David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed

by Gary Wilkerson, R.S.B. Sawyer (With)

How did one man's unshakable faith shape the future of thousands struggling to break free from the grip of addiction, poverty, and sin? Join Gary Wilkerson as he shares a never-before-seen look at the incredible life and legacy of his father, bestselling author and evangelist David Wilkerson. This book tells the story of David Wilkerson, a man 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 drug addicts and gang members what others failed to see--the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. But who was David Wilkerson? When Wilkerson moved to New York from rural Pennsylvania in 1958 to confront the gangs who ran the streets, he was a skinny, 120-pound man. After the initial publicity that brought him face to face with some of the most dangerous young men in the city, he largely flew under the radar of the media, using the Word of God and a bit of tough love to help men and women of the street escape the destructive spiral of drugs and violence. Wilkerson was always the real deal, full of passion and conviction, not interested in what others said was the "right" thing to do. An evangelist both in America and overseas, David authored books that inspired people to be serious about their relationship with Christ. His financial generosity reached around the globe, providing homes for the destitute and feeding programs for the hungry. When he founded the Times Square Church in 1987, his ministry impacted more lives than he ever dreamed possible. Throughout David Wilkerson , you'll be inspired David was a man of faith who trusted God would give him what he needed to enter a cruel world; a man of conviction who took the dream God gave him and marched forward without ever looking back. As you come to know David's story, you'll learn to see the world the way he did--through the lens of eternity.

Genres: Biography, Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Church History, Biography Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2014

Reviews

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very moving and insightful tribute

This is the story of a great man written by his son, a son who admired and respected him but also longed for a more ‘normal’ relationship with him. David Wilkerson comes across here as a truly great man of God, who nevertheless wasn’t perfect. I appreciate the author for giving such a heart-felt portrayal of his father. It is a moving and insightful tribute that has given me much to ponder.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I write this review, I would like to give a little background of my connection to David Wilkerson's materials. I became a follower of Jesus (i.e. Saved, Born-again) in June 1975. Sadly, the group of people around me did not guide me in the truths of the Bible, but some time within the first year as a Christian I ended up reading "The Cross and the Switchblade." It was the reading of that book that made a huge and lasting impact on my life. It was also from reading that book that I believe the Lord spoke to my heart, "that is what you are called to do" (minister to people). It was then that I knew I had a call to ministry. So, amazingly that book set the course of my life in serving Jesus. Then, in the early 1980's I came across his newsletter from "World Challenge," which I still receive today. I have a box full of these short teachings by David Wilkerson. I also have many of his books, some out of print, which I treasure knowing they are hard to find today (if not impossible). As the years went by, I found myself going through some real hard times spiritually (late 1980's) and found another book, "Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately" by David Wilkerson. Again, I don't recall how this book ended up in my hands, but it was most helpful during that trying time in my life (I have given and recommended this book to many over the years). Also, in 1987 I was able to visit his new church, "Times Square Church" in Manhattan, New York. There, again, the Lord touched me in a mighty way through this then new church. So, while I have never personally carried on a conversation with David Wilkerson, there are over 35 years of my life being touched by this ministry and the man of God, David Wilkerson. I believe my review is qualified and not just a review with no background into David Wilkerson and his ministry.

As I excitedly received a pre-release (from Zondervan) of this book, "David Wilkerson" authored by his son Gary Wilkerson, I couldn't wait to jump into these pages. I always feel it is good to know the man behind the scene (so to speak), and over my 35 years of being touched by David Wilkerson, I really didn't know the man behind this great ministry. As I picked up this book and stated reading through its pages, I was so excited to learn more about the man David Wilkerson. It covers his entire life from his birth to his going home to Jesus. The childhood section was a little dry to me and it didn't interest me much, but it did give me a good background on his family and his childhood. The story covers much of his younger years and middle-aged years in ministry, and also covers his latter years, but not in as much detail, and then briefly mentions his death (by car accident). I learned much about this private "man of God" (a term I don't use loosely) and his triumphs and his failures. It was good to see what was going on behind the scenes. I think we often can idolize people (even ministers), and in reality they are people just like you and me. Gary and other family members, as well as friends and fellow ministers who knew him personally, share in this book and it's not all flattering. They show he was human just like you and me. He had his own set of fears, failures, and fame. Usually all we know about is a man's fame. This book will show all sides with due respect to this man of God. I feel through this book I have a clearer understanding of David Wilkerson and saw how one can be used of God, and what it takes to be a "man of God." One will see many things in this book, but one that sticks out to me was that he was a man of "prayer." His son Gary did a great job gathering information from family (especially Don, David's brother) and from many others who have been involved in his life and ministry over the years.

I give this book a well deserved 5 stars.

Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the words expressed here are my own.

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are certain people in the world who have a profound effect on your life, whether you knew them personally or not, and for me one of those people was David Wilkerson. For those of us whose personal struggle with drug addiction ultimately led them to Jesus Christ, we can thank David Wilkerson for paving the way, by listening to the Holy Spirit and stepping out in faith, way back in the late 1950’s, where he opened the hearts of evangelists and pastors to reach out to us. My mother gave me a copy of The Cross and The Switchblade when she was praying and searching for a way to get me out of the drug world.

In this biography, his son Gary Wilkerson presents a well rounded look into the man, who I would list in the company of Mother (Saint) Theresa, and Billy Graham. David wasn’t perfect; he didn’t come from a perfect family life; even though generations of his family members have been Christians. He was a person who had doubts, and struggled like we all do with relationships. But he prayed and sought God, and listened for guidance everyday and then he acted on what he was shown. Out of his obedience we have Teen Challenge turning young lives around and giving hope to families. We also have worldwide ministries that reach the poor and overlooked and there are new pastors and evangelists being sent out to give witness to the power of Jesus Christ to break addictions. I would highly recommend this book to people of faith who need encouragement in their walk, I know it changed my feelings about the hopeless mess our world is in and encouraged me to keep praying and reaching out. This book is a five star keeper.

[Brandon H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this biography of David Wilkerson written by his son Gary. If he had been a Catholic he would have qualified for sainthood. He was truly a saint and I'd consider him a prophet.

Besides learning a lot about Mr. Wilkerson, I really appreciated the honest and objective look at this life. His son didn't idolize him nor did he dishonor him. He portrayed him as a man who sought to conform his life and character to that of Christ's yet was an imperfect human being. As Dr. Stanley Burgess said, (and was quoted in the book), "We're all flawed but we're not all yielded." David Wilkerson was flawed, like the rest of us, but continually yielded himself to God. He lived a lifestyle of repentance and humility. Seeking God, praying, and helping others remained high priorities for him throughout his life. As a Charismatic Christian, I also appreciated his rebuke of the prosperity gospel preaching. Mr. Wilkerson left a great legacy.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was moved throughout the entirety of this book by the warm, transparent portrayal of a godly father by a loving son. This is not hagiography. Gary presents a real life man who, despite human frailties and mistakes, maintained a lifetime love-affair with Christ. He delves into family, ministry and friendship dynamics with the key personalities that surrounded David Wilkerson.

Several chapters brought me to deep introspection since I was greatly influenced by David Wilkerson in my early years. Peeling back to the curtains to see the spiritual processes of this man of God in the throughs of ministry was very inspiring and illuminating. Lessons are plenty and the insights I gained have trickled into many personal conversations over the past couple of weeks.

I walk away from this book with a deeper reverence for the surrendered life. That alone makes it worthy of a "favorites" rating and is yet another indication of the godly legacy from this extraordinary servant of God.

[Rick Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid I remember watching the "Cross and The Switchblade" at my church....I always wondered what that preacher was really like as a person? Well, it turns out Pat Boone (who play David Wilkerson in that movie) was nothing like David Wilkerson...Pat being very "affable, warm and friendly" while David was a pretty "intense, direct and driven" guy most of his life. I really did enjoy this Bio written by David Wilkerson's son Gary. He provides a much more authentic and transparent overview of His Dad as a father, a brother, a friend and as preacher/evangelist...All his strengths & weaknesses are revealed. I applaud Gary for his willingness to share his relationship with His Father, his background and whole family history. It's a very engaging read and I highly recommend this bio.

[Anthony VENN-BROWN OAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became a born again Christian in 1969 in the height of the Jesus revolution and the charismatic movement so David Wilkerson was one of my heroes. I’m currently researching this era which is why I read ‘David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed’ along with much of David’s original writings.

Gary does a good job detailing his Dad's life. David Wilkerson was definitely an extraordinary man......which his legacy attests in so many transformed lives. I did feel at times the Gary was viewing his father’s life through loving and loyal eyes. That is to be expected. It's not all that way though. He freely admits many of his Dad's failings and we do get to see his humanity. He was definitely an enigma though. Maybe David’s harsh, judgmental, holiness preaching is what created his constant doubt if he was loved by God.

There is no doubt that David Wilkerson was a product of his time and culture (born pre-war to second generation Pentecostals) which explains his attitude towards homosexuality but not his obsession with it.

Whilst Teen Challenge was enormously successful with drug addiction/substance abuse, trying to transform gay and lesbians was something they pretty well gave up on early in their history (60’s). This was sensible as a person’s sexual orientation is not a sin or addiction or something that people need deliverance from. It’s a shame David didn’t keep up to date with our growing understanding of sexuality. Sadly the promotion of his outdated beliefs still continues today.

I’m giving this four stars because it was very readable, gave me interesting insights and at times was inspiring.

Anthony Venn-Brown
Author of A Life of Unlearning

"Roger filled me in on the conversation he had with Dad. “He asked me to stay with him that first night,” Roger said, noting that Dad never requested this from anyone. My father had seemed beside himself, and it was clear to Roger he needed someone to open up to. “We were talking, and he just flat out asked me, ‘What was your father like?’ ” my brother-in-law recalls. Roger described his relationship with his father, and then asked Dad about his family life. Was he ever held? Was he ever told he was loved? “No,” Dad answered simply. He wasn’t able to cry over this, so Roger did it for him.”

“DURING A TRIP TO LATVIA, Dad and I were strolling through a park when we took a brief rest on a bench. “I don’t talk much about this,” Dad said, “but I struggle terribly with something.” He cleared his throat and said, “I wonder whether God loves me.”

“As for homosexuality, my dad’s view could be summed up pretty simply. He didn’t see it as a category of sin all its own, the way some evangelicals do. He saw it as sexual sin strictly on biblical grounds. Yet overriding all of this was Dad’s love for people. He wanted to preach a message that was redemptive and reconciling to God, that wouldn’t keep anyone away from the church. Dating back to his books in the midsixties, Dad described his moving encounters with lesbians and gay men long before there was a political issue surrounding it all. I saw him demonstrate amazing love whenever we did street outreaches in San Francisco’s Polk and Castro districts. Sometimes gays brought signs to our rallies accusing Dad of bigotry and hatred, but he remained full of grace. Over the years when he wrote about the rise of militant homosexuality, he noted it as a sign of the times, never as a sign that God didn’t love gay people.”

[Ruth Bonetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this decades ago but was impressed by the courage in face of danger and that this made such an positive impact on dysfunctional young lives.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful in so many ways

[Jess Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Je n'avais pas prévu de lire ce livre, il c'est ajouté au dernier moment à ma liste d'été.

Wow. Cette biographie de David Wilkerson, écrite par son fils Gary, est vraiment une plongée en profondeur dans la vie, la pensée, la foi et les doutes de l'auteur de David Wilkerson.

De son origine, un pentecôtisme très stricte, à sa découverte des puritains et Jean Calvin, nous suivons l'évolution spirituelle de David Wilkerson, ses repentances, ses échecs.

Et c'est vraiment un voile qui se lève, loin des portraits caricaturaux que les uns et les autres en font. On y découvre un homme, juste un homme. Mais avec un Dieu, le Grand Dieu dans sa vie.


C'est aussi la photographie d'une époque, d'un certain évangelisme, d'un certain pentecôtisme hésitant, en recherche de respectabilité.

En fait il y aurait trop à dire. Je ne peux qu'encourager à lire pour soi-même, peut importe l'opinion que l'on a de David Wilkerson.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating account of David Wilkerson's life and ministry. His son gives us a unique and intimate view of his father's life. Gary writes with sometimes surprising honesty, yet also a clear love and reverence for his father. I am reminded again that even the best of us, the most faith-filled among us, are truly human. One thing I most appreciated about the biography is how David continued to grow, he kept seeking, he was always plowing forward in faith ... in terms of his "doing" for the Lord as well as in his "knowing" and "being" in the Lord. Perhaps best of all, the book time and again sent me back to examine my own journey with God. I found myself asking questions like: Am I walking by faith? Am I continuing to grow? Am I seeking the Lord with as much passion as I used to? What steps of risk/faith is God asking me to take right now? Perhaps like me you'll find yourself at times cringing at the way David handled something and then find yourself examining the way you've handled something. For these--and other--reasons this is a worthy read and I commend the book to hungry hearts.

[Len Knighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible story, a very balanced account by a son of his father. Much fruit came from David Wilkerson's ministry, perhaps most notably Teen Challenge. Yet there was much conflict within Wilkerson. He was not confident of God's love for him. He worked under the Law instead of through grace for much of his life. He was an instrument of healing but did not apply it to his family.
It is hard to argue with the success of Wilkerson's ministry but one can question his theology. While he would say God will provide, I would say he was testing God.
So much more could be said but I will sum it up this way: All of us can be tools for God. We are his eyes, his hands, his feet, his mouthpiece. God uses people, FLAWED PEOPLE, to do His work. I am an example of such.
I applaud Gary Wilkerson for showing us ALL sides of his father, a very complex man but a man like another David: a man after God's heart.

Five stars

[Joolee Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of tears I cried reading this book was more than I can count. I first read the cross and the switchblade about 12 years ago when I first became a born again Christian. I remember feeling of awe and presence of God I felt in the book. I wanted to do so much for the Kingdom of God. And I did. But for the past few years I had become a passive Christian, a person far from God. But this year I somehow ended up going to a mission trip and once again the love of God saved me. Coming back from the trip I was convinced I needed to change my life but i wasn't sure how. Thankfully the Lord brought me to this book. How amazing that the sincere heart that David Wilkerson had for the Lord and his works was so wonderfully written is this book. Gary Wilkerson thank you for doing such a thing. I recommend for every Christian who is going through a struggling period in their life to read this book.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Wilkerson is an enigmatic figure in late twentieth-century America. His influence is fairly well known, but his persona is so hard to pin down that no book like this could have been written until after his death. Likely his son Gary is the only one who could have written it. One should expect little objectivity when a son writes a biography of his hero father, yet Gary does a good job of touching on Wilkerson’s weaknesses, too. I was inspired by Wilkerson’s courage to walk into some of the most difficult environments to believe God to do great works through him. Though the many quotes from Wilkerson’s contemporaries were a bit cumbersome to read at times, there are some beautifully scripted sections. I am grateful to Gary Wilkerson for sharing the story of his father’s life with us.

[Daniel Mount · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes when a child writes about a parent, it's a biography with the focus on the parent. Other times, it's a memoir of the parent-child relationship, with a fair amount of focus on the child. There are points where this book fits the one genre and points where it fits the other. The end result is something that's neither fully biography nor fully memoir. It would have been stronger if it had picked one genre and stuck with it.

This could have been the definitive David Wilkerson biography. Instead, that book has yet to be written. But this book will serve as an incredibly valuable source for the author who takes up that project.

[Nick Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is the real follow-up book to The Cross and the Switchblade. This is a warts-and-all portrayal, which is better than a hagiography. It shows the circumstances that led to the publishing deal with a secular publishing-house that led to The Cross and the Switchblade's wide reach. It details his struggles in keeping his ministry afloat, balancing it with family, as he was stretched thin to ask for donations and make national speaking engagements. It details his quirks from people who knew him most. I am inspired to know the human David Wilkerson, even if I do not fully subscribe to his theology.

[Deb Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man was possibly the most influential person in the world of Christianity in the last century, aside from Billy Graham. I heard him speak in 1970 when I was a high school junior. I’ve read many of his books and enjoyed them. He was a spiritual giant, no doubt, but this man suffered! I had no idea! Reading this very frank book written by his son has encouraged me. When David Wilkerson suffered he too showed his humanity, but he held onto God even in the darkest hours. I recommend this book to all who ever read his books or heard him speak and to all who are suffering.

[Bola Owoade · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome story

I first read the cross and the switchblade almost 20 years ago. I only got a glimpse into the ministry of David Wilkerson. This book opened my eyes to his impactful ministry. I recommend this book to every Christian to help us rethink what we call Christianity today. We need men like Wilkerson who though flawed were deeply committed to God and God used that genuine commitment to do great things.

[Anna woolwine · Rating 5 out of 5]

get ready to be stirred

There are some books that stir your mind, spark creativity, help you grow your strategy, but then there are books like these…..that bypass all of that, and stir your spirit. Numerous times I was brought back to the purpose of Christ and what I live for while reading this book. The Holy Spirit has definitely used this book to shift my trajectory, I recommend this book to the highest degree.

[Paul Van buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was difficult to read because it was blatantly honest. This is a great example of the anointing of God being greater than the man. Pastor David was honest with himself and adjusted as the Spirit directed, but it is still hard to read an aged and experienced servant of the Lord wonder if God loved him. Well worth reading even if it touches a few raw nerves.

[Elizabeth Dykstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book. His son didn't shirk from relating the difficult parts of David's life (including the theological/personal shortcomings) which could make it rather painful to read at times, but it's good to see that he's only human. He was certainly very different theologically from myself, but there was still plenty to learn from and be inspired by in his walk with Christ.

[Jacob Kuchmiy · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Wilkerson was a genuine prophet of God. God used him powerfully and to this day we remember his legacy all around the world. His son, Gary, wrote a biography about his father. Reading this, you will learn the way God deals with a man and the struggles of picking up our cross, but also the joy that is set before us as we obey.

[Heather Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the life story of David Wilkerson written by his son, Gary Wilkerson. A very good read. Tells of his family life as a child all the way through his ministry. Great for pastors because he shares the ups and downs of ministry.

[Sarah Tummey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad to have finally finished this book. It was slow in parts, but well worth reading. I liked the summary of David Wilkerson near the end - a man who was flawed but yielded. This was a very thorough look into his life, and what it's like to yield to God and listen for His direction.

[Kevin Senapatiratne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this biography. Reminded me of my love of good biographies and this is one of them. For me a good biography has both the reason why the person is famous but also the person's frailty and failing. Even though written by his son the book has both of these elements.

[Andréas Skogholm · Rating 5 out of 5]

En helt underbar biografi om David, skriven av hans son. Ärlig och med många andra röster. Välskriven och välgrund och väldigt inspirerande samt lärorik. Om du har möjlighet så läs den!

[Brad Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book about a man trying to find the love of God!!!!

[Will Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. God has often used biographies to change, refine and direct my life. This is up there with those he has used.

[Jason Selman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story of a man that surrendered his life unto the will of God

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Wilkerson was a true man of God and we are very thankful for his service and his example. May we all bring glory and honor to our Lord as her did.