Percy Crawford (1902-1960)

Percy Bartimus Crawford was an evangelist and Fundamentalist leader who especially emphasized youth ministry, During the late 1950s he saw the potential of FM radio and UHF television. He had a number of FIRSTS. He was the first to build a successful Christian Broadcasting network. He was the first to create a coast to coast religious program. And the first to create a religious station in the world. He also founded The King’s College and Pinebrook, a Bible conference in the Pocono Mountains.

Peter was born on 20th October 1902 in Minnsdosa, Manitoba, Canada. His family moved to Vancouver. He was the youngest of 3 boys. His father left his mother so he had to drop out of school to help support the family. While still a teenager he moved to the USA.

After high school he prepared to go to the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

23rd September 1923 he was converted at Reuben Torrey’s church under the evangelist Willie Nicholson. Instead of going to UCLA he went to the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA). At BIOLA he discovered his gift of evangelism and committed himself to a full time Christian service. I’ll give every drop of blood I have. At Wheaton Collge he earned his BA (1929) and obtained a US citizenship.

During the summer months at BIOLA and Wheaton he took evangelistic tours, with his gospel quartet, across the country.

He then went to Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. In the summer while there he conducted a series of open air meetings.

October 1931 he broadcastYoung People’s Church of the Air.from
Barnes Memorial Mission. In 10 years he built the first radio ministry that aired on over 400 stations.

In 1931 he met Ruth Duvall, a gifted pianist and arranged. They married in 1933 and they began their life long partnership in evangelism. Ruth assembled a musical entourage -this distinguished them from evangelical ministries in their era (1933-60).

They kept mass evangelism alive nationwide using radio broadcasts and rallies in the 1930’s and 1940s.

1933 he founded Pinebrook Bible Conference for young people. This was followed by Shadowbrook and Mountainbrook camps. Peter directed both for over 28 years.

I1936 he founded The King’s College, a Christian Liberal arts college -since 1955 located in Briarcliff Manor, New York. Peter was president for 23 years.

1949 Peter’s Youth on the March went onto network (ABC) television - first coast to coast religious program.

1956 Youtharama started. Chuck Pugh directed large scale musical productions with Peter closing with the invitation and altar call .

1958 he began to build a Christian Broadcasting network.It eventually included
17thJuly 1960 world’s** first** religious television station

Peter died of a heart attack on 31 st October 1960 aged 48 . Billy Graham at his funeral said I don’t know anyone who could communicate in so a short a time the Gospel Of Christ.

Sources
Aechives Bulletin Board
Wikipedia