As a young man, Josh McDowell considered himself an agnostic.
He truly believed that Christianity was worthless. However, when challenged to intellectually examine the claims of Christianity, Josh discovered compelling, overwhelming evidence for the reliability of the Christian faith. After trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, Josh’s life changed dramatically as he experienced the power of God’s love.
After his conversion, his plans for law school turned instead to plans to tell a doubting world about the truth of Jesus Christ. After studying at Kellogg College, Josh completed his college degree at Wheaton College and then attended Talbot Theological Seminary, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Master of Divinity degree. In 1963, Josh joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ International. Not long after, he started the Josh McDowell Ministry* to reach young people worldwide with the truth and love of Jesus.
Well known as an articulate speaker, Josh has addressed more than 46 million people, giving over 32,000 talks in 139 countries.
As he traveled to other countries, Josh quickly realized that where people were sick, homeless, and hungry, words were not enough. In 1991, Josh founded Operation Carelift to meet the physical and spiritual needs he discovered in orphanages, hospitals, schools, and prisons in the countries of the former Soviet Union. Since that time, Operation Carelift has delivered humanitarian aid (food, clothing, and medical supplies) worth more than $46,000,000. That is the equivalent of 278 forty-ton containers. Nearly one million children have received school supplies, food items, hygiene items, and toys from the volunteers that traveled twice a year to share God’s love with them.
Josh has received two significant honors from the Russian people because of these efforts. He is the only non-Russian to receive an honorary doctor of pediatrics degree from the Russian Academy of Medicine — in recognition of his work among the children of Russia. Also, Josh is the only foreigner to become a member of the prestigious Russian Club of Scientists. Operation Carelift, which has grown into one of the largest humanitarian aid organizations based in the United States, is now a part of UNTO® (formerly known as Global Aid Network).
In the United States, Josh and his team have created many cutting-edge live events to help young people stand strong and firm in their faith in the face of a rapidly-changing culture. These have often developed into full-blown campaigns, such as:
- Six Hours with Josh
- Why Wait?
- Counter the Culture
- Right From Wrong
- True Foundations
- Más que un Carpintero – más de 27 millones de ejemplares distribuidos
- Evidencia que Demanda un Veredicto – nombrado uno de los 40 mejores libros del siglo XX y uno de los trece libros más influyentes de los últimos 50 años en el pensamiento cristiano por World Magazine.
In addition to many other awards, Josh has been nominated 36 times for the Gold Medallion Award and has received that award on four occasions.
In spite of all the honors and awards he has received, Josh will tell anyone that his greatest joys and pleasures come from his family. He and his wife Dottie have been married 52 years. They have four children and 11 grandchildren.
* Josh McDowell Ministry is a Cru ministry (the U.S. division of Campus Crusade for Christ International)
(Updated 11/6/23)
Josh McDowell's "Legacy of Love"
We all tend to look ahead rather than behind, so we can easily forget the lessons learned along the way and neglect the wisdom of the past. Ecclesiastes says “nothing is new under the sun”, so whatever you’re going through, God has seen others through similar events to show you that if God can do it then, he can do it now, for you.
These videos are Josh’s Legacy of Love* — life lessons he’s learned along the way — and designed to guide younger Christian leaders through the trials, triumphs, and traditions of life and to serve as sort of a spiritual roadmap they can apply to their own lives and ministry.
Feel free to use these stories in any multitude of ways, including devotionals, personal edification and encouragement, group meetings and spiritual training, or witnessing tool. But however you choose to use this, it is sure to touch your live and strengthen your faith.
* Josh’s Legacy of Love is part of the Cru Legacy Project.
