By alan ch’ng
Navigators believe that the Gospel spreads naturally and powerfully through community—life to life, family to family. Our Vision becomes tangible when we hear the stories of ordinary believers who are living out this calling in their everyday contexts. A recent visit to West Africa highlighted just how deeply this vision is being realized, as the Gospel continues to take root in one of the most challenging contexts: an unreached tribe in a predominantly Muslim nation.
Cara*, a key figure in the story, is not a full-time missionary but a mother of three and who helps out in the school of which her husband is the principal. Her role in the community is simple yet profound—she helps care for others' health, takes people to the hospital, and even covers their medical costs when they can’t afford it. But Cara, like many of us, was overwhelmed by the needs surrounding her. How could she, with her already full schedule, possibly make a difference?
The answer came in the form of community—a natural, organic extension of the life that Cara and her family were already living. Cara began to gather with a group of women from the neighborhood. They would cook together, share their problems, and discuss their visions and dreams. Through these shared moments of connection, Cara began to introduce the hope of Christ to these women, one story at a time.
One woman in particular, a member of an unreached tribe, shared a powerful testimony of how God had worked in her life. This woman, a mother of 15 children (though six had passed away), was originally from a Muslim background. Her daughter had experienced violent demon possession at school, and Cara, in her gentle way, introduced the idea that Jesus could bring healing. After praying for the daughter, Cara began to read the Bible with the family. Over time, this woman experienced a deep transformation—she had visions of Jesus, and the once-violent relationship with her husband began to shift as he too became open to the Gospel.
The Gospel's reach extended beyond this family. The woman’s children began to follow Jesus, and even the wider extended family began to hear the message. Cara’s humble act of loving service—praying for a sick woman who fell into a coma and then witnessing her miraculous recovery—became a catalyst for spreading the hope of Jesus within this community. This is the embodiment of our Navigator Calling: the Gospel, when shared in the context of community, spreads naturally and powerfully, often in ways we cannot predict.
Isaiah 61 offers a beautiful picture of what is happening in this community. It speaks of the "good news" being brought to the poor, the brokenhearted being healed, and those in captivity being set free. In Luke 4, Jesus reads from this very passage, declaring that this prophecy is fulfilled in Him. Today, as believers like Cara faithfully live out their calling, this prophecy continues to be fulfilled around the world. The Gospel spreads and lives are transformed not by our power, but by God's working through His people.
This is the picture of what The Navigators envision: ordinary people, in many walks of life, joyfully leading integrated lives—sharing Christ, life to life, family to family, in their natural communities. The story of Cara and her neighbors reminds us that it is in the everyday moments—when we serve, when we share, and when we love—that the Kingdom of God advances.
From Our Vision Statement:
We see a movement of ordinary people, in many walks of life, who are joyfully leading integrated lives. They live as fruitful men and women among the lost. They persevere in the face of hardship and suffering. We see many coming to faith around the world. As they become established in discipleship, some grow to become foundational for further generations. The Gospel spreads naturally and powerfully, as believers share Christ, life to life, family to family.
* Name changed for security purposes.
