Author | Freelance Writer | Editor | Speaker
Joshua Cooley, first and foremost, is a sinner saved by God’s grace. He was raised in a wonderful Christian home and professed a genuine, active faith in Jesus Christ when he was about 16.
Josh grew up in Silver Spring, Md., and lived in the Washington, D.C., area for most of his life. In 2015, he and his family moved to North Carolina.
Writing is one of Josh’s main passions. With a New York Times bestseller to his credit, he’s had the privilege to author, co-author, or contribute to 12 traditionally published books. His latest release is Creator, Father, King: A One Year Journey With God, a 365-day youth devotional released in 2020 through Tyndale House. In 2018, he teamed with NFL quarterback Nick Foles to co-author the Super Bowl LII MVP’s bestselling memoir, Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure, and Overcoming the Odds. That same year, Josh released The Biggest Win, which encourages athletes of any age, sport or skill level to use sports to grow in their Christian faith and glorify God. Among his other books, Josh has already written a popular kids book entitled Heroes of the Bible Devotional (Tyndale). To see Josh’s full book catalog, click here.
With a degree in journalism, Josh spent the first 11 years of his post-college life as an award-winning sports editor/writer at various newspapers in Maryland. His freelance writing has appeared in more than 30 publications, including many national magazines and well-known websites. His freelance writing has ranged from Christian living, parenting, devotionals, Kids Ministry, profiles on superstar athletes, and much more. You can check out some of his articles here.
Josh has also edited or consulted on various book manuscripts for notable Christian authors such as Jesse Florea, Jared Kennedy, Champ Thornton, and Mike Yorkey. Contact Josh about helping you or your organization as a writer or editor!
As a speaker, Josh has addressed a wide variety of audiences about a diverse range of subjects involving the Christian faith. He also has 14 years of fulltime experience as a Kids Minister at two large churches and greatly enjoys working with the next generation. Above all, he loves communicating to people about God’s amazing love for them through Christ. If you’re interested in having him speak at your event, please click here.
In his extra time, Josh enjoys hanging out with his family, exercising, watching sports and movies, reading, playing games, and occasionally dusting off his ping-pong paddle for a match. As a sports fan, he roots for the Baltimore Orioles, the Washington Football Team and the Maryland Terrapins — for better or worse.
Thanks for taking an interest in Josh’s ministry!
“Josh Cooley is a clear communicator with a compelling message for parents, teens, and even sports fans. He has a wide knowledge of the Bible and theology, and knows how to make that practical for any audience he speaks to. We are also impressed with his personal integrity and concern that the gospel brings people together from all walks of life.”
“Our church had the privilege of shaping Joshua Cooley in his formative years, and now we have had the honor of being shaped and impacted by his speaking ministry at our Forcey Bible Church men’s retreat in the fall of 2019. Joshua is Christ-centered, gospel-driven speaker whose content is not only rich but compelling. He uniquely brings the enthusiasm of a children’s pastor, the stories of a sports journalist, the heart of a family man, and the convictions of a theologian together in one dynamic package.”
“In 2018, Josh Cooley spoke during a churchwide event at our 1,000-seat amphitheater, with a local radio personality handling the Q&A. The evening brought people from all over the county, and it went beautifully with Josh sharing about his book, The Biggest Win. He was so gracious with his time. We are looking forward to having Josh return someday. The night was special because of Josh’s warm personality and nature.”
“Well known already for being an accomplished author, Josh has the ability to captivate the listener with the spoken word as well. While using humor and a conversational approach, Josh speaks with clarity on biblical principles that will always leave you encouraged in your walk with the Lord.”
“Josh threw a touchdown pass as guest speaker for fifty members of our Senior Adult Fellowship ministry. His fun, personal stories made for an enjoyable, memorable evening. In an entertaining way, he taught us about the challenges and rewards of the part-time journalism/author life.”
“Fun, engaging, and creative – these are the kinds of words that kids use to describe Josh’s teaching. Josh is a very dynamic speaker, especially for kids. He does a great job of keeping a good read on the temperature of the room and interacting in a way that simultaneously keeps attention and gets the content across. In my experience, kids leave his teaching times feeling energized and well-connected to the topic at hand.”