By Mike Treneer
Photo courtesy of Mirjam van Klaarbergen Photography: info@mirjamvanklaarbergen.nl
The Navigator movement was birthed in prayer over a world map.
Since then, a vision for the advance of the Gospel into the nations has gripped successive generations of Navigators. Now, in January, a gathering of about 1,000 Dutch university students demonstrated that God is raising a new generation of future leaders.
Seeing the emergence of this new spiritual generation has caused me to reflect on my own history. In 1967, I went with a group of university friends to my first Navigator conference. It was life changing! I had made a commitment to Christ some seven weeks earlier. At this conference, I first heard about God’s heart for the nations. I was gripped by the idea that my life could have significance in meeting the world’s greatest need: to know and embrace God’s love and forgiveness extended to us in Jesus.
Veteran Navigator missionary Doug Sparks spoke on Jesus’ Great Commission. He challenged us to pray the prayer of Isaiah: “Here am I LORD, send me” (Isaiah 6:8). That night I prayed Isaiah’s prayer. When I got back to my university, I went out and bought a world map and began praying for the nations.
One of the countries I prayed for was Nigeria. I began to befriend some Nigerian students on my campus. Seven years later, I made my first visit to Nigeria where I began the process of planting the Navigator ministry in that vast country. I entered an adventure with God that carried me throughout Africa in the years ahead.
So, you can imagine the thrill I felt this January in the Netherlands when I had the opportunity to speak to all those Dutch university students at their “Focus Weekend,” an annual conference sponsored by Navigators. It was inspiring to see so many young men and women eagerly engaging with the promises of scripture.
As I remembered the previous 53 years of my own life, I thought about all that God could do through these young people, if they respond with faith and surrender to God.
During the conference, Yaap Korving, a Dutch Navigator missionary to France, gave a strong plea for those gathered to consider what part they could play in advancing God’s kingdom among the nations. That evening I had the privilege of inviting them to pray Isaiah’s prayer.
As Jesus’ parable of the sower makes clear, the seed of God’s Word falls on many different types of soil. When it takes root in good soil, it can produce a harvest that multiplies 30, 60, or 100 times (Mark 4:8). The prospect of the Gospel rippling through Europe and around the world from this vibrant Dutch student work is thrilling.
We know that many obstacles will come. The faith of these young men and women will need to be strengthened and nurtured as they move beyond the university into working life. I feel sure that God will call some of these young people to be cross-cultural missionaries. Pathways must be created that will help those who persevere to find their way to the places where their contribution is most needed. As they scatter into the nations, they will need wise and skilled leaders to encourage them and help them navigate the challenges of cross-cultural ministry.
All these challenges lie ahead, but this vibrant Dutch work among students gives us much to be thankful for—and to pray for.
I encourage you to review the Navigator 2020 international Missions Sending Priorities, which can be found at this link.
As you read about those missions opportunities, why not pray Isaiah 6:8 and ask God to show you how to be involved together with us in reaching the nations?
Mike Treneer served as international president of The Navigators from 2005 to 2015.
