Hope On The Rise

In 1958 Michael Farmer’s trial made national news. After reading about the trial in Life Magazine, David Wilkerson a 26 year old Pentecostal preacher from rural Pennsylvania went to New York City on February 28, 1958. He tried to speak to the Judge but was abruptly escorted from the courtroom. News media were everywhere and Wilkerson unwittingly made himself the source of headline news throughout New York City. In 1959 David Wilkerson started the first Teen Challenge Center in Brooklyn, New York. Teen Challenge is a network of ministries that offers Christ-Centered faith based salvation to youth, adults and families struggling with life controlling problems such as substance abuse. David Wilkerson couldn’t bring Michael Farmer back but he believed in Hope for the teenage defendants who were accused of killing him. And he did something about it! Today there are Teen Challenge Centers nationwide and even internationally.
There is a story in the Gospel of Mark Chapter two that took place in Capernaum a town near the Sea of Galilee. The house where Jesus was teaching was severely overcrowded. So when four guys showed up with their paralytic friend on a mat they took radical action and cut a hole in the roof to get their friend to Jesus so he could be healed. They were not disappointed! At the command of Jesus their friend took up his mat and walked out — not only healed but forgiven of his sins — a double blessing!
The best message I ever heard on this story was actually given by our son Rob! He unpacked the theological issues in the story that scholars have wrestled with for years but clearly made the point that these four guys became models for us to make every effort to bring people to Jesus.
Seems to me that if David Wilkerson gave it his all to speak to teenage defendants he did not know who were accused of murder,
And if four guys can cut through a roof to get their friend to Jesus,
Then we should be willing to take radical action when necessary to bring people to Jesus.
In the summer of 1962 as a college student I had the privilege of ministering on the streets of New York with David Wilkerson and his team. I’ve never been been the same!
And that’s Hope on the Rise for now!