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.

In March 2020, when COVID-19 hit the United States, it spread rapidly across the Navajo and Hopi Nations in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The Navajo Nation makes up 2 percent of Arizona’s population, but 26 percent of the coronavirus cases in Arizona were among the Navajo Nation, which had the highest per-capita infection rate in the United States. Due to the lack of testing, the infection rate was probably higher.

Why so many cases? Family clan systems and cultural norms create communities of interdependence fueled by the unemployment rate (55.9 percent) and the proportion of the population living under the poverty level (45 percent). Multiple generations and even multiple families live in one household, so it is hard to isolate those who are sick. Consequently, COVID-19 spread among families. In addition, 40 percent of the population still lives without running water and electricity.

The elderly are vulnerable and marginalized. Most communities on the reservation have senior centers that provide hot meals on a daily basis, as well as comfort and support. Normally, elders are picked up at their homes and brought to the center to be cared for. Unfortunately, due to physical distancing guidelines, they are no longer going to the centers. One center serves 10 communities with over 90 elders within a 50-mile radius. The need is great!

This need provided an opportunity to help the elderly through engaging young emerging Native leaders. Through prayer, conviction, and much planning, we sprang into ac­tion. We established the COVID-19 Navajo and Hopi Elder Support Project. Our team identified faithful Native leaders who intimately knew the needs of their communities. Quickly Redemption Church, our home church in Flagstaff and Central Church of Phoenix partnered with us. Indian Bible College of Flagstaff provided the facility to base our operations. We established monetary donation sites and procured other resources.

Our objective was to provide the Navajo and Hopi elders in the most remote locations with food, water, cleaning supplies, and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Deliveries were made every two weeks for a 16-week period. Together, we provided over 3,000 boxes of food, water, and other items to 11 remote communities for elders in need. This was made possible by ministry partners and over 100 faithful volunteers! Everyone had a deep sense of God’s Spirit, provision, and leading. The project also provided an amazing opportunity to empower, engage, and develop whole life dis­cipleship among the emerging Native leaders who surrounded us. These leaders desperately wanted to help their communities and we were able to provide that opportunity.

A Hopi volunteer said, “I was so happy to see you all yesterday. I felt the love this organization has brought to our village. Thank you so much!”

Rebecca Begay, one of the Native leaders said, “It was amazing to pray for so many needs and to watch God meet those needs. My faith has grown, and I saw Jesus in what we were doing. We learned so much about how to lead in a crisis and it feels like there is nothing we can’t do.”

Pray for our next steps as we continue to engage with the Navajo and Hopi Nations, mentor and disciple emerging Native leaders, and deepen relationships.

Sign up for Native Nations Network ministry updates at tinyurl.com/MuttonStew.

Both sensed the call to serve the Native American community more than 20 years ago. Tom, a high school teacher, ministers to young Navajos through education and by personal example. Delphina, a Navajo Christian, felt God drawing her back to serve her people after college. Today, Tom and Delphina work together in Many Farms, Arizona—the heart of the Navajo Nation. The ministry God has built through this couple touches countless lives in a culture that has often struggled to accept the Christian message.

“Many Native Americans have difficulty getting past the westernized Gospel,” Delphina says. “They think becoming a Christian means that they lose their culture, their family, and their identity as a Native person.”

Such feelings are rooted in centuries of deep tension, but the Johnsons see the Gospel as mediator, equalizer, and advocate for these often marginalized people.

“We share that God loves and created diversity,” Tom says. “Acts 17:26 says ‘From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live’ (NRSV). We celebrate their identity as a Native person, affirming them that this has been ordained by their creator. This helps us to begin sharing about their spiritual connection to the creator through Jesus.”

And many do find that connection—to Christ, and to their roots.

“One of the greatest joys in this ministry is to see Native people come to a place of freedom,” Delphina says, “realizing that they can be fully Christian and still remain fully Native, loving who God created them to be.”

Every Nation, Every Tribe
One young man from the Quechan tribe outside Yuma, Arizona, found his identity in Christ at the University of Arizona after hearing Delphina give her testimony and Gospel presentation. Today, he is one of the first Native American EDGE Corps members The Navigators has ever had, serving at a college in California.

The Johnsons’ ministry intern, a Navajo man in his 20s, is currently serving in college ministry in northern Arizona. He desires to return to the Navajo Nation to teach, and has shown significant spiritual potential.

The Johnsons also work with a Yankton Sioux man who is ministering to Native Americans within the biker culture of Albuquerque’s metro area. He embraces this new and unique work with his wife, who rides with him and helps him share the Gospel with a tough but broken crowd.

“It’s very difficult to get Native American men to step up to take positions of leadership,” Tom says. “But these men are doing it with authenticity and integrity, and really holding to the Navigator DNA. We’re pretty excited about that.”

Photo courtesy of Delphina Johnson
The Johnsons recently took this group of Native college students to a Navigator conference—stopping here so one student could see the ocean for the first time.

The Great Commission
As The Navigators endeavor to honor the rich ethnic heritage of our country—both through celebrating ethnic heritage months and through increased cultural literacy within our ethnic and urban ministries—staff like Tom and Delphina Johnson are already running with that vision.

“We are fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28,” Delphina says. “Cultural diversity has a way of challenging the Christian conscience and bringing the Gospel to a place of purity and its rightful place of prominence.”

The Johnsons challenge Native believers to become Christ’s ambassadors, and to look for cross-cultural settings to become cross-missional. They minister and are ministered to, teaching others about Native culture.

“It’s tearing down cultural bias and stereotypes,” Tom says.

Diversity is most beautiful when seen through the eyes of heaven—where we will worship the Savior of the world, in every language, hand in hand.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 5.2 million people in the United States identified as American Indian and Alaska Native.

Though there have been other successful efforts to honor Native American heritage over the last century, it wasn’t until President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month” that this diverse culture enjoyed a full month of dedicated national celebration. Similar proclamations, under various names (including “Native American Heritage Month”) have been issued each year since 1994. Read more information at the Native American Heritage Month website.