A Ride on the Gospel Train: Everyday Disciplemakers from Boston to D.C.

The Apostle Paul’s ministry consisted of lots of traveling – spanning roughly 10,000 miles across various lands. During these travels, Paul spent time intentionally checking in to see the ways in which God had been working and moving through various churches.

Navigator Frank Tully decided to go on a journey of his own in the beginning of 2025 through the Northeast Corridor — what is known as a “megalopolis” of overlapping cities and suburbs, stretching from northern Virginia into southern Maine and home to over 50 million people — to get a front row seat in the ministry of everyday disciplemakers in the Navigators Workplace ministry along the way. Frank, who currently serves as the associate city director of The Navigators in Boston, jumped on an Amtrak on a Monday for a week-long “Gospel Train Trip” to see — and share — the work God has been doing.

Although Frank had visited and talked with each of these disciplemakers before, it wasn’t until earlier this year when he began to ask himself, “Why don’t I try to organize one trip where I can spend some time and get alongside each of them for a little bit and get to feel for their world?”

Each of these disciplemakers — men and women who regularly interact with colleagues, clients, customers, and even competitors — have incredible opportunities to live and speak the gospel of Jesus and His kingdom in the workplace.

Young Professionals Owning Their Callings at Work in Boston

On Monday of this “Gospel Train Trip” journey, Frank stopped at the Gospel@Work Gathering in Boston, where a group of young professionals was concluding their final session of “The Work Exchange.” Beginning with six lies the enemy wants us to believe about our work, they looked at how we can exchange these for six truths from God’s Word about our identity and purpose as followers of Jesus at work. The gathering is a part of a broader work the Boston City Team has been championing to help the next generation of young professionals to own The Navigator calling as disciplemakers in their environment.

“It’s probably the biggest movement I’ve seen over the last several years. We’re trying to help people in their 20s to really embrace this going forward,” Frank remarked.

When the Gospel Gains a Foothold in Unexpected Places

Frank got to hear about the diversity of ministry in The Navigators as he made a stop on Tuesday in Harlem to visit Navigator Kenny Cox near the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). Kenny shared about how the gospel had gained a foothold in the NYCHA — the largest housing agency in the world with over 13,000 workers that houses over a million people — through employee Bible studies that have been going on for the past several decades with the blessing of NYCHA leadership. In recent years, this has expanded to Bible reading groups for residents in two locations, demonstrating the extent to which Kenny has gained the trust of the NYCHA leadership.

Kenny, a former employee of NYCHA, had been organizing lunch hour Bible studies since 2009 that had grown exponentially and had felt a need to get some other resources for these studies. That’s when he came across Navigator materials like the Design for Discipleship studies from NavPress and got connected to Navigator staff in New York City.

“This was not initially a Navigator ministry,” Frank said, “as much as it’s a work in the kingdom of God that marries up with what the Navigators are trying to accomplish in New York City.”

The Fruit of Gospel Labor Among “New York’s Finest”

On Wednesday, Frank took the NYC subway to Queens, where he had an opportunity to sit alongside the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for a “Communicating with God” NYPD Training Day put on by the New York City Navigators and First Responder ministry.

“I was blown away by the stories these police and correctional officers — men and women of diverse backgrounds — shared as they discussed The Wheel, The Word Hand, prayer, and Scripture memory,” Frank shared.

Frank got to see the fruit of years of labor of the gospel making an impact in NYPD and the families of officers and first responders.

Pioneering a Navigator City of Brotherly Love

On Thursday, Frank took the train to Philadelphia to meet with Navigator Joe Violi, who was in his second year launching a Navigators 20s team with college graduates he has known from his time serving at Penn State University. At the same time, Joe has been hard at work trying to make Philadelphia into a recognized Navigator city, which up to this point has been a loose connection of a few staff and retired staff in the area. Frank joined Joe as he met with a couple for lunch, a man doing medical residency, and others that Joe has been connecting with — everyday disciplemakers who are foundational for growing a future Navigator city of Brotherly Love.

The Kingdom Making Headway on Capitol Hill

On Friday, Frank made his final stop on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. He met with Navigator Doug Weber and connected with followers of Jesus who serve on staff in the Senate, the House, and the Justice Department. Even amid the escalating stress and tension for federal workers, they reported seeing an openness to authentic spiritual conversations among other staffers.

“We learned of an investigative Bible study starting at the Justice Department and had the opportunity to pray for several who have been invited to participate,” Frank recalls.

Gospel Train Ride Reflections

Finally, on the ride home of this “Gospel Train Ride,” Frank had a chance to reflect on each of these brothers and sisters — both staff and everyday disciplemakers — and the work God was doing through them to reach the over 50 million people in the Northeast Corridor. From Boston’s biotech labs, the streets of New York City, inside a Philadelphia hospital, to inside the hallways of Congress, God is doing an amazing and often outside-of-the box work.

Pray for Navigator staff and everyday disciplemakers in the Northeast Corridor as they seek to work together for the expansion of the kingdom, and opportunities to be able to connect with one another for mutual encouragement, learning, and support.

Discipleship Tip:

Like the Apostle Paul, Frank has made an effort to check in and encourage ministries in the work they are already doing, bolstering them on to further good works. Where can you encourage believers around you in the work God has already called them to? Think about how you can uplift those around you and spur them on to new horizons.