The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson
Week 7: Chapter 7 — Nicky's Transformation
Read Chapter 7 of The Cross and the Switchblade.
Previewing Week 7 of The Cross and the Switchblade
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
The conversion of Nicky Cruz is not the end of his story but the beginning — and the early days of his new life in Christ raise honest questions about what genuine transformation looks like, how long it takes, and what it costs.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.After his conversion, Nicky faces an immediate and enormous practical problem: his entire identity, his social world, his reputation, and his daily routines were all built around the gang. What does 'new life in Christ' actually look like when the old life was this thoroughly formed? What has to die, and what might legitimately survive?
2.Wilkerson describes Nicky in the days after the rally as disoriented, tender, and almost childlike in his new faith — a stark contrast to the hardened war lord he had been. What does this vulnerability in a new believer require from the community around them?
3.Nicky's former gang associates react to his conversion with a mixture of mockery, confusion, and in some cases, their own quiet longing. How does a changed life function as a form of gospel proclamation — and what are its limits as an evangelistic tool?