The ministry of The Navigators began in the 1930's through the call of God to a young Californian, Dawson Trotman. He began to teach high school students and local Sunday school classes. Then in 1933, he and his friends began to extend their work among sailors in the U.S. Navy.

A US Navy sailor by the name of Les Spencer was dissatisfied with his Christian walk. Spencer wanted victory over sin. Victory in his prayer life. Greater boldness in his witness for Christ. So he asked for help.

The person he went to for help was Dawson Trotman. Trotman was a Christian full of contagious zeal, drive and creativity. Dawson worked in a lumber yard 40 hours a week, and spent another 40 hours a week teaching Sunday school classes, evangelizing and exhorting every Christian he met to single-mindedly obey God.

“Dawson Trotman was one of the most unforgettable characters I have ever met in Christian work . . . He was on duty at all times, touching lives daily—and sometimes hourly—for Christ.”

— Billy Graham

The ship sank but the dream didn't
So Dawson took Spencer aside and began to mentor him in the Christian faith. He taught him how to pray, how to read his Bible, how to witness, and how to live an obedient life.

Soon Spencer found a sailor on his battleship whom he won to Christ and began to disciple. That sailor then found another, who found another, until 125 men had come to faith in Christ before their ship was sunk at Pearl Harbor. After the Second World War was over, men off that battleship were serving as missionaries on four continents.

From man to movement
From this experience, Trotman saw the enormous potential that one-on-one discipleship had for changing lives. So, in 1935, he formed The Navigators and adopted the motto "To know Christ and to make Him known."

Thousands responded to Trotman's challenge. Through their labours, Dawson has helped reclaim some forgotten biblical truths: the importance of follow-up with those new to the Christian life, one-on-one training, and the multiplication of disciples.

. Many hours were spent with individual sailors in Bible study, Scripture memorization and prayer with an emphasis on each teaching another what he had learned. By the end of World War II, thousands of men on ships and bases around the world were learning the principles of spiritual multiplication.