85 YEAR CELE BRA TION
EIGHTY-FIVE YEAR CELEBRATION
85 years ago, a loaf of bread cost just eight cents. The first McDonald’s wouldn’t open for another 15 years. Radios were the center of family entertain- ment, and people gathered around to hear updates about World War II, which had just begun. Computers were still decades away, and the idea of communicating instantly across the globe would have seemed like science fiction. The culture of the 1940s was slower-paced, yet filled with uncertainty and the need for hope. It was in this context, in 1940, that Jack Wyrtzen founded Word of Life. Jack was selling insurance at the time and broadcasting on a small radio station, but his heart was set on something bigger – reaching young people with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. What started as small rallies soon grew into large-scale evangelistic crusades, with thousands gathering to hear the gospel. By 1944, Jack was filling Madison Square Garden, sharing the hope of Christ.
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