Another View of a Fruitful Ministry

David Wilkerson founded Teen Challenge, a Christian Outreach to teen gang members, addicts, and other young, unfortunate people from the inner city. Nicky Cruz was one of his first converts and here, in his own words, he tells his own story.

Nicky was born in Puerto Rico; his parents held seances in their home. One of a great many children, he was difficult to handle at an early age, and was sent to live with a brother in New York.

He soon ran away and joined the Mau Maus, a particularly vicious fighting youth gang. At first, this life suited him perfectly, as he was inexplicably attracted to violence. He doesn't mind having to rob almost every week to pay the rent on his furnished room. He works himself up to vice-president, and eventually, president, of his gang.

But, at this time, things begin to bother him; he develops an irrational fear of birds, which he has nightmares about;his brother and visiting father attempt to exorcise a demon, but no changes occur.

When Preacher David Wilkerson arrives, offering help, Nicky reacts violently. He further resents it when his friend Israel, who has recently retaken the gang's presidency (at Nicky's request; he is afraid to show his weaknesses and fears to the gang) starts becoming friendly with Wilkerson;this intrusion threaten's the gang's stability.

But all this changes when Nicky, along with Israel and many other members of the gang, comes forward at a youth rally at which Wilkerson is preaching; things change dramatically, and soon, Nicky wants to be a minister himself. His attendance at a Bible college is arranged, he there meets his future wife, and eventually he becomes director of Teen Challenge.

After a few productive years, he feels led to leave. During a dark period in his life, he won't think of preaching again. But neither he nor his wife can find other work;and their family is growing. It becomes obvious that he is called to preach when, following the publication if "the Cros and the Switchblade", Wilkerson's story of the founding of Teen Challenge, which includes the story of Nicky's conversion, offers to speak at churches pour in.

At the book's writing, Nicky and his wife, Gloria, were running a home for abandoned and unwanted children, mostly in their very early teens. He has finally found some satisfaction in his spiritual walk.

The book is very commendable in it's honesty; Graphic descriptions of nightmares, fights with friends and enemies alike, and disillusionment abound with realism.

Cruz is especially honest in describing his disillusionment with Teen Challenge, and Wilkerson's initial lack of understandig. Thse passages are particularly honest; Many ministers are afraid to show that they don't always react with perfect Christian understang; Cruz never doubts Wilkerson's sincerity in the matter, but acknowledges that both can love the Lord, and yet have different visions of their ministry. One of the things that led Cruz to leave was that Teen Challenge was losing sight of it's original vision; instead of teens in different type of trouble, TC was becoming more and more a ministry to addicts, many of them adults.

The mature way in which this difference of opinion is handled is only part of the reason why this book is so important. While "The Cross and the Switchblade is now an important piece of nostalgia, "Run, Baby,Run" shows the reasons for having to move on. Which we all must do, from time to time. A Christian book with a good dose of honesty.