#18: How The Navigators Minister to University Students

In this episode I continue my series on campus ministries. My guest is Ben Nugent, the National Director of the The Navigator’s campus ministry. As a Navigator staff for 21 years, Ben not only brings the perspective of a senior leader of the ministry to our conversation, but many years in Navigator campus ministry himself. He is the best person I know of to help understand how the Navigators minister to university students.  In this podcast we discuss: How Ben first got involved in The Navigators How The Navigators began The number and type of universities where The Navigators serve The Navigators’ Mission The Navigators’ activities on campus designed to fulfill their Mission The Navigators’ ministry distinctives How similar The Navigators’ ministries are campus-to-campus and region-to-region Who is required to affirm The Navigators’ Statement of Faith Where The Navigators fall on the “Conservative to Progressive” continuum “Heros of the Faith” The Navigators hold up to students What The Navigators believe Christian students need to flourish during college The Navigators’ greatest strength and weakness in student ministry How students can take advantage of this strength and compensate for this weakness Whether The Navigators have as set curriculum students go through How The Navigators help students develop a lifelong walk with Christ and ministry The Navigators’ approach to the spiritual disciplines How The Navigators teaches students to be “in the world but not of the world” The Navigators’ approach to “hot button” issues on campus like Critical Race Theory Why “fellowship is always missional” Why students should consider being involved in The Navigators Resources mentioned during our conversation: The Navigators’ website The Navigators’ Statement of Faith Dawson Trotman, Born to Reproduce Dawson Trotman, Dawson Trotman, In His Own Words “Jim Downing: Navigator #6” Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace Jerry Bridges, The Gospel for Real Life The Wheel illustration NavPress Navigators Summer Training Programs