Merry CHRISTmas from the UNTNAVS. Thank you for making this possible!!!!

Dear Friend,

This has certainly been my most exciting and encouraging semester with The Navigators to date.  The Lord has brought us a host of wonderful students who are growing deeply as they learn to walk closely with our God.

I enjoy immensely the work we are doing here at the University of North Texas.  I cannot think of anything I would rather do than pour my life out to see these young Christians draw near to God and seek His face.

One of the people I have invested in is Daniel.  Daniel and I began his discipleship journey with the UNTNAVS four years ago when he was a freshman.  In my newsletters, I have shared with you how we are making disciples now at UNT who will become the nation’s future leaders and who will be laborers for Jesus Christ spreading the Gospel throughout the world.  Now, Daniel is serving and making disciples with the UNT Navigators faithfully his Senior year   He transitioning into the workforce now in the field of accounting equipped and passionate to meet his future coworkers  and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is active in his church family, continuing to disciple students and to be discipled.  I thank God for being apart of discipling students and for the joy of them being apart of God’s Great Commission discipling others.

All of this is possible because of your sacrificial giving!  I am so thankful for each of you.  Your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciated.  May the Lord richly bless you this Christmas season.

In His service,

Todd Lollar

P.S.  I have a deficit of $24,000 for the 2012 fiscal budget (ministry expenses, administration, and salary).  Would you prayerfully consider giving a monthly gift or an end-of-the-year tax-deductible gift of $50, $100, $500, $1,000  (whatever you are led to) to help me continue reaching students)? Click the “donate” button on the left to help us reach more students.  Thank you!

toddlollar@hotmail.com s 817-874-4228 (c) www.toddlollar.com  twitter (toddlollar) Facebook                                                                                   

Logan writes:  When I was first introduced to The Navigators in 2010, I committed to meet with a group of fellow students every Monday until their vision became mine. Navs discipled me structured around simple, crucial biblical beliefs—to know Christ and make Him known. Nav meetings also equipped us how to talk to our friends about Christ and the importance of being in discipling relationships, being discipled and discipling other students.

This summer I traveled to Nepal with a team of UNT Navigators to spread the Gospel to unreached locations. We led Bible studies, discipled believers, shared the Gospel with unbelievers, and trekked to parts of the Annapurna circuit to reach unengaged people groups, such as the Mugger. Nepal is predominantly Hindu and Buddhist, yet the people we met were open to hearing about a new God. It was an honor to bring them the news of the one true, living God.

Joe’s Journey with the UNT NAVS

When I first came to UNT in the fall of 2008, I was not actively searching for a Bible study group, but noticed a booth set up by The Navigators. However, through the next few weeks, I felt too busy to attend any of the studies. But the UNT NAVS made sure they passed by my dorm room just before the weekly study, and one night I finally felt compelled to go. Ever since, I have grown tremendously in my faith in God and have learned to pursue Him with increasing effort and desire. This would not be so without the encouragement and teaching that have come through Navigator staff and students.

This past summer, I was given the opportunity to share my faith with a minority people group in Southeast Asia. These people—thousands—had never heard of Jesus Christ. They live in small, mountainous villages farming crops as their main source of income (which average $100 U.S. dollars per year per family), and worshipping ancestors and spirits: they’re animists. Five men and I traveled to these villages and spent a week living with the people and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere we went. Though it challenged us physically, mentally, and spiritually, we gained more joy through it than any other experience in our lives. Our faith in God and scope of His sovereignty is now much much greater. There is no greater thing than to lead lost people to God for an eternity, for His Glory. Thank God for Jesus. Thank Jesus for The Navigators who have served Christ in leading me, and countless others, into a deep, loving relationship with Him for His Kingdom, for His glory. All glory be to God forever and ever! (Matthew 28:18-20, Revelation 22:12-17)

Fall Kickoff  2011

God opened doors for the UNT Navigators to contact 250 freshmen at the start of this fall semester!  Our staff and students walked around campus engaging faith conversations with new students by asking them to fill out short spiritual surveys.  The surveys ask: “Do you believe in God,” “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” and “Would you be interested in attending a small-group Bible study?”  These questions stirred conversations with some students who are non-Christians, and we were able to plant seeds of Christ in their hearts!  Those who took the survey wrote down their name and dorm #.  We then visited all the students who indicated interest in a small-group Bible study. Seventy-five students showed up to the Bible Study Kickoff and are getting involved in small-group Bible studies and one-to-one discipleship across campus this fall!  Praise God!  Please pray for them to grow in their relationship with Jesus!

All of this awesome work of God could not be done without YOU!  Your ongoing prayer and financial ministry partnership enables this ministry to exist and make a difference.  Because of you ongoing giving, students have a group to belong to that will help them grow in Christ and forever change their lives and the people they impact with the Gospel of Jesus.  Thank you for your ongoing prayer and financial support that make all this happen!  I hope you are encouraged by this and the testimonials yet to come your way.

This ministry is allowed to function because people like you decide to make a financial investment that will provide eternal dividends.  If you are not a partner with us in this ministry, will you prayerfully consider being a monthly financial partner or and anchor donor. $1,800 a month is needed for the ministry to function.  This will go toward direct ministry expenses, administration and salary expenses. Also, one-time donations are helpful.  A total of $21,600 is  needed for the year.   All donations to the Navigators are tax-deductible.  Your ongoing prayer and financial ministry partnership enables this ministry to exist and make a difference.  Because of you ongoing giving, students have a group to belong to that will help them grow in Christ and forever change their lives and the people they impact with the Gospel of Jesus.  You can easily make your one-time or monthly donation via clicking the donation button on the left.  This link will enable to make one-time or reoccurring donations.  If you are already a financial ministry partner of this ministry, thank you and I pray you are encouraged by the newsletters sharing the fruit of your giving.   Thank you for your ongoing prayer and financial support consideration that make all this happen!  I hope you are encouraged by this and the testimonials yet to come your way.

Will you share what God is doing through the Gospel of Jesus Christ in today’s Generation with the new “share” buttons?  The students and I are thankful for 50 ministry financial partners in this ministry.  This ministry is 70% funded.  The students and I are praying for 50 more financial partners to come on board with a monthly or an anchor tax-deductible donation.  Monthly and anchor tax-deductible donations may be made on the left.  Please e-mail me if you have any questions.

For the sake of the Gospel,

Todd Lollar

Are you interested in a relationship with “HIM”?  Start conversations with those who do have a relationship with “HIM”.  Share “HIM” by the “share” buttons below.

...On the mission field of the Univ. of North Texas

If you are a Christian, most of this information is not anything radical. It’s simply a story.

I grew up in a Christian home. I was in church every Sunday morning. I grew up with the concept of God drilled into my head. I could give the perfect answer to any Sunday school question. I knew that I shouldn’t drink, do drugs, cuss, or have sex. I strived my entire life to avoid those things and to live the “perfect” life. I knew that I was suppose to be good and strive to be perfect as God is perfect. But, why? That, I was never taught.

My mother and father divorced when I was in the sixth or seventh grade. I separated myself from my emotions. I told myself their divorce didn’t bother me at all. My dad was rarely home anyways, and he spent the time he was home angry and shouting. Leaving him was for the best. In fact, I was glad it happened. Now, don’t get me wrong. Growing up, I was happy. I had no complaints against my mother or father. Yeah, they weren’t perfect. But, what family is? That’s what family is, right? Loving each other despite each others’ imperfections? I don’t know. My dad was gone, and I didn’t have to worry about it anymore.

Needless to say, my father and I lost contact for the most part. I can count on my fingers and toes the number of times I saw him my sixth or seventh grade year through my junior year of college. August 2007 brought me a new start when I arrived on the University of North Texas campus. By the end of my freshman year, I had done everything “bad” that I promised myself I’d never do. I was ashamed. If God couldn’t love me any longer, then how could anyone ever love me? I sought to fill this void anyway possible. I got nothing. I even tried praying and going to church. Nothing. I knew I was doing wrong and that I should change, but that’s all I knew.

My freshman year I met some people from a campus organization called The Navigators. I went to a few of the Bible studies off and on, but I was usually too busy seeking other things. The next year was basically the same. Except I was desperately trying to change. The end of my sophomore year, I was involved in three Bible studies per week on top of classes and work. This was the first time that I was actively seeking God since high school. I needed an answer to all this head knowledge, but where was God? I sought and sought, and couldn’t feel Him. Something kept me going, though. Something didn’t let me give up. Still, no matter how much I tried, I was never able to break myself of all my bad habits. I hid behind my busyness as my reason for no longer sinning. Consequently, I no longer committed the “major” sins, but I still messed up and felt like running when I did so.

After a long spiritual battle to my junior year, I finally realized the reason I was never able to change before: I was relying on my own strength, when I actually don’t have any strength at all. But, how could I come back after all that I had done? What kind of man would choose to love me? It was a lost hope. This same year I met a young man with whom I had a connection like no other. Over a long phone conversation, he shared his testimony with me, and I shared mine with him. For the first time, I had shared every, single detail of my story. I was completely open.

“And, who could ever love someone like that?” I asked crying silently, waiting nervously for his response on the other end of the phone.

“But even though I’ve done all that, God still loves me and still chooses to call me His daughter,” God answered through the silence.

“Wow!” I thought. “How amazing!” I finally got it.

Once I understood this love, doing good came as a natural response. I simply wanted to do good to please Him because He loves me unconditionally. Through my understanding of this love, also came the understanding of forgiveness—what it truly meant to forgive as God forgives. I contacted my dad asking forgiveness for any bitterness I held against him. He enthusiastically replied seeking forgiveness as well. My relationship with my father is restored, but most importantly my relationship with my Father is restored. To understand that He chose us knowing that we would forsake Him, that He sacrificed Himself for us who are completely broken—what awesome love! Oh, that I may lay down my life for my Father as He has for me.

“BUT NOW thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

“Behold, WHAT manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1).

Raegan Pool

International President Mike Treneer of The Navigators penned a “Dear Navigator Family” letter addressing the question, “Who is a Navigator?” He describes Navigators as “ordinary people, in many walks of life, joyfully leading integrated lives. They live as fruitful insiders among the lost. The Gospel spreads naturally and powerfully, as believers share Christ…life upon life…student to student…colleague to colleague, family to family.”

This describes students who graduate from UNT and go out into all the world making disciples as the Bible proclaims in the Great Commission in Matthew 28.  They cross cultures into new cities and nations. Teams of mobile pioneers intentionally proclaim and embody the Good News of Jesus Christ. New generations of leaders are emerging through the Navigator ministry at UNT because of your prayerful or financial partnership. Thank you for joining me in the mission of Jesus Christ, furthering His Kingdom through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Andrew is one of the guys I disciple who is growing in Jesus.

Discovering True Identity

Navigator small-group Bible studies continue to meet all over the mission field of UNT in dorms and student apartments, and I co-lead with a student a group which meets in the student union, the central meeting point for UNT students. In my many years of college ministry, I have met a plethora of students who are trying to “find themselves.” What an awesome experience it is to study Ephesians with students in which Paul reminds God’s people of their identity in Christ. These phrases, “in Christ” and “in Him” are continually repeated to help us realize and be empowered by our true identity that can only be found in Christ.  Our life is about who Christ is, because we are in Him.  Here are just a few of the names of guys I disciple whom you can pray for: Daniel, Teddy, Andrew, Gregory, Westin, Jack, Logan, Randy, and Zack.

P.S.

You are a blessing to me, and God brings me joy through your interest in the Calling God has placed on my life to share the Gospel with the collegiates. I send out these newsletters every few months, but I update my website (www.toddlollar.com) regularly. It is a great way for you to join me in this journey beyond these newsletters. One the site you’ll find:

• A blog that I continuously update
• “Share” buttons to invite others into the journey
• Facebook and Twitter links to my ministry
• Articles about ministering to future leaders in college
• Guest bloggers writing on the faith journey with Jesus in today’s culture
• Information on my speaking ministry and booking info
• Links to partner financially with me in this effective ministry

This has certainly been my most exciting and encouraging semester with The Navigators to date.  The Lord has brought us a host of wonderful students who are growing deeply as they learn to walk closely with our God.

I enjoy immensely the work we are doing here at the University of North Texas.  I cannot think of anything I would rather do than pour my life out to see these young Christians draw near to God and seek His face and make disciples.

One of the people I have invested in is Daniel.  Daniel and I began his discipleship journey with the UNT Navigators three years ago when he was a freshman. Daniel is a senior in accounting and leads a Bible study making disciples of other students.  In my newsletters, I have shared with you how we are making disciples now at UNT who will become the  nation’s future leaders and who will be laborers for Jesus Christ spreading the Gospel throughout the world.  Another student, Elijah, graduated from UNT in May.  He served in China after graduation teaching English as a second language sharing Jesus in a country where the Gospel is prohibited. He is currently in the workforce in the U.S., intentionally developing relationships with his coworkers that, over time, are becoming discipleship relationships.

As 2010 draws to a close, I am facing a deficit of $21,600 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year (ministry expenses, administration, and salary).  Will you join me by giving a monthly gift or an end-of-the-year tax-deductible gift of $50, $100, $500, $1,000 (whatever you are led to) to help me continue reaching students)? If God leads you to give, please click the “donate” box to the left to make a tax-deductible donation to The Navigators.  Also, needed tax-deductible monthly donation can me started up through this link.  May I hear from you before December 31?  Thank you!

In His service,

Todd Lollar

“Unto Him (Jesus) who is able to do immeasurable more that all we can ask or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20   (Theme of  this ministry.)

We have so much to praise God and to thank Him for this Holiday Season.  I echo Paul’s words to you in meditating on my thankfulness, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now (Phil. 1:3-4).” You are in my thoughts everyday I roll onto the mission field of UNT.  God has moved in students’ lives because of your involvement.  Regan is on the track team and has been discipled by the Navigators for the last 3 years.  She experienced a new birth this summer as she was baptized into Jesus Christ!  As we remember and celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, this season. Remember and be joyful about the lives like Regan’s! You are touching at UNT through your much appreciative continual financial involvement.

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Todd Lollar

p.s. Will you share this ministry with people who you’d like to invite to be ministry financial partners with us? Share button below.

So every now and then I will share a short commentary of a good song from a gifted artist about how i hear faith intersecting culture through the song:

“I wanted love. I needed love. Most of all, most of all Someone said true love was dead And I’m bound to fall, bound to fall for you Oh what can I do, yeah.”

In every soul there’s depravity that craves love. We have a tendency to run after everything and anything to fill this void, this lostness.

“When I was young and moving fast. Nothing slowed me down, oh slowed me down. Now I let the others pass. I’ve come around, oh come around. Cuz I found”

With maturity, years and experience, we learn the blessing of slowing down, observing, realizing our need and the only One who can fulfill the need, not longer running after emptiness We have no need to run the “rat race” because we are confident in the One who found us.

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” – Ps 62:1

We help people “navigate” life by establishing life-on-life mentoring—or discipling—relationships with them, equipping them to make an impact on those around them for God’s glory.

These life-changing relationships are formed on college campuses.  The specific ministry I am located is the University of North Texas, which has the highest percentage of unchurched students in the Bible Belt.

Our mission is based on the Bible, God’s Word. Desiring to fulfill 2 Timothy 2:2, Navigators seek to forward the grace and teachings of Christ from one believer to the next—what we call “generational multiplication.”  We want to share the Gospel with EACH student, disciple EACH student, and witness them disciple students.  It’s a blessing to witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread through personal discipleship relationships with each student at the University of North Texas and BEYOND!

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”  (2 Timothy 2:2).

Do you want to get me involved?  If so, let me know and we’ll talk about how.

In His Service,

Todd Lollar

We are a community of hundreds of thousands of everyday people who impact others for God’s glory in our normal pathways of life—where we study, live, work, and play.

Navigators are characterized by an eagerness to introduce Jesus to those who don’t know Him, a passion to see those who do know Jesus deepen their relationship with Him, and a commitment to training Jesus followers to continue this nurturing process among the people they know.

Today, the Navigator staff family—4,600 strong—includes 70 nationalities, 130 languages, and numerous heritages and life experiences. The Navigator family also includes those who work alongside and support our staff, whose hearts beat with the passion of our motto, “to Know Christ and to Make Him Known^®.”

It's been a blessing walking with Joe in His journey with Christ! He has grown immensely!

Joe comments on the Navigators  ministry:

“Walking with Christ in search of the Lord God is no easy matter for anyone. We all need dedicated and strong brothers in Christ with depth in their hearts, minds, and spirits to guide us, and so that we might guide others in the wisdom of Christ Jesus who is our lord and God most high. I ask that you be moved in knowing that the Navigators sought me out in the Spirit of the Lord to live by my side and love me, rebuking me when necessary, proving their true and honest love for me, and although they sometimes made mistakes, I am reminded that we all err, but what matters is that they truly sought my heart, desiring to be with me in paradise eternally, Christ being the foundation.” – Joe (above)

The UNT NAVS are starting out this fall semester with nine small groups that meet all around campus. Small groups are where a majority of ministry happens. This is a time for students to get deep in the Word of God. There is an atmosphere of openness in the groups which allows students to ask deep faith questions, which God uses to draw students nearer to Him. I mentor the student co-leader, Daniel, on how to lead a Bible study. During the week I meet with each of guy from out group for one-to-one discipleship and to get into their lives and help each of them gain a Christ-centered vision. The Navigators’ vision is that these guys will in turn start discipling other students, producing multiple spiritual generations modeled by Jesus and His disciples!

Financial Ministry Team

Serving with The Navigators and making disciples of college students who will go out to all career fields and nations has been one of the greatest blessings I have ever experienced! This great God-sized mission would not be possible without people whom I love dearly, such as yourself, to prayerfully join me in ministry as a monthly, yearly, or one-time financial ministry partner.  God has provided 64% of the ministry’s budget so far. I’m still working on the remaining $1,784 in monthly support.  If you desire to be on this team, monthly and one-time donations can be easily made by clicking, “donate.” to the left.

Thank you for partnering with me in ministry!

God answered your prayers on the Mean Green Fling at the University of North Texas! We, NAV staff and students accepted a God-given opportunity to meet and share Christ’s love with over 500 freshmen! Our NAV staff team and students have been walking around campus engaging faith conversations with new students through asking them to fill out short spiritual surveys. The surveys start out with general questions like, “Do you believe in God?” to “do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” to “Would you be interested in being in a small group Bible study?” These questions stir conversations with students who are non-Christians and we are able to plant seeds of Christ in their hearts! Also, we meet students who are Christians and invite them into an instant group of friends who they can go deeper in Christ with. The students  write down their name and dorm #. We then will go visit all the students who put they were interested in a small group Bible study over tonight and tomorrow night and invite them to the the Bible Study Kickoff this Wednesday where we will share the vision of the Navigators ministry and invite them into this amazing discipleship ministry.

They will get involved in small group Bible studies across campus and will be in discipling relationships with our staff team and the student leaders of the ministries. Praise God! Please be on the mission field with me at UNT over the next few weeks in prayer starting tonight! I know God will answer your prayers and students will come to a deeper relationship with Christ because of the truth in the theme verse of the ministry:

“UNTO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLE MORE THAN ALL WE CAN ASK OR IMAGINE. ” – EPH. 3:20

Will you come with me prayer tonight and tomorrow night as we knock on doors sharing God’s love inviting students to the Bible study kickoff?

Will you join the ministry financially?  26% of the budget is still needed to be raised.  Please see “Donate” tab.  All monthly and one-time donations are tax-deductible.

At the end of every school year I say, “This has been our most amazing year of ministry yet at The University of North Texas.” And it’s true again this year! The students grew in their passion for Christ through in-depth studies of Colossians and Philippians. Our staff met one-on-one with most of the students to mentor them in being disciples of Jesus. It’s exciting to see the ministry growing gradually in numbers and drastically deeper in the students’ relationship with Christ.

A UNT student who makes me good coffee at a local coffee shop. He’d often sit at my table during his breaks and tell me his story. He grew up in church, but when he got to college, like many, he turned away from the church. After getting to know him, he has been meeting with me weekly studying the life of Jesus through the Gospel according to Mark. It’s awesome to witness God drawing the student to Himself. He is now opening up to journeying with other believers. Please pray for him and the many others you are helping me reach at UNT.

Summer Ministry

The spring semester has come to an end, but collegiate ministry is still in full swing! More students are staying at UNT for summer school than we’ve had since I’ve been ministering here! Summer Bible study starts next week, and I’m continuing to disciple many of the guys I met with during the school year, including Jack.

Jack and I have been on a discipleship journey together for two years. In that time, he has asked many questions that God has used to deepen his faith. Jack uses his gift of evangelism and is always asking me to pray for his lost friends and asking me how to reach them effectively with the Gospel. Jack and Nick, a friend that Jack is sharing the Gospel with, just stopped by the coffee shop as I’ve been typing this newsletter. We had a good conversation on faith and Jesus. It’s exciting to see students like Jack live out Jesus’ vision of discipling and sharing the Gospel. Please pray for our discipleship ministry this summer and for our students as they go out and share the Gospel with their friends.

Vision/Speaking Tour

This summer, along with student ministry, I will meet with people to share the vision of this effective ministry at UNT and ask them to join me by being monthly or anchor financial ministry partners.

I will be in the Oklahoma City area May 22-30, and I will be in Abilene and DFW this summer as well. I’d love to meet with you over coffee.  Please contact me if you’d like to meet.

The monthly goal to raise for the ministry to function effectively is $2,304. Monthly tax-deductible donations can easily be made at www.navigators.org/us/support or click link in the upper-right corner of this blog.

May I serve your church or ministry this summer by speaking on God’s power in our weaknesses or on everyday evangelism? If so, please contact me: toddlollar@hotmail.com

Here is a quote about my latest speaking engagement:

“Todd spoke at our youth retreat. Our students were engaged by Todd’s passion for sharing the Gospel with them. Todd’s enthusiasm for Christ and his story impacted our group. All of our students said that Todd speaking to them was a highlight of their weekend. It’s rare to find someone today who so willingly and openly shares their weaknesses so that Christ may be glorified through them. You will be blessed by listening to Todd share his story of the Gospel in living color.” – Jeff Gary, Youth Pastor, Central Fellowship Church, Decatur, TX

Thank you for partnering with me in ministry!

Join my Facebook Group for this college ministry…this is the best way to stay in the loop: CLICK

toddlollar@hotmail.com s 817-874-4228 (c) swww.toddlollar.coms twitter (toddlollar) Facebook