June 16, 2026, marks a century since the 1926 spiritual conversion that gave rise to the modern multiplying discipleship movement.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 16, 2026) — For The Navigators, a worldwide disciplemaking ministry, today marks the 100th anniversary of the conversion of its founder, Dawson Trotman, on June 16, 1926.
Trotman, then a young man living in Lomita, California, responded to Scripture he had memorized in Sunday school. Following his conversion, he began leading Bible clubs and evangelizing in the Los Angeles area. His approach to ministry took a defining turn after an encounter with a man who had twice prayed to accept Christ but showed no evidence of lasting spiritual growth.
That experience led Trotman to conclude that evangelism needed to be paired with intentional, ongoing care for new believers, a practice he called “follow-up,” which became the foundation of what is now known as discipleship.
In 1933, Trotman founded The Navigators among U.S. Navy sailors. By 1945, the organization had established a presence in more than 800 locations worldwide. Trotman’s Life-to-Life® discipleship model, centered on personal Bible study, prayer, and one-on-one mentoring, was adopted and commended by a number of prominent evangelical leaders, including Billy Graham, who invited Trotman to lead follow-up efforts at his evangelistic crusades. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, and Jack Wyrtzen, founder of Word of Life Fellowship, each credited Trotman with influencing the discipleship dimensions of their respective ministries. Trotman also served on the board of Wycliffe Bible Translators and trained several of that organization’s early leaders.
Patrick Kochanasz, The Navigators’ Manager of History and Archives, notes that Trotman’s one-to-one ministry model was a departure from the prevailing evangelical methods of his era. “In 1926, discipleship was far from a widespread idea,” Kochanasz writes. “Dawson’s relational, one-to-one approach to ministry stood in stark contrast to the broader trends of early-20th-century evangelicalism.”
Today, The Navigators Worldwide Partnership operates in more than 123 countries, with approximately 6,000 staff of 85 nationalities. The organization serves on more than 200 U.S. college campuses, at military installations, and in neighborhoods, workplaces, and churches globally.
To mark the centennial, The Navigators have made available historical resources, archival materials, and information about Life-to-Life discipleship at navigators.org/history
The gospel spread to the known world during the first century without radio, television, or the printing press, all because these produced ones were reproducing. … There are many hearts ready for the gospel now. Where is your man? Where is your woman?”
— Dawson Trotman, Born to Reproduce
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About The U.S. Navigators
The Navigators is a ministry that shares the gospel of Jesus and helps people grow in their relationship with Him through Life-to-Life discipleship, creating spiritual generations of believers. Since its founding in 1933, The Navigators has upheld the mission “to know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same®.” Our Worldwide Partnership includes around 6,000 staff of 85 nationalities, serving in 123 countries. Navigators encourage spiritual growth across life stages, serving wherever people work, live, worship, and play: on college campuses and military bases as well as in urban neighborhoods, workplaces, churches, local communities, and hard-to-reach places. To learn more, visit www.navigators.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2026
Contact: Angela Northamer, U.S Public Relations Lead, (719) 594-21, angela.northamer@navigators.org
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