The glow of thousands of faces lights up the room, a powerful testament to the spread of the gospel from generation to generation. 

This was one of the many special moments from The Navigators 2023 National Staff Gathering.

Last month, over 1,300 Navigator staff came together in Irving, Texas. The theme of the weekend was Heartbeat: A Vital Movement of the Gospel, focusing on 2 Timothy 2:1-2: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (NIV).

The gathering held five plenary sessions, which were designed to inspire, uplift, and challenge staff attendees to continue the work to which they’ve been called. Staff heard insights on the Lord’s vision for grace, necessary aspects of prayer, and how He works through each and every one of us to reach the nations and spread His mission.  

Staff members also enjoyed times of fun and laughter, along with encouraging ministry stories from new and old friends, breakouts to equip and multiply disciplemakers, precious times of prayer and worship, and motivational messages from fellow Navigators and international leaders. 

For many, the National Staff Gathering was a reminder of why they became Navigators — to be a part of a vital movement of the gospel by connecting, resourcing, and developing everyday disciplemakers. 

Though this conference looked back over the past four years since our last National Staff Gathering, we also took time to look forward to the work that is ahead of us as a ministry. You can partner with us as we continue this work for years to come! 

Pray that the Lord works through The Navigators to reach the unreached and create new disciplemakers. Come alongside us to spread the gospel and disciple those in your circles, from family members to coworkers to neighbors and beyond.

Whether you serve on staff or through your everyday life, we are excited to see how the Lord moves through this next season of ministry!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV).

Discipleship Tip:  

Pull out your phone and find a photo of someone you’re discipling or have discipled. Pray for that person and reach out to offer them encouragement.

That was “my lightbulb moment,” Karl says. He has intentionally discipled others ever since. 

Karl met Ken and Cheri Chi as a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Though he grew up in church, Karl learned how to have a relationship with Jesus through Ken and other believers in the Chinese Christian Fellowship, an offshoot of the Navigators Collegiate ministry. 

As Ken met with Karl for Life-to-Life^® discipleship, he helped him grow spiritually and sort through issues with school and relationships, sharing a biblical perspective on situations Karl faced. 

Eventually, along with that life-changing question, Ken pointed out that there were guys in the young adult ministry at their church who could benefit from Karl’s help. 

Karl started a Bible study group, and from there invited men to meet with him individually once a week to talk about what God was doing in their lives. “I saw it as an opportunity to share what I’d learned,” Karl recalls. 

Karl married Michelle, and they have continued to reach out to college students and young professionals. Although many attend church, they are now learning through Karl and Michelle how to have a personal relationship with God. The couple’s common background and natural rapport with other Asian Americans creates fruitful connections. 

When Ken is in town, Karl invites him to speak to growing believers, illustrating the idea of spiritual generations. Karl shares how Ken helped him grow, how others had helped Ken, and so on.

After years as a graphic designer, Karl now teaches at an after-school Chinese school founded by his mother. He stays in touch with men he has discipled over the years, but his emphasis has shifted to his students, kids in elementary school and junior high. 

Like his compassionate mother, Karl gets involved with kids whose families are struggling. Right now, that means bringing home three children of a single mom once a week to give her a break. “Michelle and I want to use our resources to bless people,” he says. Karl also invests in former students who come back to tutor at the school, many of whom have not received adequate guidance and support at home. 

Meanwhile, Ken and Cheri Chi continue their commitment to Karl and Michelle. “They’ve played a huge role in our marriage,” Karl says. The Wangs sometimes join the Chis in Colorado for a mini retreat. The relationship has evolved into a partnership of mutual encouragement and respect. 

Ken’s admiration for Karl and his ability to relate to Asian Americans in southern California is clear. 

“He loves the ‘pond’ God has placed him in. He can ‘swim’ from one place to another, he knows where the danger spots are. He gets it. Young people trust him.” 

And, given the Asian culture’s emphasis on food, Ken reveals another secret to Karl’s influence: “He knows where the good restaurants are!”

What We Learn From Asian Believers About the Gospel

Ken Chi, Asian American Network co-director, outlines four biblical principles embedded in Asian culture that can enrich the Western church: 

• The importance of sharing life together over meals (Luke 22:8-15, John 21:9-13, Acts 2:42) 
• Spreading the gospel through immediate and extended family connections (Acts 16:27-33) 
• Honoring the blessing of one’s parents (Exodus 20:12) 
• The fullness of the gospel through the lens of honor and shame (Philippians 3:3-9)

Of the latter, Ken explains, “If we only present the gospel from the Western perspective of innocence and guilt, we miss its full glory and beauty.” The gospel also offers freedom from the shame that can be linked to performance, and the incredible glory of being restored.

For more on Karl and Michelle and their ministry, see the video below:

Discipleship Tip:

Thank someone who spiritually invested in you. Think of one thing you learned from them you can share with someone today.

However, these in-person gatherings quickly changed to online Zoom gatherings during COVID-19. This allowed more women from different parts of the city to join the conversation, like Manika Karnick and Natalie Rustad, and they’ve continued online. 

“I think the aspect of community and belonging would matter regardless of where you grew up,” Jane says, “but often we may be the only person of color. That has shaped us, and it’s good to connect with people who understand that.” 

“I mentioned to [Jane] how isolated I felt within the Asian American community as a Chinese adoptee,” Natalie says. “This unique community is one I had never been a part of before.” 

Creating an Honest and Caring Small Group 

During the Bible study, the group discusses and processes anything and everything from life transitions to things happening in the world that impact them personally.

“We each bring our unique stories,” Christine says “and when there are hate crimes toward Asian Americans, we can grieve and lament together. This is a place where I can bring my heart and feel OK to share it fully.”

Most of these women are working in their careers. Christine works as a pediatric nurse, Keshia as an engineer, and Manika in marketing and sales, with Natalie planning to pursue dental school. 

“Something beautiful about a Christian community is God showing up through the people around you,” Manika says. “I want other Asian American women to know God does understand you and He does see you, even if it doesn’t always feel like that. It’s true!”

Whether or not they grew up among other Asian Americans, these young women appreciate their sisterhood and how they grow spiritually together. Jane describes it as an authentic community around encouragement and how to grow in Christ through all seasons of life.

“I grew up in a Chinese church, so I had an Asian American community,” Keshia says. “But I think this group is special because we get to talk about some of the more serious things and how it affects our faith.”

Pray for our brothers and sisters in the Asian American community for safety and for the love of Christ to flourish.  

Are you looking to join an Asian American community of faith? Learn more about our Asian American Network on Facebook at facebook.com/asamnetworkofthenavs.

Discipleship Tip:  Are you a part of a small group? Starting a small group for community doesn’t have to officially happen through a specific ministry or church. You can grab a few friends and intentionally meet together whether in person or online for encouragement, prayer, Bible study, and closely following Jesus.

The Compton Summer Intensive (CSi) was led by Armando Madrid (Navigators Church Ministries) and Alicia Garcia (Navigators Collegiate), in partnership with the Navigators of Los Angeles City Team and local Navigator ministries within the city.

Each CSi team member gave up part of their summer to serve at the Compton Navigators I:58 ministry hub out of a desire to deepen their hearts for urban outreach. Each CSi participant trained in Life-to-Life^® discipleship, learned and taught everyday life and job skills, and mentored kids in camp and internship settings throughout the city. They lived locally, serving churches and faith-based non-profits in the heart of Compton.

“Getting to work in partnership with Navigators from our other local ministries was a highlight for us,” says Susan Combs (I:58), who led the service project portion of the program with her husband, Bob. “We all have so much we are focusing on in our local ministry context. It was meaningful to me to get to know the other Navigators and be united in a common goal.”

Navigators Los Angeles City Director Carl Camp served on the CSi planning team.

“It was great to see Navigators from all our ministries in the Los Angeles area work together to plan CSi,” Carl says.

This program was particularly unique in that 13 people in the group were ethnic minorities, and many were from urban areas similar to Compton.

“This is the third summer we have run our internship for mentoring high-schoolers, and having the CSi participants this year was a highpoint,” Susan says. “Although we have ongoing relationships with the high schoolers, our staff are all middle-aged or older, and five out of six of us are white. The high schoolers are African American, Latino, and Samoan, growing up in Compton. We will never be able to relate fully to their challenges and struggles. The CSi team was able to speak into the students’ lives and encourage them in their faith in ways we never could.”

CSi also made a powerful impact at a summer camp they helped lead. When volunteers fell through at the last minute, the CSi team stepped in to run the program for 96 kids.

The way God provided for each person to attend CSi was also a profound answer to prayer.

“All of the participants fundraised through a group funding project,” co-director Armando Madrid says. “The only thing we asked was that each person try to invite 50 people to support the project, not necessarily the individual. As a group we raised about $13,000—about a third of our budget. Our budget also included a stipend paid to them at the end of the program. It was a great statement of value to the team.”

“We had to learn from one another and see God come through,” co-director Alicia Garcia says. “One of the most exciting things has been seeing some of the guys who joined us from other cities grow a heart for discipleship. All of us came together to serve and grow with the gospel as our guide. We entered as strangers, and because of Christ and shared experiences, came out of the summer as family.”

As our nation celebrates Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month this May, many in The Navigators are more excited than ever to see how God is burdening the Church with a heart for diversity.

The Navigators Asian American Network Director James Kang is thrilled to see Navs leadership putting more focus on embracing and engaging the changing cultural fabric of America.

“This an exciting time because U.S. Navigators leaders are willing to prioritize the importance of fostering ethnic diversity in our work,” James says. “They’re listening to the ethnic networks. They’re giving us a lot of freedom to really make a place in The Navs for all cultures, including Asian Americans, to thrive.”
That means taking a few intentional steps back in order to make effective steps forward.

“One of the perceptions Asian Americans have of The U.S. Navigators is that we are very individualistic,” James says. “Asian Americans are culturally more group-oriented. We’re trying to bring group and community orientation to The Navs, where Asian Americans will feel at home. We want to encourage more Asian Americans to get involved in Navigator ministry.”
Another key is cultural relevance in leader development and discipleship.

“The way leaders are defined often reflects more of the dominant culture,” James says. “We need to learn how to restructure leader development to be more inclusive of leaders from minority groups with culturally different leadership styles. Asian Americans, for example, tend to solve problems and conflict differently, and to be more community-centered in their thinking. We also need to develop Bible studies and other discipleship materials that are more applicable to diverse cultures.”
These diverse cultures exist even within the Asian American community.

“There are Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, Korean Americans, Japanese Americans, Cambodian Americans, and many more,” James says. “They all represent vastly different cultural backgrounds and history. And in America, we have had two distinct, major waves of Asian American immigration—those who came four to five generations ago, and new immigrants from the 1960s-1990s and their children.”

Cultural openness and genuine engagement with these unique people groups is vital to our hearts as Christ-followers, and to our relevance in the world as His representatives.

“As Asian Americans, many of us see ourselves as a cross-cultural bridge,” James says. “We see The Navigators as a place we can further the Gospel, here and abroad. We are hopeful because The Navigators are extending their arms out to us to partner together for His Kingdom.”

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month 101:
Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month is a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Though the Asian-Pacific American culture has been honored in some official form since 1977, it wasn’t until 1992 that the official designation of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law. (asianpacificheritage.gov/about.html)

Tom and Dana launched the ministry for The Navigators in 1989. “It started slowly, like the mustard seed Jesus talked about,” Tom says. “That little seed was planted in 1976, when Dana and I started working with Asian Americans in Los Angeles. By 1989, we were asked us to develop the ministry nationally.”

The ministry now has 16 Navigator staff, 171 active volunteers in the United States, and 283 active volunteers in Asia. That core group is reaching out to the 18.5 million Asian Americans residing in the United States, and roughly 4.5 billion people of Asian descent scattered throughout the world. And Tom says this harvest field is ripe for spiritual revival.

“God’s Spirit is moving and bringing people of Asian descent to Himself like never before in history,” Tom says. “It’s happening now! And we are experiencing it.”

The Asian American community presents lots of opportunity. “These are people,” says Tom, “who value families and relational networks. Those are very desirable characteristics when you’re goal is to disciple the nations.”

Tom and Dana, however, aren’t working alone.

“Ten years ago, I discovered there were around 15,000 immigrants from a certain unreached Asian people group living in the United States,” Tom says. “God gave me a deep burden for prayer—that He would raise up culturally-relevant laborers to work with this group.” So Tom began to pray.

“This year, God brought a Mongolian student to study here in the U.S. and we became friends. This student is now befriending a community of people from the unreached group I’d been praying for.” Tom says this is one big way God is reaching the nations from here within the United States. “Often, He moves us to pray, and then He uses laborers from outside our nation to reach the people groups living here.”

“God is blessing our focus on prayer,” Tom says. “Many family members within our network have been reached, but it’s not simple or easy. We are interacting with Asian American families who have followed other religious traditions for centuries. We really have to pay attention to cultural context as we relate. We’re constantly on a learning curve when it comes to advancing the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom in a culturally relevant, but biblical way.”

The good news is that they don’t have to do it alone. They may plant the seed, but others water it, and God makes it grow!

Learn more about Navigators International Student Ministry.

by Lorae Kinseth, Communications Department Writer/Editor

May 1, 2014—When Tom and Dana Steers launched the Asian American Ministries of The Navigators in 1989, Tom knew their launching pad would always be prayer.

“It started slowly, like the mustard seed Jesus talked about,” Tom says. “That little seed was planted in 1976, when Dana and I started working with Asian Americans in Los Angeles. By 1989, then U.S. Director Terry Taylor asked us to develop the ministry nationally. It was birthed through prayer and continues to have prayer as its focus. We labor in prayer often and with intensity.”

God is answering.

“God has blessed us into being a movement of the Gospel,” Tom says.

The Asian American Movement of The Navigators now has 16 staff, 171 active laborers in the United States, and 283 active laborers in Asia.

With 18.5 million Asian Americans in the States, and about 4.5 billion people of Asian descent in the world, Tom says this harvest field is ripe for spiritual revival.

“God’s Spirit is moving and bringing people of Asian descent to Himself like never before in history,” Tom says. “It’s happening now! And we are experiencing it.”

Ministering in the Asian American community is full of opportunity for The Navigators—people who value families and relational networks in discipling the nations, Tom says.

“God has led us to focus on this core Navigator value in our work with Asian-Americans,” Tom says. “God is blessing this focus. Many family members of our network have been reached. But it’s not simple or easy. We are dealing with families who have been following other religious traditions for centuries. This means we are constantly on a learning curve of how to advance the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom. We’re paying attention to cultural context.”

God’s Purpose in the Power of Prayer

God is always working behind the scenes, moved by our prayers, sovereign in His methods. A recent example of this sovereign impact in the AAM is one of Tom’s favorite stories to tell.

“Ten years ago, I discovered there were around 15,000 immigrants from a certain unreached Asian people group living in the United States,” Tom says. “God gave me a deep burden for prayer—that He would raise up culturally-relevant laborers to work with this group.”

Tom needed only pray and watch God move.
“This year, God brought a Mongolian student to study here, and he became my friend. This student is now befriending a community of people from the unreached group I’d been praying for. This is a keen clue in how God is reaching the nations in the United States—often, He moves us to pray, and uses laborers from outside our nation to reach people groups living here.”

As The Navigators and the Asian American Movement celebrate this May’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, we take time to honor our Asian-Pacific American brothers and sisters, and to pray for God’s continued movement among people of Asian descent worldwide.

“This month is a blessing,” Tom says. “It blesses and dignifies people who came to America to better their lives, who make enormous contributions, and who make our nation stronger. It’s also a reminder of our Navigator Calling to labor and disciple among the lost of every tribe and tongue.”

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month 101:

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month is a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Though the Asian-Pacific American culture has been honored in some official form since 1977, it wasn’t until 1992 that the official designation of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law. (asianpacificheritage.gov/about.html)