As a young man, Josh McDowell considered himself an agnostic and believed that Christianity was worthless.  After being challenged to intellectually examine the claims of Christianity, Josh discovered compelling and overwhelming evidence for the reliability of the Christian faith.  After believing in Jesus Christ, 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 for seminary and for telling a doubting world about the truth of Jesus Christ.  He completed his college degree at Wheaton College and later attended Talbot Theological Seminary where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Master of Divinity degree.

Josh joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ International in the early 1960’s.  A few years later, the Josh McDowell Ministry formed to realize the vision of reaching young people worldwide with the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

Well known as an articulate speaker, Josh has given more than 23,000 talks to over 10 million young people in 115 countries. 

As he traveled to other countries, Josh quickly realized that where young people were sick, homeless, and hungry, words alone were not enough.  In 1991, he founded Operation Carelift (now called GAIN – Global Aid Network) to meet physical and spiritual needs in orphanages, hospitals, and prisons in the countries of the former Soviet Union.  Since its inception, over $46 million dollars of humanitarian aid (food, clothing, and medical supplies) has been delivered overseas, which equals 278 – 40 ton containers.  Nearly 1 million children have also received school supplies, hygiene items and toys from the volunteers that come twice a year to share God’s love with them. Operation Carelift has grown and expanded into one of the largest humanitarian aid organizations out of the United States, now called Global Aid Network (GAIN).

Josh has received three significant honors from the Russian people because of these efforts.  1) He is the only non-Russian to receive an honorary doctorate from the Russian Academy of Medicine; 2) He is the only foreigner to be a member of the prestigious Russian Club of Scientists; and 3) He was the only foreigner on the committee to plan the 300^th celebration of St. Petersburg.

Josh McDowell's efforts have created many cutting edge campaigns throughout the United States, such as, “Why Wait?,” “Counter the Culture,” and “Right From Wrong,” and “Beyond Belief to Convictions” in order to help young people learn to stay strong and stand firm in their faith in the face of a rapidly changing culture.  Josh is currently traveling the United States with the message of TRUTH in the context of RELATIONSHIPS.   This message is designed to help young people and adults take their faith and scriptural beliefs to form solid convictions that will stand firm in the face of constant worldly attacks.

During his 48 years of service, Josh has authored or co-authored 108 books, selling 49 million copies worldwide, including “More Than a Carpenter” (15,000,000 copies worldwide)  which has been translated into more than 85 languages, and “New Evidence That Demands a Verdict,”  which in 1999 was recognized by World Magazine as one of the top 100 most influential books of the century.  He has been nominated 36 times for the Gold Medallion Award and been chosen for that prestigious award on four occasions.  In 2006, Christianity Today named “New Evidence That Demands a Verdict,” as one of the top 13 books to shape evangelical thought in the last 50 years.

Other awards and honors include:

·       1982 Man of the Year from Gospel Films, Int.

·       1989 Golden Eagle Award from the Council on International Nontheatrical Events for “Who Do You Listen To?” motion picture for excellence in representing the USA international motion pictures events abroad.

·       1990 Silver Apple Award for “Date Rape: It Happened to Me” film

·       1995 Chairman’s Award from the National Religious Broadcasters

·       1996 Man of the Year from the Children’s Hunger Fund

·       2000 Special Recognition Award from the Executive Office of the President of the National Drug Control Policy and Barry R. McCaffrey, Director

·       2007 First foreigner to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Pediatrics from the Russian Academy of Medicine.

·       2007 Honorary member of the Russian Club of Intellectuals.

Josh will tell anyone that of all the honors and awards he has received, his greatest joys and pleasures come from his family.  He and his wife, Dottie, have been married 37 years and have four children and two very precious grandchildren.