Author: Neil Downey

Pure Joy
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I thought God hated me. I was convinced He was angry with me for all the ways I was disobeying Him… Read More

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Thirsty – iPad Edition
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Our most comprehensive – and visually appealing – teaching on the ministry of the Holy Spirit is now formatted for optimal viewing on tablets. For free! So grab your iPad, download the PDF, open it in iBooks, and experience Thirsty like never before. Read More

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Sometime and CoJourners
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You could say that SomeTime is a practical guide for living out the CoJourners paradigm, primarily the “Explorer” role. Read More

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Raising Hell
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I’ve finally decided to do something that I should have done a long time ago.  I’m going to study hell. My desire started with a simple question prompted by a 1989 movie: Do all dogs really go to heaven? And if so, is it plausible that all cats go to hell? (It’s okay, cat people. I’m just kidding. Kind of.) In reality, a seed of unorthodox thinking about the afterlife was planted during my childhood by an 80s TV show. … Read More

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From Fat Tuesday to Easter Sunday
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Today is Mardi Gras. What began as a last chance to indulge in some really great food before Lent begins has evolved (or devolved) into a giant parade and party in New Orleans. Weird. That means tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, a 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting beginning with Ash Wednesday and culminating in Easter. So if you see people walking around with a black smudge on their forehead tomorrow, it’s there on purpose. (For more on … Read More

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Gauging Conference Success
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I just finished one of the most grueling yet rewarding weeks of my life. No, I wasn’t surviving in the wild with Bear Grylls. I was working as the emcee assistant at TCX, the Upper Midwest Winter Conference. (The incredibly attractive group pictured here is the talented, passionate, and hard-working program team.) Over the course of five days, I was constantly exhausted, worked under the pressure of a deadline on many occasions, ate a month’s worth of carbs, and endured … Read More

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The Cosmic Code
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In light of the tragic events in New Town, Connecticut last week, many people are questioning God and asking “Why?” Here is a “Four Chapter” Gospel explanation that can help steer conversations toward compassionate, biblical answers. Read More

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Wonderstruck
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My friend Margaret Feinberg has a new book and 7-session Bible Study called Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God  (releasing Christmas Day)—a personal invitation for you to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life. Wonderstruck will help you: Recognize the presence of God in the midst of your routine Unearth extraordinary moments on ordinary days Develop a renewed passion for God Identify what’s holding you back in prayer Discover joy in knowing … Read More

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Help Us Help You
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One of the more memorable quotes from Jerry Maguire is “Help me help you.” (For a reminder, watch it here.) All* the staff here at CruPress love to help. Specifically, we love to help leaders be effective by equipping you with relevant and practical resources. We are constantly trying to improve – both the content and how it’s presented – in order to be the most helpful. But in order to improve (and be more helpful), we need to hear … Read More

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Drought, Harvest, and the Sovereignty of God
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My buddy is a farmer in Iowa. They, like much of the country, are in the middle of a horrible drought, leaving cornfields completely parched and farmers extremely worried about the harvest.  After investing thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into planting, irrigating, and controlling weeds, will there be a crop at all? Last night, I emailed my friend to ask him about the harvest and let him know that we’re praying for them. The response I received from … Read More

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Windshield Time
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July has been a month of travel.  Since the beginning of the month, we’ve driven to the following events: Wedding of a former Cru student Lake Day at supporters’ cabin Fourth of July festivities at friends’ farm Family reunion Cru writing-group meetings Mini-vacation in the mountains That’s a total of over 3600 miles of windshield time.  Yikes. When we’re traveling with kids, driving long distances can swing from boredom to fun to chaos in mere seconds. But between iPods, laptops, … Read More

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Summer Reading List
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Whether your summer assignment is WSN, IBS, or MPD, you’ve probably got a book or two that you’ve been wanting to read. Summer usually provides a good opportunity to read at least one of those books sitting on your nightstand.  Or on your Kindle/Nook/iPad. One of my highlights of 2011 occured last summer, sitting on Hilton Beach in Tel Aviv, reading I Once Was Lost by Everts and Schaupp. (That’s a long story – both why I was in Israel and why … Read More

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