David Wilkerson

The Reverend David Wilkerson is an American Christian evangelist, most famous for his book The Cross and the Switchblade. He is also the founder of Times Square Church in New York, an interdenominational church.

Wilkerson's widely distributed sermons, such as "A Call to Anguish," are known for being direct and frank. He emphasizes Christian beliefs, such as: holiness and righteousness, God's love toward humans and especially Christian views of Jesus. Wilkerson tries to avoid categorizing Christians into distinct groups according to the denomination they belong to, and as such he is an evangelist with broad-based appeal.

Wilkerson was born in Hammond, Indiana on May 19, 1931

Life

Reverend Wilkerson served as pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, until he saw a photograph in Life Magazine in 1957 of several New York City teenagers charged with murder. He later wrote that, as he felt the Holy Ghost move him with compassion, he was drawn to go to New York in February 1958. It was then that he began his street ministry to underprivileged inner-city youth.

David Wilkerson is well-known for these early years of his ministry to young drug addicts and gang members in New York City in the 1950's and 1960's. Wilkerson co-authored a book about his work with the New York drug addicts, The Cross and the Switchblade, which became a best-seller. Included in the book is the story of Nicky Cruz's decision to become a Christian. The book has sold over 50 million copies in over thirty languages since it was published in 1963. In 1969 the book was also released under the same title as a Hollywood movie starring Erik Estrada, and was included among the 100 most important Christian books of the 20th century.

In 1969, David Wilkerson founded Teen Challenge ministries, which has reached youth and adults with life-controlling problems worldwide through its centers. The ministry's biblically based recovery program for drug addicts has been recognized as one of the most effective efforts of its kind [1].

In 1967, David Wilkerson began Youth Crusades, an evangelistic ministry that was aimed to reach teenagers whom David Wilkerson called "goodniks" â€" middle-class youth who were restless and bored. His goal was to prevent them from becoming heavily involved with drugs, alcohol, or violence. Through this ministry, CURE Corps (Collegiate Urban Renewal Effort) was founded. It was intended to be something of a Christian version of the Peace Corps and VISTA.

In 1971, David Wilkerson moved his ministry headquarters to the obscure town of Lindale,Texas, just outside of Tyler, where he founded World Challenge. The organization's mission is to promote and spread the Gospel throughout the world.

In 1986, while walking down 42nd Street in New York City at midnight, David Wilkerson believes that the Holy Spirit called him to return to New York City and to raise up a ministry in Times Square. This resulted in the establishment of Times Square Church. The church opened its doors in October 1987, first in rented auditoriums in Times Square, later moving to the historic Mark Hellinger Theatre, which the ministry purchased in 1989 and in which it has operated ever since.

For over four decades, David Wilkerson's ministry has included preaching, teaching and writing. He has authored over 30 books including,
The Cross and the Switchblade
Beyond The Cross and the Switchblade
Born Old
The Vision
Revival on Broadway
Hungry For More of Jesus
Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately?, and
The New Covenant Unveiled.

Since the 1990s, David Wilkerson has focused his efforts to encourage pastors and their families throughout the world to "renew their passion for Christ." In his own words:

''"I've been an evangelist for 50 years, but I didn't want to preach to pastors until I had gray hair, until I'd pastored. Now after 15 years of pastoring, sharing the hurts, pains, and difficulties of the ministry as a pastor, I felt the Lord finally release me, that I might have something to say."

Wilkerson and his wife Gwen live in New York City. They have four children and eleven grandchildren. His son Gary Wilkerson has also begun to gain fame as a Christian minister and evangelist.

Prophetic Ministry

In 1973, Wilkerson published The Vision, a book that detailed his prophetic visions regarding the future of the United States. Wilkerson believed that God had revealed to him a great calamity which was going to befall America due to increase in sins such as homosexuality, sexual promiscuity, and greed.

Some of the details of this 1973 vision were:

	There is a coming worldwide economic confusion.  It will strike Europe, Japan and the US, then all other nations.  There are lean years ahead.
	There will be a move toward a worldwide, unified monetary system.  (This was years before the Euro -- every European nation had its own system). The US dollar will be hit bad and it will take years for it to recover.
	Environmentalists will come under heavy criticism.
	There will be another wave of riots, this time with Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans heavily involved.
	The only real security will be in land.
	There will be major earthquakes.
	There will be a major famine.
	Floods, hurricanes and tornadoes will increase in frequency.
	There will be a fall in moral conduct.
	Topless women will appear on television, followed by full nudity (something that had never been done in 1973)
	Adult, X rated movies will be shown on cable television.
	Sex and the occult will be mixed.
	There will be an acceptance of homosexuality, and the church will even say that it is a God-given gift. (Homosexuality was still studied under "abnormal psychology" by psychologists of 1973).
	Kids will hate their parents.
	There will be a new drug that will be popular with teenagers that will break down resistance and will encourage sexual activity. 
	There will be persecution of Christians.
	There will arise a world church consisting of a union between liberal ecumenical Protestants and the Roman Catholic Churchy, using Christ in name only.
	Homosexual and lesbian ministers will be ordained and this will be heralded as a new breed of pioneer.  
	There will be nude dancing in church, but this will never be widespread.
	There will be occult practices in churches.
	There will be a hate Christ movement.
	There will be a spiritual awakening behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains.

Since then, Wilkerson has continued to produce prophetic books, all predicting economic disasters, food shortages, rising crime, and ultimately, destruction for the United States. He urged his followers to store food, water, and medicine for a coming disaster in the late 1990's in a book entitled God's Plan to Protect His People in the Coming Depression. Wilkerson has faced increasing criticism from many sources, many of whom voice concern that the threats of upcoming disasters have led many of Wilkerson's followers to take preemptive action that they later regretted.

See also

*Nicky Cruz
*Teen Challenge
*Times Square Church

External links

*David Wilkerson's website
*MP3 + WMA archive of David Wilkerson's sermons
*Times Square Church
*World Challenge
*Teen Challenge
*Victory Outreach

Additional References

*Drug addiction treatment study.