And the Man Who Believed - the Switchblade

As a supporter of the Wilkerson ministry, I pre-ordered this book from the ministry. I just received my book less than a week ago, so I wondered how there are "used" issues for sale. At any rate, I read it in 3 sittings and found it a very good read. It brought both smiles and tears as I read details of his complex life I hadn't heard ever before. He was a godly man who had feet of clay and was a man after God's own heart. He had what seemed like more than his share of pain and suffering as he dedicated his life to a calling he couldn't resist. Having followed his ministry since the sixties, it gave me some understanding of the sometimes extreme shifts in his messages over the years. I found myself admiring and loving and respecting him more than ever. I recommend this book, especially to Christians who desire to follow Christ with all their hearts. Cheryl Medlin

David Wilkerson has been one of my heroes since I read Run Baby Run and The Cross and the Switchblade as a much younger Christian. In a world where too many heroes have feet of clay he always struck me as being a genuine man of God who preserved his integrity over a long ministry. I hoped that there would be a biography, but had resigned myself to one probably never appearing. So when I saw that this book was coming out and that the writer was his eldest son Gary, an established minister in his own right I immediately ordered a copy. My first impression when this book arrived was “David Wilkerson had an eventful life – this looks a little thin!” However I was not disappointed. Gary has managed to pack a lot in!

I doubt whether there will be many who will read this biography who haven’t already read The Cross and the Switchblade. Many will have also read its sequel Beyond the Cross and the Switchblade (currently out-of-print). Wisely Gary doesn’t spend a lot of time repeating what these books say. Instead he covers this area from a new perspective placing it in the context of his father’s ministry before and after. As a result this volume is not only a biography of his David Wilkerson, but also by extension a history of the church in the USA from the 1950s through to the 2010s. We see the crusade and Jesus People era of the 1960s/70s, the church growth movement of the 1980s and onwards to today’s megachurches. It’s interesting to read how the lives of other late saints such as Keith Green, Stephen Hill and Leonard Ravenhill intersected with David Wilkerson.

David Wilkerson’s life was a message of obedience to God and integrity. Not that he didn’t make mistakes! Gary is realistic about his father and doesn’t shy away from the fact that, like virtually all father/son relationships, it wasn’t all plain sailing between them! But his writing is infused with love and respect for his father. This is no attempt to “dish dirt”! David’s relationship with God shines through these pages. I’d like to have read a bit more about David Wilkerson’s devotional life – how he prayed and his spiritual disciplines. So often this is a subject underplayed in Christian biographies, probably because it is a quite private area!

It’s quite unusual for me to read a book twice these days, so to read a book twice in a year must make it outstanding, but that’s just what I did with this volume. In fact, once I’d finished my initial reading I started it all over again and read it through. This is a great book which presents a call to radical personal discipleship to Christ. And if ever there was an age that needs a message like that, it’s the one we’re living in right now!

David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man who Believed by Gary Wilkerson

Many men talk about changing the world but few actually do. In this new book called David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man who Believed, we find the story of a man who grew up with few means and yet was on fire for the good news of Jesus Christ. Gary Wilkerson, son of David Wilkerson and founder of World Challenge, an international mission organization tells the story of his father, his huge missionary spirit and the faith he passed on to his family.

In the opening introduction, Gary writes about his father, “My father’s visions weren’t just about the transformation of real estate. He envisioned transformed lives.” From the founding of schools in Africa to an amazing drug recovery program , David Wilkerson had an amazing vision that God could go into the impossible places of the city, including NYC, and change lives from the worst of sinners to the top businessmen. Part of David’s vision was his unrelenting discipline that “forced himself to go into heroin “shooting galleries” to witness what the world turned a blind eye to: downtrodden young people knowingly killing themselves.” David’s Youth Crusades were organized in part to stem the tide of this drug abuse and call people into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Part of the ability of David Wilkerson to reach into the depths of hell into society was due to his priorities in life. “God first, church second, and family third…My father had learned the one essential thing about the human experience – and the spiritual experience – that my grandparents had missed: that love is at the center.” The love that compelled David to reach into urban ghettos, the seats of drug dealers, and the desolate poverty of Africa is the love of Christ that poured through every fiber of David’s life, ministry, and mission. What was truly amazing about the ministry of David Wilkerson is that although he had every reason to see certain people as too far gone, he believed that God was willing and able to make glorious what others thought was ruinous.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“This is the story of David Wilkerson, the man who believed against the odds that God could do great things in the rejected and ignored of New York City, who refused to give up on those on the streets even when they had given up on themselves, and who saw in the eyes of the drug addicts and gang members what others failed to see the love of Jesus Christ.

But who was David Wilkerson? Many Christians don t really know. More often than not, we saw the fruit of his faith in God rather than the man himself. David Wilkerson was a man of faith who trusted God would give him what he needed to enter a world of crime and killing. He was a man of conviction who took the dream God gave him and marched forward without ever looking back. And he was a man of vision who could not be shaken from his beliefs sometimes even when counseled otherwise. David Wilkerson was the preacher of New York City.”

This is the story of David Wilkerson (May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011), as told by his son – Gary Wilkerson and R.S.B Sawyer. David was a remarkable man that was called by God into Ministry at a young age. It was in ministry that his heart turned towards the rejected and ignored on the streets of New York City. It was in that ministry that David came to his life long mission. He took the love and message of Jesus Christ to the streets where he boldly stood toe-to-toe with the street gangs, drug addicts and those just thrown away by society.

It was his vision that none should perish and with that vision he founded the Times Square Church – still thriving today with a congregation of 8000 and where he penned the book “The Cross and The Switchblade”. That book, which chronicled the real-life conversion of a gang leader –Nicky Cruz -, has sold over 16 million copies.

This book is amazing. It will certainly light a fire in you that you too will long to be about the work of the Kingdom.

About the authors:
Gary Wilkerson is the President of World Challenge, an international mission organization that was founded by his father, David Wilkerson. He is also the lead pastor of The Springs Church, which he and others launched in 2009 and has grown rapidly by God's grace. Gary travels nationally and internationally to conduct conferences for pastors, missionaries and Christian workers and to oversee mission ventures including church plants, orphanages, health clinics and feeding programs among the poor and unreached people of the world. Gary and his wife, Kelly, have four children and live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

R.S.B. Sawyer is a writer whose work has appeared in Harper One’s Best Christian Writing Series. He and his wife, Joy Roulier Sawyer, live in Denver, where they are active in the Lighthouse Writers Workshop community. Their editing work together has earned awards from the Associated Church Press and the Catholic Press Association.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
the store, Christian Book, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com

Penned by his son Gary Wilkerson and co-author Scott Sawyer, the life of his dad, David Wilkerson, in David Wilkerson - The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed tells his remarkable story. David himself would never have wanted this book, but after his death in 2011, Gary gathered every possible source, talked to numerous friends and co-workers to assemble this biography.
His youth in a strict pentecostal family as son of a preacher shaped his personality and gave him examples. He started preaching from the local pulpit as teenager and moved to New York from rural Pennsylvania in 1958 to confront the drugs gangs that ruled the streets. It was the scene that gave birth to his most famous book The Cross and the Switchblade, an effective revival, and Teen Challenge. After that he relocated to several other parts of the US, started churches, and preached wherever he could to win souls for God. His prophetic burden, humbleness and obedience helped thousands and thousands to know Christ and repent from their sinful past.
Wilkerson later founded the Times Square Church, currently a non-denominational mega-church of 8,000 members. Gary not only praises his father, but also has many examples of his spiritual struggles, the confusion his choices caused by co-workers, and the impact his life had on his wife and children. The book illustrates the changing personality and evangelical or pentecostal churches throughout the States. Having found rest, rediscovering lasting truths in Puritans' writings, David lived longer than he himself expected, seeking God's will until the end. If you only read The Cross & The Switchblade or saw the movie version (starring Pat Boone playing David Wilkerson), or have only heard of Teen Challenge, it's good to understand the background and let your spiritual life get a refresher.

I have always been fascinated with New York City. I didn't have opportunity to personally visit until I was around 40 years old but I went there in other ways--through books. As a teen, there was a fiction young adult series in the church library, each about a teen drug addict in the city who through various paths turned his/her life around and gave their life to Christ. I loved those stories of redemption and life in the city!

Probably no one has done more to transform New York City than David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade. David's son, Gary, shares the story of his father--a man whose faith and hard work, reaching out to the unlovable, helped change the streets of a drug filled, gang filled city by sharing the love of Christ. But David was human too and his life wasn't always something to write home about but he didn't give up. He had struggles but trusted God. What a lesson we could all learn!

I love that Gary didn't paint his father as perfect but shared with the readers his struggles. God used him anyway just as He can use me given my limitations and shortcomings. All the better to show God is the one at work rather than me, right? The text is easy to read and can easily be completed in a day. A must read for anyone who loved The Cross and the Switchblade or one who enjoys biographies. Personally, I loved it!

When I saw this book available through the publisher for review, I ordered it immediately. Just three weeks ago, I passed Wilkerson's church in NYC and spoke with one of the members who invited me to visit next time we were in town. Think I might just take him up on it and see for myself the impact Times Square Church is having on the city. As mentioned, I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way obligated to write a positive review.

This book is officially well categorized as “biography and autobiography.” Its main character is represented by its title: David Wilkerson, the diminutive small-town preacher who inexplicably drove to New York City in 1958 to bring the hope, peace, power and love of Christ to the violent gangs ravishing the urban neighborhoods. His story was initially told to a worldwide audience in the memorable first-person account THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE, published in 1962, when Wilkerson was still a young man. The “autobiography” bent of this current book is the strong but not intrusive first-person voice of David’s son, Gary, who is now president of World Challenge, one of several ministries founded by his dad (such as Teen Challenge and, much later, Times Square Church).

I have not read previously published biographical volumes by other Wilkersons: a 1978 memoir, IN HIS STRENGTH, by David’s wife (Gary’s mother), Gwen, and THE WILKERSON LEGACY, by David’s sister, Ruth Harris (2005). (In his acknowledgments, Gary cites both as helpful background material.) But I can’t imagine that either would have been as engaging or insightful as son Gary’s take, written from a distanced perspective, published now, more than three years after his aged father’s death in an auto accident.

You see here a driven, possibly stubborn, visionary and reluctant prophet who acted and reacted on the biblical Word and also on the word he felt the Holy Spirit speaking to his heart. Son Gary saw how his dad worked. He draws out intergenerational family dynamics, back to David’s flamboyant evangelist grandfather. He hasn’t sugarcoated a saint but is able to give glimpses of David’s flaws in progressive seasons of life, revealing self-doubts, forays into excessive legalism, his sometimes guilt over his avocational infatuation with specialty automobiles and his spiritual insecurities.

And yet, he writes with the greatest respect for a spiritual giant who spent hours every day in prayer, a man who was aware of the power of showmanship and his own charisma, and yet constantly strove to stay attuned to the Spirit’s voice. The power to effect change in lives was not his own --- through his street ministry, his addiction recovery centers (among the first in the natio), his street meetings and evangelistic crusades, and finally his call to return to pastorate work, which had been his first professional calling.

As I read the pages, my respect grew. Gary notes, “For reasons of his own, he had turned down every invitation from a U.S. president to visit the White House, but he would drive hundreds of miles out of the way during an evangelism tour so he could meet an obscure nun who had written something about Christ that had moved him.” This is a complex man who, on one hand, built an empire, including a worldwide leadership training institute, and on the other hand never lost sight of the individual --- the physical needs, as well as the soulful. As with nearly all public servants who are away from home for long stretches of time, he might have given more to his own family, though by God’s grace they kept the faith and even caught his vision.

I read this book in airports and on airplanes, finishing the last page just as the rows ahead of me were deboarding on my return home. I had really engaged with and been inspired by the text. A surprise afterword brought tears to my eyes. Providentially, perfect timing as a finale to a worthwhile trip.

Reviewed by Evelyn Bence

Gary Wilkerson gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the life of his father in this very readable and heartwarming biography of David Wilkerson.

When I read the story of David Wilkerson taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to the gangs of New York in the book The Cross And The Switchblade, I was absolutely mesmerized! Here was this country preacher from Pennsylvania confronting some of the toughest gang members all alone on the streets of New York City ... wow!

I had visions of a man with a commanding physical presence, a man who was so confident in what God had called him to do, and a man who had an unshakable faith in God. So when I picked up this biography, I was prepared to meet this giant of a man. Instead I found someone who was, in a word, real. He wasn’t physically imposing, he struggled with God’s calling on his life at times, he worked himself almost to exhaustion, he made mistakes, and he sometimes doubted if what he was doing was making a lasting difference.

But in one facet my youthful impression was correct: David Wilkerson was a man of unshakable faith in God. Even in moments where he battled depression and his own shortcomings, he never wavered in his clinging to God.

Gary Wilkerson tells this life story of his Dad lovingly and honestly. He shows us so clearly how God can use a real man, with all of his faults and shortcomings, if that man will simply remain surrendered to God’s will.

This is a highly encouraging biography! I would especially recommend this to anyone who was as thrilled with The Cross And The Switchblade as I was, because I believe it will give you a whole new level of appreciation for the amazing work God did through David Wilkerson’s life.

My familiarity with David Wilkerson comes primarily from The Cross and the Switchblade and receiving his newsletter for a short period of time in the late 1980's. This created an image in my mind of a man who seemed cutting edge but also at times quite legalistic. I knew almost nothing else about him.

When Zondervan announced a new biography about David Wilkerson, written by his son Gary, I was intrigued and also a little curious how open his son would be about his dads life.

Having now finished the book, I am impressed.

Gary Wilkerson has crafted both a loving tribute and an unvarnished look at his father's life. This book gives you a clear picture of his dad's spiritual life and corresponding struggles. You see both his highs and lows of a lifetime of service to the Lord. The behind the scene looks at his book The Cross and the Switchblade and the movie of the same name were quite interesting. The fallout among his own staff when he released The Vision was a bit surprising.

David Wilkerson's ministry is still changing lives today. I saw firsthand the work of Teen Challenge while living in Croatia and can attest that it does change lives.

What develops over the course of this book is a story of a man who was passionate for God and who still struggled with his own faith walk. I found myself encouraged by this clearer picture of David Wilkerson. I found myself relating to some of his spiritual struggles and his final acceptance of the grace of God.

I highly recommend this book.

David Wilkerson's recent biography, The Cross, The Switchblade and the Man who Believed is an excellent read. I found tremendous insight for my own spiritual journey in these pages.

Written by Wilkerson's son, Gary, this book presents the unvarnished story of a man who was completely sold out for Jesus, willing to sacrifice -- but who also experienced significant emotional/relational struggles along the way. Gary is respectful and honest as he interprets the life of his father, and reflects on what it was like "living with David Wilkerson."

Exploring Wilkerson's harsh ultra-conservative Pentecostal roots helps me understand the shrill tone I often picked up from his books, newsletters and messages. For much of his life and ministry, Wilkerson was high on holiness and low on grace.

However, he remained humble and open for personal growth. Surprisingly, it was Leonard Ravenhill who supplied Wilkerson with a fresh understanding of what it really means to live in God's love -- through loaning books by Puritan authors. (I never realized the hyper-Calvinistic Puritans had much to say about grace and love. I'm going to dig in a bit more and give my Calvinist friends more respect.)

Here are a few key truths I gleaned from reading this beautiful story:

1. If we have faith and are completely obedient to God's calling, He will use us in ways far beyond our wildest imagination.
2. Our children need our blessing far more than we realize.
3. God provides for His vision. We just need to follow and step out with faith.
4. When we fail to embrace grace for ourselves, we are hard on other people.
5. It is possible to press into a truth so fully that it becomes partially untrue.
6. God can change lives instantly.

I highly recommend this book -- a great read and helpful resource.

I was very excited to read this book. David Wilkerson was friends with my grandparents and stayed at their house on a number of occasions when he was speaking in their area of the country. I have grown up hearing stories about this great man of God and was anxious to hear more. I was not disappointed. This book was wonderful. Mr. Wilkerson did an amazing job of explaining to the reader who his dad truly was.

David Wilkerson stepped outside the normal box that preachers were put in. He wanted to reach more than a single congregation in a single location. He felt God’s call to minister to the masses…especially to those that most of the world had abandoned…the addicts and the gangs. He answered every call God placed on his life and yet still died feeling he hadn’t done enough. I remember the day he died. I mourned, but knew my grandparents would be waiting for their friend in Heaven where God would look at David and say “well done good and faithful servant.”

I was provided this book through BookShareBloggers.com in return for an honest review.

About The Book: I really enjoyed getting the learn about the life of David Wilkerson through the lens of his son Gary. I found myself relating in a lot of ways to his strict upbringing in a christian home but like my early years, this devotion to God by his family is what shaped the man he would eventually become. Gary also speaks of the brokeness of David Wilkersons early life for affirmation that would also seep into His life in the ministry as a man who constantly was seeking for love although Gods love and salvation was the message he preached. The brokeness would lead David through interesting times of finding his affirmation in the theatrics of his early evangelism days as well as the affirmations from people by his giftings. Later, his brokeness would reveal deep love and affection he had for those hurting in different ways. This brought a dramatic call on Davids life to love the lost to Jesus Christ.

About The Author: Gary Wilkerson writes in such a way that is captivating making this book hard to put down. I was intrigued by the life of the man behind the story of the famed “The Cross and the switchblade” but this book captivated my heart simply by the man. Gary presents his father David in a way thats uncut, raw, and to the core. He doesn’t apologize for areas of his father that he somewhat exposes, but he powerfully brings a full picture to the life of his father David, and his entire family.

My Thoughts On The Book: This book is beautifully written and always grabbed my attention from the first few pages. It’s amazing to hear about the testimonies from David’s life, but more profound to me was the sacrifices he and his family made in order to walk in the call of God and favor on his life. I’ve seen some areas in Davids life that I want to emulate, and areas that I’d rather not as well. This book doesn’t hold anything back and each testimonial from the various people that knew David and worked with him revealed the character of the man behind “The cross and the switchblade” that he was so famous for. Certainly this book gives you great insight, encouragement, and wisdom on what God has done through one mans life, and what He can do to anyone who is willing to step out in love.

Disclaimer: This book was given to me to review as part of Thomas Nelson Publishing Company's BookLook Blogging Program in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts are entirely my own.

"David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed" tells the story of a small town preacher who God used. Written by his son Greg, the book is full of insights gleaned from their relationship and from family members and friends. This is not a glossy biography that paints a picture of the "mighty man of God" untouched by the world and it's cares. This is the story of an imperfect human being, dedicated to following the Holy Spirit to see the salvation of many souls.

Biographies are often inspiring as we read from the pages of another person's life, and this one is no different. The book tells of David's struggle at times with accepting God's love and grace, in the middle of crusades and ministerial accomplishments. This reminds us that the front lines of ministry are often filled with those who deal with the hardest issues in their own walk.

David's dedication to God and willingness to submit his life to the leading of the Holy Spirit were hallmarks of his life. The crusades, ministries and the founding of Teen Challenge all make this a worthwhile read. David's life teaches us that the true man and woman of God are first dedicated prayer warriors and Scripture consumers. These are the kind that turn the world upside down!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This book will be of interest for anyone that has ever heard of the best selling book, "The Cross and the Switchblade," Teen Challenge, World Challenge, The Springs Church, or Times Square Church. It's profile of mission work in U.S. cities provides details about an ordinary man doing extraordinary things among the poor and unreached people among us. It is written by his son, Gary Wilkerson. The author is now the pastor of a church himself.

David Wilkerson's work is widely recognized in the Christian community for its impact in making lives better for countless individuals and family members. Many folks have heard of Teen Challenge, and its high success rate in getting drug and/or alcohol addicted people to reach recovery successfully. Despite this, few know the story of David Wilkerson as a man.

The author, who is ideally placed to describe decades of events through first hand knowledge, traces the life of his father from beginning to glory. Gary Wilkerson chronicles the home life of his father as a child, college student, evangelist, and pastor. He sticks with the story all the way through its conclusion, and discusses how his life continues to make an impact even now.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I requested this book to review because I grew up with David Wilkerson, Nicky Cruz, and Teen Challenge. I became a Christian in the 60's during the Jesus movement and this man was like a rock star to us in central Jersey. The book did not disappoint. I don't think his son had one negative thing to say about this Godly man. His life was quite exciting! He really couldn't do everything well, but his family seemed important to him even though he was on the road a lot. I didn't know much about David Wilkerson other than Teen Challenge, so I learned a LOT! His heart seemed to be only to please God. Wow! We need some David Wilkersons and Billy Grahams right NOW! The book was well written and definitely kept me riveted throughout. I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about men and women God used in historic ways!

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review which I have given! Great book!

I had anticipated reading this book from the time I saw it was to be published and I must say, it did not disappoint in the least. I followed David Wilkerson's ministry from my own days in the Jesus Movement where he was a hero to many. Later to reading his books and receiving his famous newsletter which I would set aside until there was time to brew a cup of tea and sink in the profound teaching each "letter" brought.

What I received from this biography were answers to many questions I have wondered through the years. From how did it all begin to what did he suffer personally after being brave enough to publish his books of warning to America. I often wondered how his family reacted to the many trials they went through. I wondered what affects age had upon his ministry. I wondered about the young men he had mentored through the years.

All of these questions were answered in this book. But even more, because it was written by his son, we are given such a personal insight into the man and his family. This is an amazing biography that reads like a novel. I highly recommend it.

A copy of this book was sent to me by the Publisher for review but the opinion is my own.

This is an excellent book! It shows what God can do with a person who is totally submitted to Him. It also shows how God chooses and uses plain, ordinary, imperfect people. As close as he was to the Lord, and how much God used him, and still he sometimes doubted that God really loved him. It's hard to believe, but some of us can relate to that. David was a man who definitely feared God rather than man, and was willing to say or do whatever God told him regardless of the consequences. He was sometimes ridiculed or criticized by people, but he never shrank back from obeying the Lord. I found this book very well written and very inspiring. I wanted to get other things done so I could get back to reading it; sometimes just hard to put down! I would recommend it to anyone. It will help us to examine our own lives to see just what our level of obedience is to the Lord.

Many are familiar with “The Cross & The Switchblade”, even though I am not, this book is not about the book, it’s about the man behind it. I first ordered this book because I was interested in reading more about the man. I saw a video from a sermon he preached years ago called “A Call to Anguish” and desired to know more about the man who preached with that much conviction!

The biography is pretty interesting, and it kept my attention fairly well. It’s a sizable book. I would recommend this book to anyone because I think we could all learn something about Christian life from this man’s life. David had a passion for youth and those in need and that is something that we could do better at as 21st century Christians. At least borrow this book from someone.

I wasn't required to write a positive review, I got a free copy from BookLook Bloggers

An excellent biography! Gary Wilkerson (with R.S.B Sawyer) tells about the life of his father, David Wilkerson. The son does a masterful job in detailing a picture of his father that is at once deeply human -- with all his flaws, fears, and shortcomings -- while also holding him up as a true model of what a godly, humble, loving, and, perhaps above all, believing man of God looks like.

This book was well written, and strikes a good balance between historical narrative and more in-depth analysis about what David wrestled with throughout his life. The reader feels invited into some intimate moments with David Wilkerson (and, indeed, many of those around him, particularly the author himself) without feeling like an unwelcome voyeur -- in this way, Gary Wilkerson shows great respect and reverence for his father, while also opening up his life for the spiritual benefit of his readers.

I love Christian biographies. They give me a glimpse into the lives of individuals who encourage, convict, and challenge my own life. David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man who Believed is such a book.

Made popular by his own book The Cross and the Switchblade, David Wilkerson lived in rural Pennsylvania who moved to New York City because of a pressing call upon his life by the Spirit. Walking the streets, this rural country preacher encountered the hard gangs of New York, which resulted in countless lives changed by the Gospel and an entire ministry called Teen Challenge was launched to help people escape the streets and a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol.

Though The Cross and the Switchblade is one of my favorites, this book penned by Wilkerson's son Gary, gives a personal "behind the scenes" look into the man whom I have greatly admired for years. Personal stories, internal conflicts, ministry challenges and a life completely given to the work of Christ – this book has been a deep encouragement and blessing to my own life.

If you are interested in reading about a Christian man who refused to live a life of normalcy, a life that was fully surrendered to the Spirit of God, wanting to be used for the Kingdom of God, I highly recommend this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

David Wilkerson will most probably always be one of my main "heroes of the faith". This book reminded me that God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called. David was as weak a vessel as any of us, but God's power shined through his life immensely I admit I cried like a baby towards the end, when the favor of giving ones shoes was returned (you will understand when you read it). Highly recommended.

Looks at David's growing up years, and early ministry; his work in New York with gangs, the establishing of Teen Challenge centres. Also personal glimpses into his prayer life, as well as his struggles. A transparent, powerful book!