Percy Crawford
Encyclopedia
Percy Bartimus Crawford was an evangelist and fundamentalist leader who especially emphasized youth ministry. During the late 1950s, he saw the potential of FM radio and UHF television and built the first successful Christian broadcasting network. He also founded The King's College and Pinebrook, a Bible conference in the Pocono Mountains.
, Canada and was reared in Vancouver, British Columbia. He dropped out of school to help support the family after his father left his mother and their three children.
As a teenager, he left home and completed high school at the YMCA
school in Portland, Oregon
. Preparing to enter the University of California at Los Angeles, he was converted to Christianity on September 23, 1923, at Reuben Torrey’s Church of the Open Door
, under the preaching of itinerant evangelist W. P. Nicholson.
) where he was mentored by Thomas Corwin Horton and Reuben Torrey. At BIOLA Crawford discovered his gift for evangelism and committed himself to full-time Christian service. After briefly studying at UCLA, Crawford earned a bachelor's degree at Wheaton College
. During summer months of his student years, he made successful evangelistic tours with a gospel quartet, in one summer recording eight hundred professions of faith in Christ.
In 1931, while a seminarian at Westminster Theological Seminary
he started his own youth-oriented radio program on a single station in Philadelphia, calling it the "Young People’s Church of the Air." Within a decade he had built a radio ministry that aired on over 400 stations and included evangelistic "fishing clubs," a bookstore, and book clubs. After being ordained by the Presbyterian church, he also briefly pastored the Rhawnhurst Presbyterian Church in northeast Philadelphia. Siding with J. Gresham Machen and the fundamentalists in the Presbyterian church, he resigned from the Presbytery of Philadelphia—but "without fanfare or publicity."
, Ruth Duvall, who became his life-long partner in evangelism. Ruth Crawford assembled a musical entourage—vocal quartet, brass quartet, men’s and women’s ensembles, and later a full orchestra—that distinguished Crawford’s evangelistic ministry from others of his era.
In 1936, he founded The King’s College, a Christian liberal arts college. The institution began in Belmar, New Jersey
, relocated to New Castle, Delaware
in 1941, and then to Briarcliff Manor, New York
in 1955. Crawford served as president for 23 years. Although he was very much the dominant personality, he was frequently absent conducting his other ministries, and his "autocratic style" limited the long-term effectiveness of the college.
Crawford and his wife often traveled 40 to 50,000 miles a year with a quartet, and later their five children, conducting meetings and rallies mainly in the northeast but also on cross-country tours to the west coast. In 1953-54, the evangelistic team made an 18-week world tour that included three weeks in Korea
preaching to American servicemen. The Crawfords typically used upbeat, easy-to-learn choruses in their services, and the Young People’s Church of the Air eventually published thirteen books of gospel songs. Although Crawford remained a staunch foe of religious Modernism
and the social gospel
, he also increased his audience appeal by avoiding controversy in his preaching and rarely making personal attacks.
In 1949, Crawford began the first coast-to-coast religious program, "Youth on the March" on the ABC
network, moving to the Dumont
network for 1952-53. In 1956 Crawford organized a novel youth rally format in Philadelphia’s Town Hall, which he called "Youtharama." The program emphasized large-scale musical productions with chorus and orchestra, humorous skits, and high-profile youth-oriented guest speakers who gave Christian testimonies before Crawford closed the meeting with an invitation and altar call
. In 1958 Crawford organized a Christian Broadcasting Network that eventually included six radio stations and one television station—although with mounting debts. Crawford and the Young People’s Church of the Air also began operating the Philadelphia UHF television station WPCA (today WPHL
) on July 17, 1960, the world's first religious television station.
evangelistic meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
. Billy Graham
was the main speaker at his funeral.
Youth and conversion
Crawford was born in Minnedosa, ManitobaMinnedosa, Manitoba
Minnedosa is a town in the southwestern part of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Situated 50 kilometres north of Brandon, Manitoba on the Little Saskatchewan River, the name means "flowing water" in Sioux. The population of Minnedosa reported in the 2006 Statistics Canada Census was 2,474...
, Canada and was reared in Vancouver, British Columbia. He dropped out of school to help support the family after his father left his mother and their three children.
As a teenager, he left home and completed high school at the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
school in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Preparing to enter the University of California at Los Angeles, he was converted to Christianity on September 23, 1923, at Reuben Torrey’s Church of the Open Door
Church of the Open Door
The Church of the Open Door was conceived by R. A. Torrey who had come to Los Angeles to start a Bible institute similar to Moody Bible Institute. The church was to be strictly interdenominational, though Evangelical. Its purpose was to reach the lost of Los Angeles, which was reflected in the...
, under the preaching of itinerant evangelist W. P. Nicholson.
Education
In 1924 he enrolled at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLABiola University
Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-...
) where he was mentored by Thomas Corwin Horton and Reuben Torrey. At BIOLA Crawford discovered his gift for evangelism and committed himself to full-time Christian service. After briefly studying at UCLA, Crawford earned a bachelor's degree at Wheaton College
Wheaton College
Wheaton College may refer to:* Wheaton College , private Christian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois* Wheaton College , private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Norton, Massachusetts...
. During summer months of his student years, he made successful evangelistic tours with a gospel quartet, in one summer recording eight hundred professions of faith in Christ.
In 1931, while a seminarian at Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
he started his own youth-oriented radio program on a single station in Philadelphia, calling it the "Young People’s Church of the Air." Within a decade he had built a radio ministry that aired on over 400 stations and included evangelistic "fishing clubs," a bookstore, and book clubs. After being ordained by the Presbyterian church, he also briefly pastored the Rhawnhurst Presbyterian Church in northeast Philadelphia. Siding with J. Gresham Machen and the fundamentalists in the Presbyterian church, he resigned from the Presbytery of Philadelphia—but "without fanfare or publicity."
Marriage
In 1931, he met and, two years later, married a very young but gifted pianist and arranger from Collingswood, New JerseyCollingswood, New Jersey
Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,926....
, Ruth Duvall, who became his life-long partner in evangelism. Ruth Crawford assembled a musical entourage—vocal quartet, brass quartet, men’s and women’s ensembles, and later a full orchestra—that distinguished Crawford’s evangelistic ministry from others of his era.
Ministries
In 1933 Crawford founded Pinebrook Bible Conference for young people and brought to it the nation’s leading fundamentalist Bible teachers and musicians. A few years later he added Shadowbrook camp for boys and Mountainbrook camp for girls. Crawford directed Pinebrook for 28 years.In 1936, he founded The King’s College, a Christian liberal arts college. The institution began in Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....
, relocated to New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
in 1941, and then to Briarcliff Manor, New York
Briarcliff Manor, New York
Briarcliff Manor is a village in Westchester County in the state of New York. It is shared between the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining, and lies entirely within the ZIP code of 10510...
in 1955. Crawford served as president for 23 years. Although he was very much the dominant personality, he was frequently absent conducting his other ministries, and his "autocratic style" limited the long-term effectiveness of the college.
Crawford and his wife often traveled 40 to 50,000 miles a year with a quartet, and later their five children, conducting meetings and rallies mainly in the northeast but also on cross-country tours to the west coast. In 1953-54, the evangelistic team made an 18-week world tour that included three weeks in Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
preaching to American servicemen. The Crawfords typically used upbeat, easy-to-learn choruses in their services, and the Young People’s Church of the Air eventually published thirteen books of gospel songs. Although Crawford remained a staunch foe of religious Modernism
Liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
and the social gospel
Social Gospel
The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the early 20th century United States and Canada...
, he also increased his audience appeal by avoiding controversy in his preaching and rarely making personal attacks.
In 1949, Crawford began the first coast-to-coast religious program, "Youth on the March" on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
network, moving to the Dumont
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
network for 1952-53. In 1956 Crawford organized a novel youth rally format in Philadelphia’s Town Hall, which he called "Youtharama." The program emphasized large-scale musical productions with chorus and orchestra, humorous skits, and high-profile youth-oriented guest speakers who gave Christian testimonies before Crawford closed the meeting with an invitation and altar call
Altar call
An altar call is a practice in some evangelical churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather at the altar located at the front of the church building. In the Old Testament, an...
. In 1958 Crawford organized a Christian Broadcasting Network that eventually included six radio stations and one television station—although with mounting debts. Crawford and the Young People’s Church of the Air also began operating the Philadelphia UHF television station WPCA (today WPHL
WPHL-TV
WPHL-TV, channel 17, is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by the Tribune Company and currently affiliated with the News Corporation-owned MyNetworkTV television network. This makes it the largest non-O&O station of the network...
) on July 17, 1960, the world's first religious television station.
Death
Crawford died on October 31, 1960 of a heart attack suffered while driving to a Youth for ChristYouth 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....
evangelistic meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
was the main speaker at his funeral.