A thirst for souls

A philosopher son comes to grips with his evangelist father's life and ministry, and his passion for winning lost souls. The author situates Percy Crawford within the fundamentalist movement he encountered in 1923, when he came to Los Angeles to get a college education, and instead got converted at Reuben Torrey's Church of the Open Door. The book identifies Crawford's main contributions to fundamentalism at a critical time in its historythe 1930s and '40swhen it was languishing and marginalized in American life. Crawford was one of the "young men on fire" who effectively used the new medium of radio (and later television) as vehicles for spreading the gospel. His direct and hard-hitting preaching style, together with a high-quality musical program assembled by his wife and life-long partner in evangelism, Ruth, helped to remake the public image of fundamentalism and rekindle the spirit of revivalism. Drawing on material that has been largely in the hands of the family and unavailable to researchers, and benefiting from the passing of over four decades and a lifetime of teaching philosophy and religion, Dan Crawford is able to look back at his father's beliefs and commitment to evangelism in a constructive and sympathetic way, but also with a critical eye that engages with his father at key points of disagreement. He describes with candor and refreshing humor his own involvement in his parents' ministry as a loyal member of the evangelistic team -- singing with his brothers at church meetings and on radio and television from the age of three, and what it was like growing up in a family that put the Lord's work above everything else. - Author website.