Jack Wyrtzen
Encyclopedia
John Von Casper "Jack" Wyrtzen (22 April 1913 - 17 April 1996) was a youth evangelist
and founder of Word of Life ministries, which he led for 50 years. He was from Woodhaven, Long Island, New York and was credited as being a source of inspiration for Youth for Christ
.
From 1929 to 1933, he led a dance band at night and until 1940 he worked as an insurance salesman during the day.
Beginning in 1933 and lasting until 1940, he helped to form XBA, Chi Beta Alpha (Christians Born Again), a Bible study and fellowship group for young men; Phi Gamma organized for women. In 1940 the two groups were merged into one. In that same year, he helped to reorganize Word of Life Fellowship.
in 1941.
His Word of Life ministry flourished with the founding of conference centers in New York and Florida. He developed overseas ministries and established Bible Clubs for young people which influenced the founding members of Youth for Christ International. In 1971, with Word of Life co-director Harry Bollback, a Bible Institute was founded.
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and founder of Word of Life ministries, which he led for 50 years. He was from Woodhaven, Long Island, New York and was credited as being a source of inspiration for Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ is the name of a number of previously unaffiliated evangelical Protestant religious campaigns which led to the creation of Youth for Christ International in 1946....
.
Biography
From 1938 to 1940, Jack Wyrtzen attended Hawthorne Evening Bible School, in Hawthorne, New Jersey, but he did not graduate. In 1943, Wyrtzen received an honorary degree from the same school.From 1929 to 1933, he led a dance band at night and until 1940 he worked as an insurance salesman during the day.
Beginning in 1933 and lasting until 1940, he helped to form XBA, Chi Beta Alpha (Christians Born Again), a Bible study and fellowship group for young men; Phi Gamma organized for women. In 1940 the two groups were merged into one. In that same year, he helped to reorganize Word of Life Fellowship.
Radio and Television ministry
Wyrtzen took to the air over WBBC as a preacher and then began the "Word of Life" program over WHNWHN
WHN was a radio station in New York City located at 1050 kHz. Its best known format was country music, which the station played from 1972 to 1987...
in 1941.
Word of Life Fellowship
Wyrtzen held rallies under the name of the Word of Life Fellowship Bible Conference and became director (until 1991) of Word of Life Ministries. In 1942, he founded the Word of Life Bible Institute and in 1946 he purchased land on Schroon Lake for the Word of Life Camp, and then opened more camps in other cities in the U.S. and other countries. Wyrtzen crisscrossed America holding evangelistic crusades in major cities as well as in country churches. He is credited with developing Bible clubs in over 1,000 churches and starting youth ministries in 37 countries.His Word of Life ministry flourished with the founding of conference centers in New York and Florida. He developed overseas ministries and established Bible Clubs for young people which influenced the founding members of Youth for Christ International. In 1971, with Word of Life co-director Harry Bollback, a Bible Institute was founded.
Family
Wyrtzen's father was a foreman in a glass factory, and his mother was involved in Republican politics. Wyrtzen had two brothers. Wyrtzen married Margaret Smith on April 18, 1936 (died in 1984.) Two years after Margaret died, Wyrtzen remarried. He and Joan Steiner were wed on May 6, 1986. Wyrtzen died on April 17, 1996, leaving behind his wife Joan, their eight children and 55 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.External links
- http://www.wol.org/about/jack/ - Ministry founded by Jack Wyrtzen.
- http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/446.htm - Papers of John Von Casper "Jack" Wyrtzen - Collection 446