August 5, 2025
Dear Friends,
Craig Springer—my close friend, former Barna colleague, and brother in the Lord—passed away unexpectedly on August 1. He had undiagnosed, metastatic cancer and died suddenly just a couple of days after learning of his condition.
His passing is utterly shocking and tragic. It reminds us of the thin string between this life and the next.
Craig’s friendship, integrity, and passion for Jesus touched countless lives. He served as a pastor, author and ministry leader who championed every possible effort to help people to know and to love Jesus. He also poured out love for his family and embraced adventure in his adopted state of Colorado.
His professional journey took him to the highest elevations of leadership. He worked at Willow Creek Church, Cherry Hills Community Church and planted a church with his wife, Sarah, in the Czech Republic. For many years, he served as executive director of Alpha USA, where he commissioned Barna to conduct the landmark Reviving Evangelism project. His books How to Follow Jesus and How to Revive Evangelism reflected his mission and hard-won insights about motivating people toward Christ.
In 2022, Craig joined me at Barna Group as a senior vice president. His positive attitude, unwavering encouragement, relational leadership gifts, and servant mindset were instrumental to me, our team, and our clients—helping me to grow as a leader following my own bereavement. In late 2024, he began to work for our strategic partner, Gloo, advancing the State of the Church initiative.
Craig is survived by Sarah and their two teenage children, Isaiah and Isabelle. In those late nights and road trips where coworkers tend to share most intimately, Craig frequently talked to me about his kids and expressed great devotion to shaping their hearts, minds, bodies and souls. Please pray for the family to experience the mercy and presence of Jesus. If you’d like, you can also give to help the Springers.
Since his passing, I’ve heard from so many people affected by Craig Springer. I will miss him as a friend, as a colaborer for the Mission, and on the trails of Colorado’s mountains.
On a Zoom video call one day, I asked him to name his favorite season of the year. He looked confused and offered, “I don’t know, maybe summer?”
“Craig, how can your favorite season not be spring?”
Still confused.
“Craig Spring-er!?”
We both laughed.
I truly believe that Craig is now experiencing the Best Springtime of all—that he is now with Jesus. That we should not grieve as those who have no hope. That Craig will be with the Lord forever. That we can encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Craig was a great leader and an even better human. He is already missed.
With deep sadness and hope in an Eternal Spring,
David Kinnaman
On behalf of the team at Barna
P.S.
* Services will be held for Craig Springer on August 9, 2025 at 2 PM at Denver United Church, 660 S. Broadway, Denver CO 80209.
* Gifts to honor Craig and help the Springers can be given at this GoFundMe. Your support is deeply appreciated.