John and Jessica Payton have served on staff with the Navigators since 2002. After a year of staff training at the University of Northern Iowa, they moved to Maryville, MO, to pioneer a new Navigator ministry at Northwest Missouri State University. The Payton’s were married in July of 2002 and have a two-year-old son named Joseph who loves to spend time with his college student friends.

 

John grew up in Hudson, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in Computer Science. During college at UNI, John first experienced what it meant to walk deeply with Jesus through a Navigator Bible study and was personally helped by Navigator staff who modeled love for God, His Word, and people. The investments of these men in John’s life instilled a vision in him to disciple generations of college students and impact the world through the campus.

 

Jessica grew up in Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Kearney with a degree in Social Work. Although Jessica had committed her life to Christ as a young girl, her involvement with the Navigators at UNK was a significant time of growth and development. In addition to being a full-time mom, Jessica invests her life into students and helps to train the staff women at Northwest.

 

John and Jessica are excited about how God is advancing His kingdom at Northwest Missouri State and are eager to continue helping students know Christ deeply and make Him known to others. They endeavor to make 1 Thessalonians 2:8 true of their lives. “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”