The History of Teen Challenge

It was February 28, 1958 when the 26-year-old Pentecostal preacher from rural Pennsylvania disrupted a highly publicized murder trial in New York City. David Wilkerson had made the eight-hour drive from his quiet mountain village to downtown Manhattan for a simple reason: to speak to the seven accused gang members about their salvation. In a grave attempt to share the love of God, Wilkerson had rushed to the front of the courtroom at the close of trial proceedings and pleaded publicly with the judge for permission to meet the teenage defendants. News media were everywhere, and Wilkerson unwittingly made himself the source of headline news throughout New York City. The judge had been receiving death threats during the trial, and Wilkerson was almost arrested as a presumed assailant. The judge later refused Wilkerson's request to see the boys and ordered him never to return to his courtroom.

Today the one-time rural preacher is known as the founder of a international drug rehabilitation program called Teen Challenge that has one of the highest success rates anywhere in the world. Since it's first center opened in New York in 1960, Teen Challenge has grown to over 1060 centers in 82 countries.

Teen Challenge Goes Global

Don Wilkerson served as the first executive director of Global Teen Challenge (GTC) from 1995 - 2007. Teen Challenge is a faith-based program helping to reach and rehabilitate troubled youth and adults, particularly those with life controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol. Don, along with a staff team, oversaw the development of local centers worldwide, and the training of workers for Teen Challenge.

Don Wilkerson has been involved in working with troubled youth for over 40 years, having served as the Executive Director of the first Teen Challenge established in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1950s. Teen Challenge was founded by Don’s brother, David, author of the best-seller book The Cross and the Switchblade.

From 1987 to 1995, Don also served as a co-pastor of Times Square Church on Broadway in Manhattan, New York. The church grew to a weekly attendance of over 5,000. In 1995, Don resigned from Times Square Church to help establish the international division of Teen Challenge. Don Wilkerson has authored a number of books including The Cross is Still Mightier than the Switchblade, Within a Yard of Hell, Counseling by the Scriptures, and Called to the Other Side.

Don and his wife, Cindy, live near Fredericksburg, Virginia.

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