The University of Central Missouri

Welcome to the UCM Navigators website. Our vision is to see people learn how to personally walk with Jesus and teach others how to do the same. The ministry at UCM started in 2009 with that vision and we currently have around 50 students involved in Bible studies and personal discipleship. We are excited about seeing the world reached for Jesus one person at a time! Below we wanted to answer some common questions. Need anything from us specifically just drop us a line at cullyandcarmen@gmail.com. 

Are The Navigators affiliated with a specific church?

No, The Navigators is an inter-denominational ministry, meaning we serve students from all denominational backgrounds. We do not promote the ministry of any particular local church, though we do encourage our students to participate in a local church where the Scriptures are taught and the sacraments administered.

Why are you called "The Navigators?"

The ministry began over seventy-five years ago as an outreach to sailors in the San Diego area. “The Navigators” seemed like a catchy enough name for that kind of outreach, and it still says a lot about what we do on campuses and in communities. We help people find a route into relationship with God through Christ and encourage them to stay that path throughout life.

What makes The Navigators distinct?

We place a particular emphasis on person-to-person ministry. Jesus commissioned His church to "go into all the nations and make disciples ... teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19 NIV). It's hard to make disciples in large groups. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to learning all that Jesus commanded. So, The Navigators helps individuals grow as Jesus' disciples and encourages them to keep passing on to others the things they're learning.

Why are there so many Christian ministries on campus? Do you get along?

Yeah, we get that a lot. There are multiple Christian ministries to choose from probably for the same reason there are so many brands of bottled water. We live in a culture that values having lots of options. But unlike all those bottled water companies, Christian ministries don't view each other as competitors. We don't try to stealthily steal students from each other or plot hostile takeovers. On the contrary, we get along quite well and do our best to join forces in advancing the Gospel on campuses. In fact, leaders from many campus ministry organizations (Navs included) met in October 2011 and agreed to be unified in our mission.