News Release 06/01/2025

June 1, 2025

Navigators Church Ministries Names New National Leads for Next Chapter in Disciplemaking

Colorado Springs, CO — Navigators Church Ministries (NCM) enters a new season of leadership with the appointment of Justin Gravitt and Vicki Gatchell as National Leads, effective June 1, 2025. Together, they will provide strategic and spiritual leadership for the ministry’s work partnering with churches to build disciplemaking cultures across the country.

Gravitt and Gatchell each bring distinct strengths to the leadership team—Justin focusing on external vision and innovation, and Vicki investing in internal development and connection. They share a conviction that local churches are poised to change culture through intentional disciplemaking.

“This is a pivotal time—not just for NCM, but for the church,” said Gravitt. “Disciplemaking isn’t just a strategy; it’s the way we meet a culture desperate for identity and connection. Our role is to help churches move from good intentions to a lived, multiplying culture where everyday people are equipped to lead others to Jesus.”

Recent research from Pew shows that 80% of Americans see churches as vital places of community and connection. This underscores the moment—where churches have a powerful role to play in meeting people’s deep need for belonging and purpose. It’s exactly why NCM’s focus on building disciplemaking cultures is so timely: helping churches become vibrant, life-giving hubs where faith is shared, leaders are raised, and transformation spreads organically.

“There’s a new generation rising, and they’re not drawn to performance—they’re looking for depth, for something real,” said Gatchell. “Disciplemaking gives us the framework to raise up called and qualified leaders who will impact others for decades to come.”

Gravitt has served with The Navigators® for more than 20 years, shaping disciplemaking movements across cultural contexts in the U.S. and abroad. He is the author of several books, including his latest, The Foundation of a Disciplemaking Culture. Gatchell, who joined NCM in 2020, has been discipling women and partnering with church leaders for over three decades. She is a seasoned life and leadership coach with a deep commitment to walking with leaders as they build multi-generational disciplemaking cultures.

As more churches seek to cultivate depth and resilience in their people, this new chapter of leadership builds on a strong foundation. Under Gravitt and Gatchell, NCM will remain rooted in its GiDC–Growing (i)ntentional Disciplemaking Cultures–approach, with a continued commitment to thought leadership and innovation.

Their mission remains clear: Every church, sending everyday disciplemakers, to transform their everywhere.

About Navigators Church Ministries

Navigators Church Ministries (NCM) partners with churches to develop Growing intentional Disciplemaking Cultures (GiDC) that transform communities through everyday disciplemakers. Rooted in the vision that every church sends everyday disciplemakers to transform their everywhere, NCM equips church leaders to build disciplemaking cultures that impact families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and beyond. As part of The Navigators® global family, NCM draws from decades of disciplemaking experience to serve churches in a rapidly changing world. To learn more, visit navigatorschurchministries.org.

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®.” With over 2,500 U.S. staff serving in more than 1,200 ministry locations—plus thousands more representing over 100 countries in our Worldwide Partnership—The Navigators focuses on developing disciples person-by-person-by-person, encouraging spiritual growth across life stages and reaching people where they work, live, worship, and play.