Hubbard, Norman and Katie - The Navigators

The University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign

“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” (2Tim 4:7)

40 Year Horizon

Recently, a friend asked me, "How's The Navigators ministry going at the University of Illinois?" I was about to say, "Fine. God is blessing us and growing us. There are about 50 students with us in Bible study ..." Etc.

But I didn't. I paused and remembered the words of a former supervisor. I said, "I'm not exactly sure how ministry is going this year. Ask me again in about 40 years, and I'll be able to tell you whether we had a good year!"

That's the view we take (and the hope we have) as we work with 18-22 year olds who are searching for God as non-believers or walking with Him as disciples. We want them to be devoted followers of Jesus -- growing strong in faith and ministering to others -- when they are 58-62 years olds! We want the communities where they live, the places where they work, and the churches where they served to be different because a disciple is among them, following Jesus and advancing His kingdom.

So, how's the ministry going this year at Illinois? We'll know in about 40 years. (But if the signs we see today are any indication, the next 40 years promise to be good ones!)

Norman and Katie Hubbard serve on staff with The Navigators at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where they lead the undergraduate campus ministry and oversee the development and training of the staff team.