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More on David Wilkerson

28th April, 2011 - Posted by Wolf Paul - No Comments

In my previous post reporting the death of the founder of Teen Challenge through a car accident I called him the father of all Christian ministries serving drug addicts, prostitutes, etc.

This is, in my eyes, the major and invaluable contribution of David Wilkerson: that he opened the eyes of the church to the fact that Jesus, and therefore the church, had more to offer to those lost in the asphalt jungle of the 20th century inner cities than a suspicious glance and some coins tossed in passing.

The realization that Jesus can free people who are caught in various slaveries at the fringe of our big cities, especially drug addicts, gang members and prostitutes, is associated by some with the Jesus Movement which began in the mid-1960s. But David Wilkerson began his ministry in New York City in 1958, when hardly anyone in the church gave a thought to the fact that these people living on the street were not our enemies but were created in the image of God just like the nice folks in the churches. His book about this ministry, The Cross and the Switchblade, was published in 1963 and served as a clarion call to the church just before the first hippies came to Christ and showed up in the churches.

Without the ministry of Teen Challenge, who knows whether today we would have ministries like FCJG/Help or Herzwerk.

That remains David Wilkerson’s great contribution, whatever mistakes he may have made later in life (such as his spectacular and controversial unfulfilled prophecies of judgement on the US).

Just hours before he died on a road in East Texas, David Wilkerson wrote on his blog,

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 no 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 the 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 all 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 no other hope in this world.

What a Last Word!

Let us give thanks to God for the life of His servant, and let us pray for his family. David Wilkerson is survived by his wife Gwen, who after the accident is in critical condition in the hospital in Tyler, TX, as well as by four children and eleven grandchildren.

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