A Divine Call
In the late 1950s, New York City faced a dire crisis. Youth drug addiction and gang violence were rampant, casting a shadow over the city. It was in this turbulent time that David Wilkerson, a small-town pastor from Pennsylvania, felt a divine call to intervene. Seeing a sketch in *Life* magazine of gang members on trial for murder ignited his determination to help the lost youth of New York.
Bold Steps in New York
Despite his humble beginnings as a pastor in Pennsylvania, Wilkerson was driven by a profound sense of purpose. 'Go to New York City and help those boys,' he felt God urging him. His first attempt to reach the gang members involved attending their trial, where he boldly asked the judge for permission to speak to them. Though he was removed from the courtroom, a photograph of him appeared in the *New York Daily News*, lending him unexpected credibility with the gangs.
Love That Transformed
Wilkerson's approach was revolutionary. He offered compassion and a pathway to recovery through faith, reaching out to gang leaders and addicts with a message that no one was beyond hope. Nicky Cruz, a notorious gang leader of the Mau Maus, initially threatened Wilkerson. In a moment of profound conviction, Wilkerson declared, 'You could cut me in a thousand pieces and lay them out in the street, and every piece would still love you.' This act of unwavering love led to Cruz's dramatic conversion.
A Global Ministry
Wilkerson's ministry expanded, and he left his church in Pennsylvania to dedicate himself fully to this cause. He established Teen Challenge in Brooklyn, a pioneering program that offered residential rehabilitation focused on faith-based teachings. The transformations were nothing short of miraculous as gang members and addicts embraced new lives centered on faith.
Teen Challenge grew into a global ministry, a testament to Wilkerson's impact. His work was chronicled in the bestseller *The Cross and the Switchblade*, which spread the story of hope and redemption worldwide. Through his unwavering faith and courage, David Wilkerson demonstrated that with Jesus, no life is beyond transformation.
