David Wilkerson

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David Ray Wilkerson was an American Christian evangelist who was born on May 19, 1931, in Hammond, Indiana1. He was the second son of a family of Pentecostal Christian preachers and was raised in Barnesboro, Pennsylvania1. According to Wilkerson’s own testimony, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at the age of eight1. The young Wilkerson began to preach when he was about fourteen1. After high school, he entered the Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. The school was affiliated with the Assemblies of God. In 1952, he was ordained as a minister1.

Wilkerson married Gwendolyn Rose "Gwen" Carosso in 19531. He served as a pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg in Pennsylvania until he saw a photograph in Life Magazine in early 1958 of seven teenagers who were members of gangs in New York known as "Egyptian Kings" and the "Dragons" which had merged into a single gang called the "Egyptian Dragons"1. He later wrote that he felt the Holy Spirit move him with compassion and was drawn to go to New York to preach to them1. On his arrival, Wilkerson went to the court in which teenagers were being prosecuted. He entered the room and asked the judge for permission to tell them something, but the judge ejected him. Upon leaving, someone took a photo of Wilkerson, who then became known as the Bible preacher "who had interrupted the gang trial". Soon after this, he began a street ministry to young drug addicts and gang members which he continued into the 1960s. He founded Teen Challenge in 1958, an evangelical Christian addiction recovery program in Brooklyn affiliated with the Assemblies of God with a network of Christian social and evangelizing work centers.

Wilkerson was called to New York City in 1958 to minister to gang members and drug addicts. He was a Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and best-selling author. Wilkerson’s widely distributed sermons such as "A Call to Anguish" are known for being direct and frank against apostasy and serious about making the commitment to obey Jesus’ teachings. He emphasized such Christian beliefs as God’s holiness and righteousness, God’s love toward humans and especially Christian views of Jesus. Wilkerson tried to avoid categorizing Christians into distinct groups according to the denomination to which they belong1.

He was also founding pastor of the interdenominational Times Square Church in New York City1. Wilkerson died on April 27, 2011, at age 79 due to an automobile accident in Texas1.

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David Wilkerson was an American Christian evangelist, best known for his book "The Cross and the Switchblade." He was born on May 19, 1931, in Indiana, and was raised in Barnesboro, Pennsylvania, in a house "full of Bibles." His paternal grandfather and his father, Kenneth, were ministers. According to Wilkerson's own testimony, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at the age of eight. The young Wilkerson began to preach when he was about fourteen. After high school, he entered the Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, affiliated with the Assemblies of God. In 1952 he was ordained as a minister.

In 1958, Wilkerson read a Life magazine article about a group of teenagers, members of the Egyptian Dragons gang, then on trial in New York for murder. The article impelled him to go to New York to help the gang members. There he entered the courtroom and, with the trial judge's permission, spoke to the boys. This experience led him to found Teen Challenge, a faith-based drug rehabilitation program serving troubled youth and adults in the United States. He authored the best-selling book "The Cross and the Switchblade," which chronicled the story of his work with Teen Challenge.

Wilkerson married his wife, Gwen, in 1953 and served as a pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, during the early years of their marriage. He was called to New York City in 1958 to minister to gang members and drug addicts. In the late 1980s, he established Times Square Church, an interdenominational church in New York City. As its founding pastor, he faithfully led this congregation, delivering powerful biblical messages that encourage righteous living and complete reliance on God.

Wilkerson was also a prolific author and speaker, and his sermons and writings continue to inspire and challenge Christians around the world. He founded the Summit International School of Ministry, and from 1999 to 2008, he held international conferences to strengthen church leaders. His passion to support believers, build up leaders, and care for the poor is still at the heart of World Challenge’s ministries to this day.

Wilkerson passed away in a car crash in 2011 at the age of 79. His brother, Don Wilkerson, continues to lead Teen Challenge, and his son, Gary Wilkerson, continues to lead World Challenge, a ministry that seeks to promote the gospel and demonstrate God’s love to those in need. David Wilkerson's life's work still stands as a testament to the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to bring miraculous healing and new life in Christ to all, even to drug-addicted, violent young gang members full of hate and sin.

Citations:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wilkerson

[2] https://youtube.com/watch?v=dT9XB-m7hrw

[3] https://www.worldchallenge.org/50

[4] https://www.worldchallenge.org/our-ministries

[5] https://padresteve.com/2011/04/28/the-unexplained-and-tragic-death-of-david-wilkerson/

[6] https://www.inspirationalchristians.org/evangelists/david-wilkerson-biography/

[7] https://youtube.com/watch?v=ggaT81kmAJk

[8] https://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-pastor-david-wilkerson-honored-for-well-lived-life.html

[9] https://youtube.com/watch?v=MEd9nhfSX5w

[10] https://northstar.church/god-is-at-work-the-story-of-david-wilkerson/

[11] https://youtube.com/watch?v=LAed_SuZRSY

[12] https://www.globaltc.org/our-history/

[13] https://youtube.com/watch?v=RGr0nKuCdBc

[14] https://www.worldchallenge.org/davidwilkerson

[15] https://www.worldchallenge.org/devotion/truth-about-faith

[16] https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/la-me-david-wilkerson-20110430-story.html

[17] https://youtube.com/watch?v=dHBCY9WtXfo

[18] https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/nyregion/rev-david-wilkerson-79-evangelist-dies-in-crash.html

[19] http://sermons.tsc.nyc/speaker/david-wilkerson/

[20] https://www.linkedin.com/in/w-david-wilkerson-jr-36402576

[21] https://youtube.com/watch?v=0--gBKOPlME

[22] https://www.amazon.com/David-Wilkerson-Cross-Switchblade-Believed/dp/1491521716

[23] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26053008-have-you-felt-like-giving-up-lately

[24] https://tsc.nyc/david-wilkerson/

[25] https://www.mgmministry.org/david-wilkerson/

[26] https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5242/705E-Milestone-Ministries-Blog-05-16-11

[27] https://canonjjohn.com/2022/04/23/heroes-of-the-faith-david-wilkerson/