Keeping People at Arm’s Length

Before I was following Jesus & before I got to know Ann in my senior year of high school, I was deeply committed to two things—NEVER getting married and keeping Jesus distant.

I saw the carnage of so many failed marriages & observed the misery of many who were still physically together but had already emotionally divorced. I feared I would fall for a beautiful woman who would later become repulsive to me and/or I to her—both externally & internally. I’d known ABOUT Ann for years. She was a cheerleader & I was an athlete. Then, a moment came when we had our first substantive conversation. I was toast. 41 years into our marriage, she grows more beautiful to me every day. But what if we had never started talking?

And I did the same thing with Jesus. I knew ABOUT Him, but I kept Him at arm’s length. My fears & negative assumptions about what a life of faith in Him would really be like held me back. How wrong I was… & how glad I am that I plunged in!

I’m guessing that many people who are keeping God and others at arm’s length have things like this going on in their minds & hearts. Of course, we can not help everyone. Still, my hope is that our love & prayers will open doors for a few to relationships and be used by God to melt away some people’s doubts and misinformation about Him. The Scriptures refer to what we long for as “removing the veil” (2 Corinthians 3:15-16). Do it Lord…. Please!

Resources

Are there people you have been afraid to get to know better that God may be asking you to take a step towards?

Do you have questions about God or God’s character that you have been afraid to ask? Is there someone who could help you think things through?

Are there people you know who have kept themselves from God and from other people that you could pray for?

Tom Bourke

In 1980, Tom was stationed at Langley Air Force Base, in Virginia. A man from the ministry of The Navigators (Steve Draper) met him and invited him to read the Bible. Just three weeks before Tom's wedding, Tom understood the Gospel and placed his faith in Christ. Less than two weeks later, he headed home to Michigan to wed his high school sweetheart, Ann. In the course of sharing his new found faith, Ann also received Christ. Returning to Virginia as newlyweds, Tom & Ann grew into Disciples together under the mentorship of Steve & Sue Draper. Just over four years later, after being coached in personal ministry by The Navigator Staff at the Base, they were invited to get out of the military and minister full-time with The Navigators. Deciding this was, in fact, God’s will for them, The Bourkes joined the Navigator Staff on November 1, 1984. After a few years of Staff Training in Virginia, Tom & Ann were appointed as Navigator Reps and headed for their first full-fledged assignment in January of 1987: Lakenheath & Mildenhall Air Bases, in England. In 1993, The Bourke’s were reassigned to help lead The Navigators Ministry at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. They added the role of Regional Leader for all Northeast U.S Navigators Military Ministries in June of 1998, serving in these dual roles until June of 2002. At that time, they moved to Dayton Ohio and began their first Sabbatical. Their sabbatical ended in the summer of 2003, and they began local ministry with Military folks at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. In January 2004, Tom was appointed Associate Director for all Navigator Military Ministries. Tom oversaw two regions (the South Central & Rocky Mountain Heartland Regions) that basically make up the middle of the U.S. Tom was also responsible for Staff Recruiting, Mission Funding & Foreign Military Initiatives. In 2010, Tom & Ann moved to Detroit, to lead the 50+ Person Detroit NavCity Staff Team that engages the unchurched with the Scriptures in seven main contexts: Collegiate, 20s, Workplace, Nations Within (Immigrants), I-58 (Urban Poor), Neighbors & Encore (retired or semi-retired folks)... As well as partnering with many churches across the Detroit Area. In 2017, Tom's role shifted to overseeing the City Directors of our 18 City Teams across the U.S. They still live & minister locally in the Detroit Area. Tom & Ann now have nine children, roughly two years apart, ages 22 to 38. There are five girls and four boys, and they also have eight grandchildren.

See Full Bio

The Power of Stories (Including Yours)

Somehow, we got through it: Getting/Giving Help in Sexual Purity

Tom Bourke

In 1980, Tom was stationed at Langley Air Force Base, in Virginia. A man from the ministry of The Navigators (Steve Draper) met him and invited him to read the Bible. Just three weeks before Tom's wedding, Tom understood the Gospel and placed his faith in Christ. Less than two weeks later, he headed home to Michigan to wed his high school sweetheart, Ann. In the course of sharing his new found faith, Ann also received Christ.

Returning to Virginia as newlyweds, Tom & Ann grew into Disciples together under the mentorship of Steve & Sue Draper. Just over four years later, after being coached in personal ministry by The Navigator Staff at the Base, they were invited to get out of the military and minister full-time with The Navigators. Deciding this was, in fact, God’s will for them, The Bourkes joined the Navigator Staff on November 1, 1984.

After a few years of Staff Training in Virginia, Tom & Ann were appointed as Navigator Reps and headed for their first full-fledged assignment in January of 1987: Lakenheath & Mildenhall Air Bases, in England.

In 1993, The Bourke’s were reassigned to help lead The Navigators Ministry at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. They added the role of Regional Leader for all Northeast U.S Navigators Military Ministries in June of 1998, serving in these dual roles until June of 2002. At that time, they moved to Dayton Ohio and began their first Sabbatical. Their sabbatical ended in the summer of 2003, and they began local ministry with Military folks at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

In January 2004, Tom was appointed Associate Director for all Navigator Military Ministries. Tom oversaw two regions (the South Central & Rocky Mountain Heartland Regions) that basically make up the middle of the U.S. Tom was also responsible for Staff Recruiting, Mission Funding & Foreign Military Initiatives.

In 2010, Tom & Ann moved to Detroit, to lead the 50+ Person Detroit NavCity Staff Team that engages the unchurched with the Scriptures in seven main contexts: Collegiate, 20s, Workplace, Nations Within (Immigrants), I-58 (Urban Poor), Neighbors & Encore (retired or semi-retired folks)... As well as partnering with many churches across the Detroit Area.

In 2017, Tom's role shifted to overseeing the City Directors of our 18 City Teams across the U.S. They still live & minister locally in the Detroit Area.

Tom & Ann now have nine children, roughly two years apart, ages 22 to 38. There are five girls and four boys, and they also have eight grandchildren.

Keeping People at Arm’s Length

Tom Bourke

Resources

The Power of Stories (Including Yours)

Somehow, we got through it: Getting/Giving Help in Sexual Purity

Tom Bourke

Be refreshed.

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