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Crockpot Church Cultures in a Microwave World

Navigator Church Ministries is leading a track called “Crockpot Church Cultures in a Microwave World,” which focuses on the long-term methods of making disciples in a world that values speed and efficiency over relationships.

God starts with one. He always has. Whether it was Adam, Abraham, Moses, or Jesus, God makes movements from just one. The journey toward becoming a disciple making church begins the same way—with just one. Are you willing to be that one for your church?

Eighty-four years ago, The Navigators started the same way, from just one: Dawson Trotman was a lumberyard worker who came to be known as the “father of modern-day disciple making.” He began by walking alongside Les Spencer, who passed on practices to help him in his own spiritual journey. One-to-one, life-to-life—the first generation.

With eight decades of disciple making experience, The Navigators know disciple making, and Navigator Church Ministries (NCM), the church-arm of The Navigators, brings that experience to life in the local church. Our focus is reproducing disciple makers and growing disciple making cultures in the local church throughout America to impact the nations.


Get more content like this in person at the 2017 National Disciple Making Forum.

This is one of the largest gatherings of disciple makers in North America with 65+ workshops, 30+ speakers, and 10+ tracks. Join us to learn practical ways to make disciples of Jesus this November 9-10. Register for the 2017 National Disciple Making Forum here.


We do this by starting the way God does—with one. Our staff walks alongside pastors and church leaders to develop disciple makers. After all, a culture of disciple making begins with disciple makers.

We’re eager to take part in this year’s National Disciple Making Forum because we want to serve you: the one who’s willing to be that one at your church, the one in whom God has birthed a burden for life-to-life disciple making, the one who is going to reproduce, and the one who is going to become like Jesus and make disciples who will make disciples.

Track Sessions for The Navigator Church Ministries

  • “Cultures of Disciple Making in the Local Church” – What are the marks of a disciple making culture, and how can you develop them in your own church? This workshop explores these questions by looking at proven principles and a roadmap for developing such a culture.
  • “Disciple Making in a Culture of Consumerism” – A deep understanding of how growing and living in a culture of consumerism impacts us and those we disciple is a vital step to developing disciples who don’t conform to the world. Learn how the “water we swim in” can negatively affect our disciple making methods.
  • “Assessing Disciple Making Cultures & Charting A Path Forward” – We measure what matters, so how do we measure spiritual growth? Learn key insights from assessing over 2500 churches who were working to develop a disciple making culture.
  • “The Silver Bullet” – Did you know there’s one practice that drives spiritual growth more than any other? Regardless of age, race, gender, or spiritual maturity, there’s a silver bullet to help you and those you lead grow.
  • “The Ways of the Alongsider” – Disciple makers intentionally develop heart, vision, and skill to effectively disciple everyday people. Look at how to walk alongside others in life-to-life relationships and how to develop others to do the same.

Leading this track are Roy and Margaret Fitzwater, who share the unique combination of each having more than 10 years in Fortune 500 corporate positions, over 20 years in professional ministry, more than 33 years in lay leadership in ministry, church boards, nonprofit boards, etc. Since joining The Navigators division Navigator Church Ministries (NCM) in 2005, the Fitzwaters have worked as coaches and consultants with churches of all sizes in all denominations, beginning with the leadership. The Fitzwaters have two adult sons, Christopher and Stephen. Christopher currently works in Dallas with Novation, while Stephen is an Air Force pilot in Charleston, South Carolina.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash

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