The Navigators

What The Navigators does

The Navigators is an international, interdenominational Christian ministry founded in 1933 by Dawson Trotman and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Its core offering is the Life-to-Life® discipleship methodology, a relational, multiplicative framework in which trained believers walk alongside others who in turn disciple others, generating "spiritual generations" of disciplemakers. The organization operates through 4,600+ staff members of 70 nationalities across 100+ countries and 170+ languages, with active ministry programs on nearly 200 U.S. college campuses, 65+ military bases, and within workplaces, churches, inner-city communities, and first-responder communities. Major facilities include the Glen Eyrie Castle and Conference Center (the international headquarters since 1953, hosting 350+ retreats annually) and Eagle Lake Camps (serving 2,700+ campers annually, recently expanded to Highlands Ranch).

The product portfolio centers on proprietary discipleship resources — The Wheel®, The Bridge to Life, The Word Hand, The Prayer Hand, One-Verse Evangelism®, and the Topical Memory System — supplemented by the free Digital Discipleship Journey® email series and a mobile Discipleship App launched in 2025. NavPress, the ministry's publishing subsidiary established in 1975, publishes The Message Bible (nearly 5 million copies sold) and supports the discipleship of approximately two million people annually. Joe Maschhoff was announced as the sixth International President in 2025, succeeding Mutua Mahiaini.

The business model is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit reliant on donations and contributions, monthly recurring giving, legacy/planned giving, and earned revenue from camp fees and NavPress publishing. Pricing is freemium for core digital discipleship tools and digital content, with fee-based pricing for Eagle Lake Camps and one-time purchase for NavPress books and Bibles. The organization is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), with no parent company, private equity ownership, or public listing.

Name

The Navigators

Legal name

The Navigators

Website

https://navigators.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Navigators is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry founded in 1933 that conducts Life-to-Life® discipleship across 100+ countries through 4,600+ staff, serving college students, military personnel, workplace professionals, and other communities with digital resources, NavPress publishing, and camp facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Discipleship Ministry

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Group Travel (Church/Mosque/Temple) Organizers (THAKAHAH), Pilgrimage & Faith-Based Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAH)

Keywords

• Christian discipleship ministry
• Biblical training resources
• Religious publishing
• Spiritual formation
• Christian camp and conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals who support the ministry's mission to advance the gospel through Life-to-Life discipleship. Gifts can be directed to staff members, specific ministries, or where needed most.
2. Monthly Giving Program: Recurring monthly donations allowing supporters to give on a scheduled basis, providing predictable revenue for ministry operations.
3. Legacy Giving: Planned giving and estate gifts including bequests, charitable remainder trusts, and other planned giving instruments.
4. NavPress Publishing: NavPress publishes Bibles (including The Message Bible translation by Eugene Peterson with nearly 5 million copies sold), books, and discipleship resources. The ministry supports the discipleship of two million people annually through its resources.
5. Camp and Conference Fees: Fees from Glen Eyrie Camp and Conference Center hosting 350+ spiritual-growth retreats and conferences annually, and Eagle Lake Camps serving 2,700+ campers annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Navigators delivers a worldwide Life-to-Life® disciplemaking ministry through staff members embedded in colleges, military bases, workplaces, churches, and communities, complemented by a catalog of branded evangelism, Bible study, and prayer resources (The Wheel, Bridge to Life, Word Hand, Prayer Hand, One-Verse Evangelism, Topical Memory System). It operates the NavPress publishing imprint (including The Message Bible), the Glen Eyrie Conference Center hosting 350+ retreats per year, Eagle Lake Camps serving 2,700+ campers annually, and a free Digital Discipleship Journey email series and mobile app.

Product overview

The Navigators is a worldwide discipleship ministry offering a portfolio of resources centered on its Life-to-Life® discipleship methodology. The organization provides both digital and physical products including the Digital Discipleship Journey® (free email series), The Wheel Illustration, The Bridge to Life, One-Verse Evangelism®, Prayer Hand, Word Hand, and Topical Memory System. Through its NavPress publishing sub-brand, it publishes The Message Bible and Christian books. Additional offerings include the Navigators Discipleship App, Eagle Lake Camps, and Glen Eyrie Conference Center. The organization serves over 100 countries through collegiate, military, workplace, and church ministries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NavPress: The book publishing ministry of The Navigators that publishes Bibles, books, and discipleship resources including The Message Bible translation
• Glen Eyrie
• Eagle Lake Camps
• The Wheel Illustration
• The Bridge to Life
• The Topical Memory System
• One-Verse Evangelism®

Products and services

• Life-to-Life® Discipleship The organization's flagship relational methodology in which trained believers walk alongside others to help them follow Christ and in turn disciple others, producing multiplicative "spiritual generations."
• Digital Discipleship Journey® (DDJ) A free email-based series delivering curated online tools and resources that help individuals grow in relationship with Christ and equip them to disciple others.
• The Navigators Discipleship App A free mobile application providing timely content curated to equip individuals to make disciples, available on iOS and Google Play.
• The Wheel Illustration A visual disciplemaking tool (registered trademark) describing the components of a vibrant Christian life: Dependence, Bible Study, Prayer, Church, Witness, and Fellowship.
• The Bridge to Life An evangelistic illustration (©1976) showing the path from sin to salvation through Jesus Christ, used conversationally to help friends decide about Christ.
• One-Verse Evangelism® A simple, interactive way to share the Gospel conversationally and visually using just one Bible verse; a registered trademark of The Navigators.
• The Prayer Hand An illustration (©1976) remembering five essential aspects of prayer: confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise.
• The Word Hand Illustration A Bible study method (©1964) highlighting five ways of learning Scripture: hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditation.
• Topical Memory System A Bible verse memorization program developed by founder Dawson Trotman, used worldwide to help believers hide God's Word in their hearts.
• NavPress Publishing The publishing ministry of The Navigators that publishes Bibles (notably Eugene Peterson's The Message, nearly 5 million copies sold), Christian books, and the 2:7 discipleship series.
• The Message Women's Devotional Bible A devotional Bible published by NavPress featuring modern-English translation by Eugene Peterson, released in November 2025 after a five-year editorial and production effort.
• Eagle Lake Camps A Colorado-based Christian summer camp ministry of The Navigators serving 2,700+ campers annually at Colorado and Highlands Ranch locations, with family camps and teen programs such as Mom Teen Trek and Dad Teen Trek.
• Glen Eyrie Castle and Conference Center The international headquarters of The Navigators near Colorado Springs, hosting 350+ spiritual-growth retreats and conferences annually.
• Bible Study Resources (1-Year Reading Plans) One-year Bible reading plans and accompanying studies designed to help individuals grow in their relationship with God and His Word.
• The Basics of Discipleship An entry-level resource explaining the spiritual growth journey and Jesus's plan for spreading the Good News through discipleship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 million people supported in discipleship annually through NavPress resources
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• Glen Eyrie CastlecoreOthersGlen Eyrie Castle and Conference Center in Colorado Springs has served as The Navigators' international headquarters since 1953. The Tudor castle property hosts 350+ spiritual-growth retreats and conferences annually and is central to the organization's identity.
• Eagle Lake CampscoreOthersEagle Lake Camps is a Christian youth camp ministry of The Navigators serving 2,700+ campers annually at its Colorado location. It recently expanded to include Highlands Ranch, Colorado, offering summer day camps.
• NavPress PublishingcoreOthersNavPress is The Navigators' publishing ministry since 1975, publishing The Message Bible translation by Eugene Peterson (nearly 5 million copies sold), Christian books, and discipleship resources supporting two million people annually.
• Billy Graham Evangelistic AssociationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranklin Graham, President and CEO of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, has endorsed The Navigators, noting their influence on Graham ministry methods and faithfulness to the Word of God.
• Eugene PetersonnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthor Eugene Peterson created The Message Bible translation, published by NavPress, which has sold nearly 5 million copies and remains one of the most popular modern-English Bibles.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Compassion International: Major evangelical child sponsorship and discipleship nonprofit operating globally — comparable scale (4,600+ employees, 100+ countries) and faith-based donor model to The Navigators.
• Focus on the Family: Large US Christian family and discipleship media organization with publishing, broadcasting, and counseling resources — overlaps in evangelical audience, publishing/IP model, and family ministry adjacent to The Navigators.
• Samaritan's Purse: Large evangelical relief and discipleship organization led by Franklin Graham, with international humanitarian and discipleship programs — overlaps in mission, donor base, and evangelical ecosystem with The Navigators.

Direct peers

• Youth for Christ USA: Interdenominational youth discipleship and evangelism organization with campus and community ministry programs — comparable youth audience and relational ministry model to The Navigators.
• Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ): Largest US collegiate parachurch ministry with a global footprint, focused on disciplemaking and evangelism on university campuses — directly comparable to The Navigators' collegiate mission and Life-to-Life methodology.
• Young Life: Christian youth discipleship ministry with extensive summer camp operations and volunteer leader networks — directly comparable to The Navigators' Eagle Lake Camps and youth/family ministry focus.
• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: Interdenominational collegiate ministry operating on US and Canadian campuses with a focus on Bible study, discipleship, and missions — directly overlaps The Navigators' ~200-campus collegiate strategy.
• Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: Major US evangelistic ministry with global crusades, publishing, and broadcasting operations — already an explicit partner/ally of The Navigators, sharing evangelical mission and donor audience.
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes: Faith-based sports and athletics ministry with strong presence among high school, college, and professional athletes — overlaps with The Navigators' sports- and military-adjacent outreach segments.

Emerging players

• Word of Life Fellowship: Evangelical discipleship ministry combining Bible study, youth camps, and missionary training — comparable niche focus on relational discipleship and camp programming to The Navigators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/thenavigators
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/thenavigators
• Facebookfacebook.com/Navigators
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-navigators
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenavigators
• Pinterestpinterest.com/thenavigators
• TikToktiktok.com/@navigators_usa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Navigators