The Great Transition
As the parent of a college student, maybe you've experienced what relay runners feel as they make the all-important baton pass to their teammates.
- Fear - "Will I make the pass successfully?"
- Sadness - "Wow, my part is done. Could I have done better?"
- Joy and Relief - "I did it! It's their turn now."
Like a coach, you've worked hard in training your children, preparing them for that time when you "hand them off" to the next level of maturity. And the "baton" pass is a critical component in assuring your child's success through the race of life.
What will they find on campus? Maybe not what you'd typically think. Research expert George Barna, in an on-line report, states that 80 percent of today's teens claim religious faith as very important. "Most teens are desperately striving to determine a valid and compelling purpose in life," Barna concluded. "There exists an opportunity for the church and para-church organizations to position themselves as a place of valuable insight and assistance."
The Great Investment
That's where The U.S. Collegiate Navigators fit in. Beginning in 1933 when Navigators founder Dawson Trotman taught sailors how to mature in their faith, The Navigators has grown into an international ministry with a presence in 105 countries. The Collegiate Navigators now number over 70 campuses and minister to another 100-plus campuses lead by volunteers. On campus, Navigators is an officially recognized student organization with faculty sponsors, and our goal is straight forward:
To reach, disciple, and equip college students in the U.S. to know Christ and to make Hiim known through successive generations in all the nations.
So what does that look like? While every campus ministry is unique, there are some things that make our ministries distinctively "Navigator."
- One-to-one, "life-to-life" time with students, helping them learn how to study and apply the Bible, communicate their faith, balance priorities, pray, grow in Christlike character.
- Small group Bible studies, which help students mature in their understanding and application of Scriptural truth.
- Large group events aimed to develop relationships and provide fun and challenging social and spiritual growth opportunities.
- Conferences and retreats where students can get away from the rigors of college life and focus on friendships and spiritual development.
The bottom line? Navigator staff love students, and we value the opportunity to invest in your child's life during the college years. Someday, these years will end and your son or daughter will begin a new chapter in the journey. Until then, we count it a privilege to be one of the pairs of "hands" that help carry him or her forward in the ongoing race of life.
Parent Perspectives
"Our son was a member of the Navigators group, and he benefited greatly from his relationship with the well-trained Nav staff members, who provided wise counsel in decision-making and often welcomed students into their home."
-Thomas and Carla Mockabee
Vice President and Publisher, Bible group, Zondervan Publishing Company
"My husband and I have been so pleased by our daughter's experience in Navigators at an Ivy League College. The weekly Navigator worship services, as well as the Christian friends she has met through these gatherings, have kept her Christian walk strong. We would recommend Navigators to any parent."
-Diane S. Passno
Executive Vice President, Focus on the Family
"Our son, Tim, became involved his freshman year with an organization called 'Navigators.' Who were the 'Navigators?' An obvious concern was 'cults.' Was this one? In due time, all of our concerns were alleviated. We have spent time with many of Tim's Navigator friends, and we have yet to find one we didn't like and/or admire."
-Bob and Susie Bastian
Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
What Church Leaders Say
"On a scale of one to ten, I place the Navigators as a 'ten' among para-church ministries today. In my college days, The Navigators taught me the value of a disciplined life. In our Crusades, they developed the unsurpassed follow-up methods we use today. Thank God for The Navigators."
-Billy Graham
"The Navigators are doing a great service to all Christian denominations. My experience with The Navigators has been the finest - helping people begin a personal relationship with Christ."
-Father Duane Stenzel
Director, School of Evangelization
"Close enough to comfort or confront, to replace self wit Christ. That's the stuff of which The Navigators are made. And that's the stuff that changed my life."
-Dr. Charles Swindoll
Financial Policy
All Navigator field staff raise all of their own financial support through friends, family, and churches. The Navigators is accountable to God to minister using Scriptural and ethical financial management principles. We are charter members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Audited financial statements are available on request.
Contact Information
The Navigators
National Collegiate Office
P.O. Box 6000
Colorado Springs, CO 80934
Phone: (719) 594-2315
Fax: (719) 598-7757
E-mail: info@campusnavs.org
Internet : www.campusnavs.org
Local Contact
Tim and Tara Chamberlain
Phone: 262-472-0687
Email: tim.chamberlain@campusnavs.org