Ministry Updates

I serve as the strategic communications manager for The Navigators. I keep my ministry supporters up to date through regular updates. Below is an archive of those posts. For a general overview of my work with The Navigators click here.

A Gathering of 1,400 Navigators

November 5, 2019 by Andrew Ledwith Leave a Comment

This week over 1,400 Navigator staff from all over the world will gather in Orlando, Florida for the 2019 National Staff Gathering (NSG). Held once every four years, the theme of this gathering is focused around abiding deeper in Jesus, igniting movements of the gospel, and supporting multiplying disciplemakers—the three initiatives in the organization’s new strategic plan that was released to staff earlier this year.

This marks the fourth time I’ve had the opportunity to attend this event, but this is easily the most involved I’ve been in putting it together. The communications department plays a huge role in planning and executing different facets of the NSG. For the past year I have served as the event’s co-director of communications, coordinating marketing campaigns and announcements that go out to our staff prior to the event as well as strategizing what it will look like to communicate effectively to attendees once the NSG begins.

While I’m at the NSG, which runs November 7-10, my main area of responsibility will be running the official app for the event. When logged in, attendees will be able to create a custom schedule with the learning opportunities that interest them, message other attendees, and opt to receive custom push notifications. I’m in charge of sending those notifications throughout the event in addition to updating the content in the app as necessary. This is the primary way we will be communicating to attendees throughout the event, making it a critical piece of our strategy.

I plan to post frequently to my ministry Facebook group throughout the event. If you’re not a member yet and want an insider look of the National Staff Gathering please consider joining. You can also follow the official NSG social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Prayer Requests for the National Staff Gathering

Pray for strength and stamina for myself and my fellow members of the communications department. These will likely be long days for all of us.
Pray that all the communications equipment and technical aspects of the event would work as intended.
Pray for all our staff attending the National Staff Gathering, that their commitment to the fulfillment of our calling as Navigators would be invigorated.

Training Staff on our Newest Brand Guidelines

August 30, 2019 by Andrew Ledwith Leave a Comment

This week I had the opportunity to train staff serving with me at The Navigators headquarters on the latest updates made to our branding guidelines. I went through topics like how to make a logo for a ministry event, the status of our various trademark submissions, and updates to our “elevator speech” (a 15-second description of The Navigators, something you could tell someone in the time it would take to take an elevator up a floor).

The cover to our updated brand guide.

The staff receiving the training are individuals we have designated as “brand champions,” those who have gone through extra training to become experts in all the guidelines so they can more effectively apply the principles in their ministry efforts. Our brand team in the communication department is only five strong; we need the valuable contribution of these brand champions to help our entire staff community use our brand effectively.

Ultimately the point of branding isn’t just to make sure the logo is used appropriately or that trademark symbols are in the proper place. Good branding should tell a consistent and captivating story to the people reading it and seeing it. The Navigators has a unique, compelling vision to see Life-to-Life^® disciplemakers create spiritual generations of believers, each aiming to reach people with the gospel of Jesus all throughout the world. When our branding teams makes a change to our guidelines it’s in an effort to tell that story more clearly.

My Summer Intern

August 30, 2019 by Andrew Ledwith Leave a Comment

For two months this summer I had my very first intern, a student from University of Arizona named Anna. Anna’s focus was on content management, which included adding information to Navigator websites, editing announcement copy, and becoming adept with our brand language.

I also assigned Anna a special project: constructing an online timeline of Navigator history that you’ll be able to find on Navigators.org (we’ll publish it early next year). In addition to the work she did for our department she also took part in a Bible study for those in the HQ internship program that covered the topic of abiding in Christ.

Anna is looking at getting into the publishing industry, and I believe the experiences she had while here this summer will help her as she takes initial steps in her professional career. I hope I’m able to hire an intern as great as her again next summer!

Anna has just started her senior year at U of A where she will be one of the student leaders in the Navigator ministry there. Please pray for Anna as well as her fellow Navigator students and staff team, that God would grant them amazing opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus to the new incoming freshmen.

Team Photo – Summer 2019

June 26, 2019 by Andrew Ledwith Leave a Comment

Yesterday was the communications department quarterly offsite meeting at the Penrose House. Below is our team photo, including my summer intern Anna.

Back: Stephanie, Brett, Athena, Randy
Middle: Suzie, Lauren, Janeen, Kim, Barb, Becky
Front: Tyler, Gary, Anna, me

Sharing Communication Best Practices with our Peers

June 5, 2019 by Andrew Ledwith Leave a Comment

Last month I joined representatives from nine ministries in Orlando for the fourth annual Communications and Marketing Summit. The ministries attending included The Navigators, Cru, Intervarsity, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life, Wycliffe, Youth for Christ, Athletes in Action, and Coalition of Christian Outreach. In a spirit of partnership each ministry shared insight on their successes and setbacks in the realm of communications and marketing in ministry at a national level.

Sharing Communication Best Practices with our Peers

Communication and marketing professionals from nine ministries came together for a time of learning and sharing with each other.

My favorite session was titled “Moving Marketing into the Heart of your Mission.” One of our biggest challenges as marketers in a Christian ministry isn’t the actual marketing; it’s educating our ministry staff on what we mean by the term “marketing” (it’s not a dirty word!) using non-industry jargon. The end goal is twofold. First, we want to see staff take advantage of all that marketing can offer their ministry efforts. Second, we want to demonstrate that marketers in a ministry context are equally passionate holders of their ministry’s vision who simply specializes in a particular function.

The three panelists leading this session provided the group with several practical steps someone in a role like mine can take to bridge this gap with the people we’re serving. Now back at Navigators headquarters, I’m looking for opportunities to apply what I’ve learned. As I write this update I’m helping to shape three major communication initiatives, including the roll out of a new strategic plan for our staff. I’m hoping that, in the midst of all the tactical planning, I’m able to influence our staff toward a more positive opinion of marketing within the work of The Navigators.