As former Mau-Maus’ gang leader and warlord Nicky Cruz describes him, David Wilkerson was a “hillbilly” who knew nothing about New York ghetto life. Wilkerson had no experience in inner-city ministry, no training in dealing with gang members, and no idea how much someone like himself was lethally out of place in the territory of the Mau-Maus.
Or as Cruz’s son-in-law, Patrick Dow, says, “The David Wilkerson-Nicky Cruz model [of evangelism] never should have worked, but that’s how God works!”
Now more than 60 years after Wilkerson (founder of Adult and Teen Challenge) led Cruz to a miraculous salvation experience — along with many of his gang member brothers — Cruz is still sharing his unimaginable story around the world. The calling of God on one “hillbilly’s” life has led to the gospel message being shared with tens of millions of people and countless lives being transformed for Christ.
