By Carmen Yeung

Gregory Crockett had spent most of his adult life shying away from church. He had operated a UTZ snack route in Brooklyn for a number of years, before delving into entrepreneurship in perfume and jewelry. Yet, on what Crockett, 61, remembers clearly as April 27, 2005, his life took an unexpected turn.

Crockett attended a church service that his fiance–now his wife–had invited him to and experienced a powerful epiphany. Three years later, Crockett is now a subway preacher at Times Square and devotes three hours every Wednesday afternoon sharing the gospel with commuters.