Ed & Elvie Navato
Serving in
Military Ministry
Maranatha Baptist Church website
2020 Missions video report
BIMI Military Missions video report
Church Facebook
Ed Navato prayed to receive CHRIST as his personal Savior in the Philippines in 1976. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1982, and married Elvie in 1983. While stationed in California, both Ed and Elvie were members of Fellowship Baptist Church, an independent and fundamental Baptist church in Trabuco Canyon, California under Pastor Ivar Ensminger in 1994. While stationed in Dallas, Texas, they continued to serve the Lord in fundamental and independent Baptist churches, such as Miller Road Baptist Church under Pastor David Blaser. In Arizona, Ed and his family were members of Bible Baptist Church in Yuma under Pastor Alfred Maese. There, he was appointed a deacon. He believed GOD called him to full-time ministry, and later surrendered to preach.
He preached to those in prisons, shelters for the homeless, and elderly nursing homes. He saw many people make professions of faith, in the States, the Philippines, and Japan. In 1999, he received orders to Japan where he and his family became members of Maranatha Baptist Church (MBC). While in Okinawa, he was ordained as deacon, served as soul winning and visitation director, and was later licensed to preach by Pastor Steve Nutt. Pastor Nutt ordained him to the Gospel Ministry in 2002. Ed & Elvie were appointed as missionaries through Baptist International Missions, Inc. in Harrison, Tennessee in 2002.
Ed received his Bible College Diploma from Faith Bible Institute in Monroe, LA in 2002. He received his Doctorate in Ministry Degree from Andersonville Baptist Seminary in Camille, Georgia in 2009. Ed was Assistant Pastor to Pastor Steve Nutt of MBC in Okinawa, Japan from 2005 to 2008. He was called to pastor Lighthouse Baptist Church (now Sasebo Baptist Church) in Japan from 2008 to 2011. He was called to pastor Yokosuka Baptist Church in May 2011 to September 2017. He was called to be the Senior Pastor Maranatha Baptist Church in Okinawa in August 2017 to October 2022. The LORD blessed both in Sasebo Baptist Church, and Yokosuka Baptist Church when both the number of missionaries supported, and the church finances almost doubled before they transferred, numerous souls made professions of faith, and Scripturally baptized. Sasebo Baptist Church, Yokosuka Baptist Church, and Maranatha Baptist Church are all still thriving right now.
The LORD blessed Maranatha Baptist Church with several men surrendering to preach, while Ed was Pastor. Ed had the privilege to also ordain Brother Jeremiah Roper to the Gospel Ministry. Brother Roper is now the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Sigonella, Italy. Ed had the privilege to ordain Brother Fred Rojas to the Gospel Ministry. Brother Rojas is now the Pastor of Sasebo Baptist Church in Japan.
Now, Ed and Elvie started a fundamental and independent Baptist church plant, Freedom Baptist Church, near the US Naval Air Facility Atsugi and US Army Camp Zama in Jan. 2024. Please pray that the LORD will continue to use the Navatos for the salvation of the lost, the baptism and discipleship of converts, and that many will surrender to the call of US Military Missions, more so than ever before, to the glory of GOD.
