David Wilkerson with John and Elizabeth Sherrill, published by Bernard Geis Associates in 1963.

In 1958, Pentecostal pastor David Wilkerson of Assemblies of God read an article in Life about seven teenagers who were members of a criminal gang and felt the Holy Spirit move him with compassion and was drawn to go to New York, in order to preach to them.

Upon leaving, someone took a photo of Wilkerson, who then became known as the Bible preacher "who had interrupted the gang trial".

Soon after this, he began a street ministry to young drug addicts and gang members, which he continued into the 1960s.

[1] In 1970, a film adaptation was released, starring Pat Boone as David Wilkerson and Erik Estrada (in his screen debut) as Nicky Cruz, the teen gang member whose life was transformed by Wilkerson's ministry.