Celebrating 50 Years of Miracles
conference > David Wilkerson
Friday
June 27, 2008
David Wilkerson has authored over 30 books including, The Cross and the Switchblade, Vision, Revival on Broadway, Hungry For More of Jesus and Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately?, and The New Covenant Unveiled. Reverend Wilkerson is perhaps best known for his early days of ministry to young drug addicts and gang members in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. His story is told in The Cross and the Switchblade, a book he co-authored which became a best-seller. The story has been read by over 50 million people in some thirty languages and 150 countries since 1963, and was released as a motion picture in 1969.
For over four decades, Reverend Wilkerson's evangelistic ministry has included preaching, teaching and writing. Throughout that time a distinctive characteristic of his work has been his direct efforts to reach the neediest members of society with help for both body and soul.
In 1959, Reverend Wilkerson founded Teen Challenge ministries in Brooklyn, New York, a biblically based recovery program which has reached youth and adults with life-controlling problems worldwide through its 490 centers. In 1987, Reverend Wilkerson founded Times Square Church in New York City, where he continues to serve as founding pastor.
Now in his seventies, Rev. Wilkerson has been led by the Holy Spirit to exhort pastors and their spouses throughout the nations to renew their passion for Christ. “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 and the pains, difficulties of the ministry as a pastor, I felt the Lord finally released me that I might have something to say.” He has conducted ministers’ conferences and crusades in Eastern Europe, Italy, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Reverend Wilkerson and his wife Gwen, live in New York City. They have four children and 11 grandchildren.