David Wilkerson Cross & Switchblade

David Ray Wilkinson (1931-2011) was an American Christian evangelist and author best known for his book The Cross and the Switchblade (1962).

David was born on 19th May 1931 in Indiana. he is was born into a family of preachers. In his testimony he says he was baptized with the Holy Spirit aged 8.

He began to preach when he was 14. After high school he entered Central Bible College, Springfield in Missouri which was affiliated to the Assemblies of God. In 1952 he was ordained a minister.

In 1953 he married Gwendolyn Rose ‘Gwen’ Carosso. He served as pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg in Pennsylvania.

Early in 1958 he saw photographs in Life Magazine of 7 teenagers who were members of a gang called ‘Egyptian Dragons’ in New York. He went to the court to speak to them but the judge ejected him. Someone took a photo of him leaving and he became known as the Bible preacher who had interrupted the gang trial.

Soon after he began a street ministry to young drug addicts. In 1958 he founded Teen Challenge from a small office in Staten Island, New York (NY).
(Read ‘Our story-Teen Challenge’)

The Cross and the Switchblade book and film tells how he moved to N Y and changed the lives of the ‘Mau Maus’ teenager gang leader Nicky Cruz and his friend israel Narvaez, after they had heard him preach. The book was a best seller - 50 million copies were sold. The 1970 film stared Pat Boone.
( Read the challenging book- I did- see Amazon advert)

In 1967 he founded Youth Crusades an evangelistic ministry aimed at teenagers who were restless and bored. His goal was to prevent them becoming heavily involved with drugs, alcohol or violence, On 22nd September he founded World Challenge - which sort to promote and spread the Gospel throughout the world.

He claimed in 1986 the Holy Spirit, while in NY called him to raise a ministry in Times Square. He founded and became pastor of the non-denominational Times Square Church. In 1989 the Hellinger was leased to the Times Square Church for $1 million per year, on a 5 year lease.
(Read about ‘Mark Hellinger Theatre’)

On the 27th April, 2011 David, aged 79, died in Texas when his car crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a tractor -trailer. His wife was also serious injured.

At his funeral speakers, including leadership of the church Wilkerson had founded and his relatives, honoured the evangelical pastor for a life ‘well- lived’ through personal testimonies and songs rejoicing that he in now in heaven,
It was all about Jesus Christ, Carter Conion, senior pastor of Times Square Church, said of Wilkerson’s life

HIs wife, Gewndolyn, died a year later on 5th July 2012 from cancer, aged 81.

Source used
Wikipedia