A Country Preacher in Brooklyn
David Wilkerson was a country preacher from Pennsylvania who felt God calling him to the streets of New York City. In 1958, he drove into the most dangerous neighborhoods in Brooklyn to share the gospel with gang members.
The most feared gang leader was Nicky Cruz, president of the Mau Maus. When Wilkerson first approached him, Cruz pulled a knife and said, "You come near me and I'll kill you."
A Thousand Pieces
Wilkerson replied, "You could cut me in a thousand pieces and lay them out in the street, and every piece would love you."
Those words haunted Nicky Cruz. No one had ever said anything like that to him. His whole life had been violence—abused as a child, sent to the streets, rising through brutality.
Something Broke Inside
Weeks later, at a rally Wilkerson organized, Nicky Cruz gave his life to Jesus Christ. The switchblade-carrying gang leader was transformed. He went on to become an evangelist, leading countless others to faith.
"It was like something broke inside me," Cruz later said. "For the first time in my life, I felt love. Real love."