Nicky Cruz grew up in Puerto Rico in a troubled home. As a young teenager, he was sent to New York City, where he became involved in street gangs. He eventually became the leader of a violent gang called the Mau Maus.

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Nicky’s life was filled with anger and violence. He had learned to survive by being tough, and he believed that showing weakness was dangerous. Fighting became a way of life, and he seemed headed toward a future of destruction.

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But God had other plans. A young preacher named David Wilkerson came to New York City to share the love of Jesus with troubled young people. When David approached Nicky, he was met with threats and rejection. But David refused to give up on him. Instead of responding with fear or anger, David told Nicky that Jesus loved him.

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Those words began to reach a heart that had been hardened for years. Eventually, Nicky attended one of David’s evangelistic meetings. There, he made the decision to give his life to Jesus Christ. The gang leader who had once been known for violence began a completely different journey.

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Nicky eventually became a Christian evangelist, traveling and sharing his testimony with people around the world. He especially wanted to reach young people who were living the same kind of life he had once lived. His past became part of his testimony, showing others what Jesus could do with a life surrendered to Him.

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Nicky Cruz’s story reminds us that no one is beyond God’s love. A person may seem too far gone to change, but Jesus sees what that person can become. No life is too lost for Jesus to redeem, and no heart is too hardened for His love to reach.

To learn more about Nicky Cruz’s incredible journey from gang leader to follower of Jesus, read his testimony shared with CBN’s The 700 Club. Read Nicky Cruz’s Original Testimony

Testimony source: CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network), The 700 Club. This story is an independently written summary of Nicky Cruz's publicly shared testimony. All rights to the original interview and its content belong to their respective owners.