead to Jesus.
Jesus and Pizza by Major Rabi Singh, Adjutant General, US Army OIC, Combined Action Team Last year, two other Christians in the brigade mentioned the idea of starting a Bible study in the unit area during the work week. I told them I was not interested in another Bible study for Christians, but rather, an outreach for nonbelievers. Thus it began. None of us really planned this . . . it just happened. We meet at the chapel down the street from the brigade headquarters. We began with the Gospel of John focusing on Jesus—the nonbelievers’ real need. A volunteer reads a few verses, and people comment or ask questions. At times we get whack responses, but we roll with it. We coach the believers not to give answers but to ask questions. As soon as someone is deemed an “expert,” people stop talking. They need to sense that everyone is an equal. We pay for pizza so that no one has to bring their own lunch, and they don’t have an excuse not to come. The chaplains officially sponsor the event but don’t come to the study. The one time a chaplain came (unannounced), people were reluctant to talk, because the “expert” was there. We have noticed that people come when we pray for them to come. Recently, we prayed for a specific nonbeliever to come. No one showed up at first, and then the guy we prayed for came the last few minutes just to grab food and go back to work. Along with praying, believers need to invite their co-workers. Everyone who has come has been the result of the believer developing a good 1 Pepperoni = “work” relationship and extending an invitation. We do not have huge success stories with lots of new 5 Gospel Presentations believers, but that is not our purpose. Most people have a limited view of evangelism, which often only involves reaping, such as sharing the Bridge or the Four Laws, designed for someone whom Jesus has prepared to make a decision in the next ten minutes. And when reaping, the evangelist typically shares with many people in many different places. What we are doing is sowing and cultivating, planting seeds and continuing to water the ones that are there. And the people we invite are those whom we work with for a one to three-year period. Our “successes” have been less dramatic—a guy fully understanding that Jesus claimed to be God, or the realization that he will be judged in the afterlife. So like a patient farmer who keeps working even though he gets no fruit at the end of the day, we visualize the nonbelievers following Jesus years from now. A survey from years ago indicated that the average believer heard the Gospel 25 times before repenting. So we are aiming to decrease that number of exposures for each nonbeliever. In other words, we like to think of the Bible like radiation. One x-ray won’t kill you—but a million will! We are trusting that continual exposure to God’s Word will not be in vain. Rabi Singh is stationed at Fort Drum, New York. He and Carol have served as Nav Associates since 1997.
www.navigators.mfsaf.
Growing New Life through a Shepherd’s Heart by Julie Carlin I met Danielle at our annual Southwest Discipleship Conference. She was in a workshop I was leading, and she captured my heart right away with her vulnerability and strong spirit. We started meeting a couple weeks later to talk about her painful past and her journey with Christ. Having had deep hurts of my own, I could appreciate her questions and struggles, and I just wanted to let her know how much God loves her. Danielle deployed a few months later, but we kept in touch through Julie Carlin Facebook and email. She started a small Bible study with other airmen at the forward operating base where she was. When Danielle returned to the States, she shared that God had really been pursuing her, but she spent the last part of her deployment running from God! I could see her really struggling, and when we parted ways, it was one of the few times that I have cried over whether or not someone would make it with God. She made it through that night and is growing every day. What makes this story of discipleship unique? As Danielle grows in her relationship with God, she is having an impact on the people in her life, because she has chosen to live out her journey with God right in front of the people she has established relationships with. She, like all if us, is the Gospel, and it moves with her everywhere she goes. I want her to keep living and laboring among the lost people in her life, so they too can experience the same God that loves her! Julie and Paul Carlin, U.S. Military Ministry Mission Staff, live in Tucson, Arizona with their two sons Josh and Luke. They minister in their local community and throughout the USMM.
Resource Spotlight Laboring in the Harvest—$10.99 By LeRoy Eims with Randy Eims In this updated version, LeRoy and Randy define a laborer as one who is equipped to reach the lost and edify the saved. Their words offer a job description for laborers, outline the training needed for laboring, and describe the spiritual tools a laborer needs in Christ’s harvest. More Than Ordinary—$14.99 By Doug Sherman Discover an ever-expanding view of God, think big thoughts of Him every day, and see more of His power and love for you in your circumstances. More Than Ordinary offers a framework for thinking about God to last a lifetime. This book shows that the goal is not a spiritual to-do list; it is to respond to God a little more each day. Order from NavPress at www.navpress.com or (800) 366-7788.
Kevin observed that one question can draw many to talk about Jesus.
Fruitful Conversations at Lejeune by Jon Martin Kevin was a Marine living in the barracks, somewhat inexperienced in initiating spiritual discussion with his peers. Recently I accompanied him into the barracks on base. We met a guy we didn’t know, and I initiated conversation—“So what’s your spiritual background?” That one question led to great dialogue with other Marines gathering around. Soon there was a group of young guys around them talking and asking questions about Jesus. We don’t know exactly what happened in the hearts of these guys. But fruit that will remain happened in Kevin’s heart as he observed and was a part of a Kingdom conversation with guys who didn’t know the real Jesus—a possibility he never knew was so easy to initiate himself. Kevin deployed in July to lead his men in Afghanistan, so needs prayer for the Lord’s protection and salvation for his men, as well as leadership ability for himself, as Machine Gun Squad Leader. Jon and Cherie Martin have been ministering together to Marines at Camp Lejeune since 2004 and are the proud parents of Silas, Cody, and Jade.
Moving the Gospel at the Pentagon
Military Staff Assistance Fund No amount of planning can prepare you for the unexpected financial crisis. With your financial gift, we can help ease the burden for military field staff in need. Please give to our Military Field Staff Assistance Fund #22390553.
by Bill Veilleux
This first thing I noticed about Harvey was the 1000-hour patch displayed prominently on the left shoulder of his green bagger suit. As Bill Veilleux a career Air Force officer, he had logged that many flight hours in an F-16 fighter—no small feat! I asked him if that was the most defining accomplishment of his career. Harvey’s most memorable stories from the three commands he had the privilege of serving during his 30-year career related to opportunities to come alongside the young men and women serving with him. As a follower of Christ, he saw the Air Force as his vehicle and community to live out his faith. Every Wednesday I journey to the Pentagon to encourage men like Harvey, as well as Department of Defense civilians and defense contractors. My desire is to help them view their work as God’s ministry for them. I have been challenged by a small book, Work: The Meaning of Your Life by Lester DeKoster, who has a refreshing definition of work: “Work connects us with people and gives us opportunity for relationships allowing us to come alongside others and help them discover who Jesus is and learn to follow Him.” This is happening throughout the Pentagon behind closed doors. Bill Veilleux serves on the Military Leadership Team as Movement Influencer. He and Mary focus on being “alongsiders” in the DC area, advancing the Gospel among their friends and helping others do the same.
Donate online at
Rabi Singh (far right) uses pizza in building long-term relationships that lead to Jesus.
Jesus and Pizza by Major Rabi Singh, Adjutant General, US Army OIC, Combined Action Team Last year, two other Christians in the brigade mentioned the idea of starting a Bible study in the unit area during the work week. I told them I was not interested in another Bible study for Christians, but rather, an outreach for nonbelievers. Thus it began. None of us really planned this . . . it just happened. We meet at the chapel down the street from the brigade headquarters. We began with the Gospel of John focusing on Jesus—the nonbelievers’ real need. A volunteer reads a few verses, and people comment or ask questions. At times we get whack responses, but we roll with it. We coach the believers not to give answers but to ask questions. As soon as someone is deemed an “expert,” people stop talking. They need to sense that everyone is an equal. We pay for pizza so that no one has to bring their own lunch, and they don’t have an excuse not to come. The chaplains officially sponsor the event but don’t come to the study. The one time a chaplain came (unannounced), people were reluctant to talk, because the “expert” was there. We have noticed that people come when we pray for them to come. Recently, we prayed for a specific nonbeliever to come. No one showed up at first, and then the guy we prayed for came the last few minutes just to grab food and go back to work. Along with praying, believers need to invite their co-workers. Everyone who has come has been the result of the believer developing a good 1 Pepperoni = “work” relationship and extending an invitation. We do not have huge success stories with lots of new 5 Gospel Presentations believers, but that is not our purpose. Most people have a limited view of evangelism, which often only involves reaping, such as sharing the Bridge or the Four Laws, designed for someone whom Jesus has prepared to make a decision in the next ten minutes. And when reaping, the evangelist typically shares with many people in many different places. What we are doing is sowing and cultivating, planting seeds and continuing to water the ones that are there. And the people we invite are those whom we work with for a one to three-year period. Our “successes” have been less dramatic—a guy fully understanding that Jesus claimed to be God, or the realization that he will be judged in the afterlife. So like a patient farmer who keeps working even though he gets no fruit at the end of the day, we visualize the nonbelievers following Jesus years from now. A survey from years ago indicated that the average believer heard the Gospel 25 times before repenting. So we are aiming to decrease that number of exposures for each nonbeliever. In other words, we like to think of the Bible like radiation. One x-ray won’t kill you—but a million will! We are trusting that continual exposure to God’s Word will not be in vain. Rabi Singh is stationed at Fort Drum, New York. He and Carol have served as Nav Associates since 1997.
www.navigators.mfsaf.
Growing New Life through a Shepherd’s Heart by Julie Carlin I met Danielle at our annual Southwest Discipleship Conference. She was in a workshop I was leading, and she captured my heart right away with her vulnerability and strong spirit. We started meeting a couple weeks later to talk about her painful past and her journey with Christ. Having had deep hurts of my own, I could appreciate her questions and struggles, and I just wanted to let her know how much God loves her. Danielle deployed a few months later, but we kept in touch through Julie Carlin Facebook and email. She started a small Bible study with other airmen at the forward operating base where she was. When Danielle returned to the States, she shared that God had really been pursuing her, but she spent the last part of her deployment running from God! I could see her really struggling, and when we parted ways, it was one of the few times that I have cried over whether or not someone would make it with God. She made it through that night and is growing every day. What makes this story of discipleship unique? As Danielle grows in her relationship with God, she is having an impact on the people in her life, because she has chosen to live out her journey with God right in front of the people she has established relationships with. She, like all if us, is the Gospel, and it moves with her everywhere she goes. I want her to keep living and laboring among the lost people in her life, so they too can experience the same God that loves her! Julie and Paul Carlin, U.S. Military Ministry Mission Staff, live in Tucson, Arizona with their two sons Josh and Luke. They minister in their local community and throughout the USMM.
Resource Spotlight Laboring in the Harvest—$10.99 By LeRoy Eims with Randy Eims In this updated version, LeRoy and Randy define a laborer as one who is equipped to reach the lost and edify the saved. Their words offer a job description for laborers, outline the training needed for laboring, and describe the spiritual tools a laborer needs in Christ’s harvest. More Than Ordinary—$14.99 By Doug Sherman Discover an ever-expanding view of God, think big thoughts of Him every day, and see more of His power and love for you in your circumstances. More Than Ordinary offers a framework for thinking about God to last a lifetime. This book shows that the goal is not a spiritual to-do list; it is to respond to God a little more each day. Order from NavPress at www.navpress.com or (800) 366-7788.
Kevin observed that one question can draw many to talk about Jesus.
Fruitful Conversations at Lejeune by Jon Martin Kevin was a Marine living in the barracks, somewhat inexperienced in initiating spiritual discussion with his peers. Recently I accompanied him into the barracks on base. We met a guy we didn’t know, and I initiated conversation—“So what’s your spiritual background?” That one question led to great dialogue with other Marines gathering around. Soon there was a group of young guys around them talking and asking questions about Jesus. We don’t know exactly what happened in the hearts of these guys. But fruit that will remain happened in Kevin’s heart as he observed and was a part of a Kingdom conversation with guys who didn’t know the real Jesus—a possibility he never knew was so easy to initiate himself. Kevin deployed in July to lead his men in Afghanistan, so needs prayer for the Lord’s protection and salvation for his men, as well as leadership ability for himself, as Machine Gun Squad Leader. Jon and Cherie Martin have been ministering together to Marines at Camp Lejeune since 2004 and are the proud parents of Silas, Cody, and Jade.
#11087
THE NAVIGATORS U.S. MILITARY MINISTRY
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
A Magazine for Military Laborers Around the World
PAID
PERMIT NO. 10 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
The Navigators U.S. Military Ministry Post Office Box 6000 Colorado Springs, CO 80934
A Magazine for Military Laborers Around the World
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1
Address Service Requested by Dave Mead, Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves (Ret); Director, U.S. Military Ministry
Movement 101
Preparing the Soil by Ken Norwood, Deputy Director of The Navigators Military Ministry Anything new requires preparation. In planting and gardening, we may visualize the fruit, but forget about the importance of the soil. We anticipate the harvest and miss that its bounty is dependent on the previous season’s preparation. Have we prepared our hearts, the very soil of our soul—for change, for relationship, for spiritual movement? Preparation is the hard work of the heart—the embracing of change, the uncertainty of the future, and the peace that comes in Ken Norwood waiting. What are you preparing? We are all experiencing either the hard work of preparing soil or the yield of our initial efforts. In either case, there is work, trust, and acceptance. In this inaugural re-launch of Frontline, we trust you will be encouraged in the preparation to which Christ is calling us. Our greatest action lies in the work of a prepared heart, open to a new season of planting and growth. Ken is married to his college sweetheart Meridith. They are the proud parents of three amazing sons. Ken loves people and coffee, and combining the two any time he can. The Navigators is an international evangelical Christian organization. Jesus Christ gave His followers the Great Commission to go and make disciples. The aim of The Navigators is to help fulfill that commission by multiplying laborers for Christ in every nation. Frontline is a quarterly publication of The Navigators U.S. Military Ministry. U.S. Military Ministry Director: Dave Mead. Editors: Cyndee Larson and Ken Norwood. Designer: Steve Learned. Copyright ©2011 by The Navigators, P.O. Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934. Send submissions, address changes, prayer requests, and questions to U.S. Military Office. Phone: (800) 955-4422.
Preparation is the hard work of the heart— the embracing of change, the uncertainty of the future, and the peace that comes in waiting. Scan this code with your smart phone to see a video about The Navigators U.S. Military Ministry or go to www.vimeo.com/navmilitary. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Read this issue of Frontline online at:
www.navigators.org/frontline
My first deployment was in September 1982 in the Sinai, Egypt. As a young Second Lieutenant, I led a platoon to help keep the peace between Israel and Egypt. That was my military mission; my life mission was to live and share Jesus. God used my military mission to embed two life lessons. We divided the platoon into three elements of 15 men occupying the top three northern outposts next to the Gulf of Aqaba. Every week I rotated to another outpost. During the second month of our mission, I decided to intentionally share the Gospel with the platoon. In the next six weeks, I shared the Bridge Illustration with 34 men, and of those, 13 prayed to accept Christ! My friend (and future bride) Melo Bush sent Bibles and studies to follow up these new communities of believers. The Holy Spirit was on the move in my platoon! And here’s the rest of the story . . . when we returned to Fort Campbell, only one of the 13 came to Bible study. What happened to the other 12? The temptations of the soul and the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life thwarted the fruit of maturity (Luke 8:13-14). First Life Lesson: Be faithful to sow the Word of God broadly, realizing only a few will hear with an honest and good heart, hold fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15). Laborers will always be few. So what happened to the faithful one? I don’t know. My limited philosophy was, “he’s got the Holy Spirit, gets in the Word, and he knows he’s going to heaven, so no problem.” Additionally, I was ministering to others who were growing and interested in laboring.
Second Life Lesson: What we do is relational. Relationships last a lifetime. To see spiritual generations, I need to be committed to my friends for life. I see movement through two different lenses. One is to be sensitive and agile Dave Mead enough to follow the Holy Spirit. The second is to be mobile, to flow and follow our friends. We need a vibrant and authentic relationship with God, following Jesus regardless of our work. Movements are initiated, empowered, and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Is there anything hindering our relationship with God? Are we able to move with the Holy Spirit? We also must have space and support to connect and follow our friends as they move to other installations or into the rest of life (outside the military). Over the last 30 years of laboring, Melo and I realize that we’ve had a number of significant “Kingdom” touches from men and women investing in our lives. As Navigator staff, we’ve seen our friends grow to become fruitful laborers though multiple relationships and involvement in Kingdom communities. Here’s our challenge, the one thing that I didn’t understand for many years—we need to connect our friends well to others who live out the passion of our Calling. And if that’s not possible, we must continue walking with them within their environment. We need to be “mobile alongsiders,” helping our “insider” friends walk with Jesus and labor in the Kingdom within their context—not ours. We are shifting from a staff-centric ministry to a laborercentric movement. For that to happen, laborers will need space (freedom) and support (relationally) to engage and live out our Calling. Are we mobile enough to follow our friends? In Genesis 12:1 the Lord said to Abram, Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you. It’s notable that the blessing and promise follow the command to move out. It’s time for us to deploy and move out! As we journey together into a movement focus, we want to share stories about how God is working as we come alongside others in their everyday lives. I trust you will be encouraged as you read the ministry stories in this inaugural edition of Frontline. Dave and Melo Mead have lived in Colorado Springs since 2009. A little known fact is Dave was captain of his high school chess team. Please tweet Dave @davemeadtweets.