Dustyn McLaren joins Navs
posted by Navigators on November 28th, 2022 in Discipleship | Evangelism | Generations
By Dustyn McLaren
It is exciting to have joined the Navigators in response to the Lord’s call and leading to fulltime discipleship ministry, working one-to-one with faithful, available, teachable men who will be able to teach others also. Since meeting Ram [Marrero]
and being introduced to the Navigators over 20 years ago I have been making disciples ‘as I go’. Whether working at Bunnings, studying at uni, renovating houses or spending time as a family, it has been important to be sharing the gospel and either having or looking out for a key man to invest my life in. Recently I have seen the need to be more available to the guys I have been meeting with, and there hasn’t been enough time to fit everything in and really invest time in the lives of those God has brought to me. As God was closing my chapter at Bunnings and I was finishing my degree at uni, I was prayerfully considering what the Lord had next for me.
Ram Marrero with Dustyn
I was on the verge of doing up my resume to apply for jobs in accounting when I knew I needed to commit fulltime to sharing my love of Jesus with people and be obedient to 2 Timothy 2:2. “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” It was only after I made these changes and was sharing my commitment with [a friend] that he asked about whether I’d considered joining the Navigators officially. Shortly after, Rob Bolton rang me to invite me to apply.
It’s been a crazy six months or so going through the changes, and I still have a lot of adjusting and learning to do. I’m more aware than ever how much people need someone to come alongside them and care about their relationship with God, teaching them the tools they need and encouraging them. There is such a great need for labourers, even in the small city/town of Gympie. I’m working with several guys at the moment–school teachers, retail/tradies, uni students, a YouTuber and businessmen–helping them to grow in Christ and be faithful men who will teach others also, to produce new generations of disciples who make disciple-makers that carry on the work God has given to us.
This article was first published in “The Discipler” Issue 22 Summer 2022, from the ministry of Ram and Monika Marrero. Reprinted with permission.
Dustyn and his wife, Hannah, live in Queensland with their family. If you would like to find out more and support the ministry of the McLarens, visit: https://navigators.org.au/staff/mclarendh/