Reverend David Wilkerson

In 1959, in a small town in Pennsylvania, a young pastor saw an article in Life Magazine about teenage gang members who were on trial for murder in New York City. He was so moved by the wanton waste of life and the wasted futures of young men that he moved to these battleground streets and started Teen Challenge which continues to minister today to troubled youth. You may have come across the film The Cross And The Switchblade, made from the book of the same name, while flicking through television channels. Pat Boone played David Wilkerson and Eric Estrada the troubled gang leader Nicky Cruz who came to Christ. An hour ago, while checking the Internet news, I came across the report that Reverend Wilkerson had died in a car accident in Texas. I've mentioned his ministry a few times in these blogs. He once told a story of how, while ministering in New York City, he read an ad for an old classic sports car across the river in New Jersey. Thinking of how enjoyable it would be to restore this automobile, he purchased the car. On the ride back to the city that he originally came to save teens from lives of drugs and violence, and comfortably sitting back as he drove his new possession, his wife mentioned that she smelled something burning. David looked in the rear view mirror and his new automobile was on fire. His wife Gwen, who was seriously injured in this accident that took his life, looked at him and said something that I have never forgotten...David, do you think God is trying to tell you something? Wilkerson's ministry expanded and eventually while walking one night on Broadway, overcome by what America was becoming, he had another revelation. His ministry purchased a famous old Broadway theater and today eight thousand people of all ethnic backgrounds, rich and poor, diseased and healthy, attend worship and minister to those on the streets from Times Square Church. David Wilkerson's theology is Pentecostal. I came into the Christian faith in Pentecostalism. I have at least one hundred of Reverend Wilkerson's cassette tapes in my basement of which had no small influence upon me. David Wilkerson was something besides a Pentecostal. He was a modern day Puritan. We hear the term Puritanical often today, always in derision, and the accepted definition could not be further from the truth. The Puritan of old and the Puritan-minded today see the sovereignty of God in a way that much of modern evangelicalism can barely enunciate. After over fifty years of ministry, David Wilkerson today sees his Savior in perfect clarity, with the veil removed, as does every redeemed soul that was called home. Below is his last blog written. It is identical in essence to every message I had ever heard him preach and to every word of his that I read. The fact that it is on this same blog site makes me uneasy to even publish my drivel along with his.

To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, "you have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen." (John 20:29). Blessed are those who believe when there is not evidence of an answer to prayer-who trust beyond hope when all means have failed. Someone has come to the place of hopelessness-the end of hope-the end of all means. A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening. That is when Satan's hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions: "Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted." Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind: "Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don't quit on God-just do not trust him anymore. It doesn't pay!" Even questioning God's existence will be injected into your mind. These have been devices of Satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women who ever lived were under such demonic attacks. To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights-and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, "I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will  make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain." Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. when all means fail-his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is nor other hope in this world.

My blogs from December 28, 2008 and January 25, 2009 are on the Puritans, and May 23, 2010 is one that mentions David Wilkerson. David's blog is http://www.davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/.