“Cross & Switchblade” author crosses over
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Well, I’ll be darned. Just read on RightWire that Pastor David Wilkerson (“The Cross and the Switchblade”) died in a car crash. He was 79, so it’s not like he didn’t have a full life, but that still seems like a loss. I know he got a little nutty sometimes, but I’ve never forgotten that years before I found the Orthodox Church (back in 1978!), I came forward at a David Wilkerson altar call, and began my journey of faith.
Hope it’s appropriate to say “Memory eternal” under the circumstances.
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For sure it’s okay. I remember reading a comic book-style story of the Cross and the Switchblade when I was a pre-teen. Amazing man. Memory Eternal.
I don’t know how “Memory eternal” could be inappropriate.
My former youth pastor used to work at one of David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge houses and his brother worked at the one in Indianaopolis. We went on a youth trip up there and stayed for about 4–5 days with the youth residents. Yeah, he may have had some wonky theological stuff that he did or said, he also did a lot to help troubled teens.
With the saints give rest to the soul of Thy servant.…
You came forward at a David Wilkerson altar call in78, I did the same in 82 or 83. Cool beans!
In Christ,
+Fr Gregory
And then there was that movie with Pat Boone that a lot of people remember. The thing I liked about the book is that he was pretty honest, I thought, about his shortcomings and failures. Didn’t try to make it like one, big Hallelujah tale.
Another thing I remember about Pastor Wilkerson. I had been on his mailing list for a couple years after my college “introduction” to his ministry when I got a letter from them saying that they were ending the mailing list and wouldn’t be soliciting by mail anymore — he said he just didn’t think it was right. This was at a time when I was employed working for a big televangelist, and let me tell you, that guy would NEVER have stopped with the mailing list. Thought it was a gutsy stand for Wilkerson to take, because I’m sure they lost money when they did it.