BIOGRAPHY
Born to Salvation Army Officer parents in Horsham , in 1945, Dave grew up a third-generation Salvationist, his grandparents having been officers in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, under William Booth.
He learned to play the cornet from a very young age and was playing regularly in the Aldershot Salvation Army band from the age of eight.
Even from those early days, his Christian faith was strong, with a desire to use his music to serve God.
He learned the piano, and when he was twelve his parents bought him a guitar. He soon began arranging Salvation Army songs in the contemporary pop style of the fifties and started writing his own material.
He became a proficient cornet player and moved on to play trumpet.
He was only 12 years old when he felt God calling him into Christian ministry.
On leaving school he moved to Brighton where he trained to be a music teacher.
He graduated from the University of Sussex with an honours degree in education and also gained his ARCM diploma from the Royal College of Music in trumpet.
He became the Director of Music in a Brighton high school, and over his six years there,
Established a large music department with an outstanding orchestra, choir, and various musical ensembles. He became known as a composer who was able to cross the boundaries of classical, jazz, and rock.
His cantata New Creation was hailed as a breakthrough in combining different musical genres and was featured by the BBC.
It was at this time his Christian faith went on hold, being driven by an ambition to be known as a composer, conductor and performer.
It was when his wife Rosie was expecting their first child that a spiritual wake up call made him realise he had been living with selfish ambition.
This crisis of faith led him back to seeking after God and returning to his sense of call to be in Christian ministry.
In 1976 he left teaching and was invited to be on staff in a thriving Anglican church, led by Ian Barclay.
It was here that he began writing worship songs and had his first one published by Scripture in Song, the pioneering record label featuring David and Dale Garrett, Ian Barclay encouraged Dave as both a preacher and songwriter, at a time when the worship scene as it is now was in its infancy.
In early 1979 Dave joined Terry Virgo and Henry Tyler to form the leadership of a new church which became Clarendon, then renamed Church of Christ the King (CCK) and now in recent years renamed yet again as Emmanuel.
He served as an elder from 1979 until his retirement from eldership in 2010.
It was during these years that Dave wrote over a hundred worship songs, many of which have appeared in song books and recordings and are available now through the many online resources.
Such songs as God of Glory, At Your Feet we Fall, and Shout for Joy and Sing have become classics.
Dave became well known, not only as a songwriter but a Bible teacher, author, conference speaker and worship leader.
The church in Brighton {CCK) became known as a place where worship leaders and such songwriters as Stuart Townend, Paul Oakley, Kate Simmonds, Lou and Nathan Fellingham(and the Phatfish band) Alan Rose Rhys Scott Jules Burt and Jos Wintermeyer all flourished in the spiritually creative environment.
The tradition lives on currently in Emmanuel where Simon Brading is encouraging a whole new generation of worship leaders and songwriters.
During the CCK years, Dave also put on concerts drawing professional Christian musicians together, as a means of seeing the arts give expression to the Kingdom of God.
Performances of Handels Messiah, Gounods Redemption, and other well known so-called sacred works were put on alongside rock concerts featuring such bands as Phatfish , and the Fabulous Sister Brothers featuring Kate Simmonds and Mark Edwards.
When Dave retired from CCK in 2010 he was invited to help the leadership team of Kings Church (now Lifespring ) in Horsham
His ministry continues at both local and international level as a Bible teacher, conference speaker, author particularly bringing training in prophetic ministry, spiritual warfare, life in the Spirit, family life, and worship. He has also been drawn into helping the various apostolic spheres within the New Frontiers family of churches.
He has a particular heart for Canada which he regularly visits to give support to the Christ Central Church in New Brunswick.
His wife Rosie is always alongside him, supporting and complementing his ministry.
His two sons Luke and Nathan with their wives, Rachel and Lou are also continuing his ministry as are his six grandchildren.
He has a deep longing to see revival and a great move of the Holy Spirit in the UK and the nations in his lifetime.