“God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” —2 Timothy 1:5-7, The Message®
Where It Began
In the summer of 1975, tucked away in the front range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, The Navigators formally launched NavPress, its book publishing ministry, into the world.
NavPress’s first publication was a Bible study about 24 women showcased in the Scriptures. Her Name Is Woman by Gien Karssen would go on to sell more than half a million copies. It was endorsed by Corrie Ten Boom and set a tone and priority for NavPress publications: They must meet people where they are and help them
- walk with God,
- know and live the Scriptures,
- participate in Christian community,
- engage those who don’t know Christ, and
- support the passing of the faith from one generation to the next.
NavPress resources, from the very beginning, were designed to be expectant, compassionate, authentic—or, as in Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “bold and loving, and sensible.”
Decades of Impact
Just three years into the life of NavPress, accountant and everyday disciplemaker Jerry Bridges released The Pursuit of Holiness. This audacious resource challenged people to live counterculturally. Consequently, it was not expected to sell well. Since then, more than 2 million people have taken up the pursuit.
Resource after resource followed. NavPress was nearly twenty years old when Brennan Manning published Abba’s Child, his gentle, gracious introduction to a loving God’s offer of intimate companionship to everyday “ragamuffins.”
The legacy of everyday impact has continued over the decades, including How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People. This friendly, down-to-earth book helped readers see not only the possibilities that open up to us when we pray but the great generosity of God, who allows us to sit down with the Creator of the universe whenever we want.
Audacious. Gracious. Down-to-earth.
Bold. Loving. Sensible.
An Everyday Bible for Everyday People
In 2002, Eugene H. Peterson completed his solo translation of the Scriptures from the original languages into immensely engaging contemporary language. Among his many, many enduring interpretations of Bible passages comes from Romans 12: “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.”
On and on the story goes. Since 1975, NavPress resources by everyday disciplemakers—people from a variety of backgrounds, writing out of passionate obedience to Jesus—have defied expectations to support people’s discipleship and disciplemaking. They have in common three simple qualities:
- They are bold. They expect great things of God and they aspire to great things with God.
- They are loving. They extend grace to their readers, offering understanding and compassion alongside heartfelt, practical guidance.
- They are sensible. They acknowledge the complexity and challenge of the times we live in and seek the wisdom of God for the people of God.
Bold. Loving. Sensible.
From 1975 until today and into the future, we’ve been joining with God to create bold, loving, and sensible disciplemaking resources. Join our mission to be bold, loving, and sensible! Learn more at navpress.com/purpose or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.