The Cross and the Switchblade: Library Edition

Rating:
Summary: God's Grace meets New York City
Review: David Wilkerson listened to the voice of God and obeyed. When he did, the Lord grew a holy unction into an international ministry which has now touched millions of lives around the world. From Teen Challenge Centers around the world to Times Square Church, now representing a congregation from 135 countries, to European Crusdaes and worldwide missions, this ministry is centered on Jesus Christ.

It is the unique focus on the personality and power of the Holy Spirit which separates this work from so many others.

The call to action was spoken into his life, and into the lives of a New York City street gang, headed by Nicky Cruz, in the late sixties. The Cross and the Switchblade is a modern day classic of God's power and grace infusing the most dangerous and difficult layer of society; the violent gangs.

The message is life changing, then and now.

Rating:
Summary: The reality of recovery ministry
Review: The story of how David Wilkerson came to found Teen Challenge should be a must read for anyone who follows Jesus Christ. The Cross and the Switchblade describes how Wilkerson put feet on his faith that took him from rural Pennsylvania to the streets of New York City. It's the story of how a pastor followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and reached out to minister to people with whom the churches would not associate.

Wilkerson describes in his book how essential it is to meet the unloved where they are, rather than waiting for them to show up in church all dressed up and ready to worship within the ranks of the clean and respectable. He also rightly emphasizes the importance of follow up, how one can't just expect to go out and distribute tracts or preach from street corners without also developing real, loving relationships with people and ministering to their needs, both spiritually and physically.

Now that Teen Challenge International has grown to over 200 centers around the world, it is interesting to note that the struggle in recovery ministry continues to be much the same: It's extremely difficult to get people to reach out in love to those who have never been loved, and it's nearly impossible to get church members to venture outside their doors to love their neighbors as they love themselves.

I praise God for Rev. Wilkerson and the way that he listened to God and ventured out in faith. I thank him for sharing the story of his work.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: The story of how God moved in David Wilkerson's life to start Teen Challenge - I currently volunteer with incarcerated teen boys by providing Bible study and fellowship and this book really opened my eyes and gave me much insight on how to let the Holy Spirit lead. A must read for anyone reaching out with the Gospel to teens.

Rating:
Summary: Can be life-changing
Review: This book brought tears to my eyes at God's love and mercy, and made me want to dance for joy at His provision and greatness. David Wilkerson started out as a preacher in a country church -- where he is a good Christian, and doing God's work. But one day, he feels as if God is leading him to New York to minister to a few thugs who have killed a boy. He follows the still small voice of the Holy Spirit and goes, and what follows is an amazing ride. God comes through again and again -- often at the 11th hour, when all seems lost. Isn't that just like God?
I highly recommend this book because it is a great testimony to what untold miracles can happen in the lives of Christians when we step out of our comfort zones and go out on a limb for God. And the way He comes through will take your breath away. If I wasn't a Christian, I would think the story was pure fiction because it sounds too amazing to be true. But because I am one, and I have caught glimpses of what God can do for His children, I can say of the miracle upon miracle in Cross and the Switchblade: "Yes, God is totally capable of that!''
To my mind, most of us don't enjoy this exhilerating journey with God because we don't trust Him enough to take risks for Him. David Wilkerson did, and God displayed all his wonders. Read this and be challenged. I certainly was.

Rating:
Summary: A great testimony!
Review: Witnessing to people for many years, this book has sent a powerful message out to all who have taken the time to read it. Believe it not, this book used to be required reading in many High Schools across America.

I found this book on the Washington Monument (Mall) grounds July 4th in the very late 60's or very early 70's (I can't remember exactly) after the police broke up a very large demonstration against the war in Viet Nam. The place was littered with many items left after a "hippy vs police" riot broke out, and as the police deployed tear gas and battled the demonstrators up Pennsylvania Avenue. It was an exciting day, but it also proved to be a day which my eyes were truly opened to the power of Lord... after I started to read the worn copy I had found in the mud. I couldn't put it down. This book opened the eyes of my understanding in so many ways, and started my path towards the recovery from the battlefields of southeast asia, from the struggle to survive in the brutal climate of war. From the conflicts of doing my job as a warrior, and seeing the death and destruction of lives all around me, knowing that the bullets and bombs were not enough. I was a shell of what I should have been at 25, a survivor a fighter, enduring the ravages of the human race and coming out physically capable but mentally tormented. This book started my comeback, my recovery, my search, my seeking and showed me an open door which, once I entered in, I was given my life back. I can never forget that, I can only praise God for the revelation.