David M. Surpless

Born in Philadelphia, PA. in 1940, David was 1st child of Robert and Pauline (both poets in their own rights; she, a published poet), students at BIP, in Philadelphia, as they prepared to serve the Lord as missionaries in a Spanish country of God's choice, which turned out to be Puerto Rico. They arrived in PR as missionaries under CEF in January 1946 when David was 5. Soon after, twin sisters arrived (Ruth and Dorrie). During their 1st furlough to NJ, David began playing trumpet at 10, and got a new sister as well, (Betsy).

Back in PR in 1951, he played trumpet in PR's School of music. At 15, after a year of piano lessons with the organist of a newly started Wesleyan Methodist Church (where he met his wife-to-be), whose husband's military duty would no longer be in PR, David began serving the Lord as organist and, soon after, pianist, of that very church. At 17, he became the pianist for Ray Robles, baritone, during full summer months of the next 4 years. He was also pianist for singers and choirs, traveling all Central America as pianist for the gospel male octet Heraldos Melódicos in 1959, the year he graduated from high school. One month before that trip he was the organist on their first non a cappella Lp.

In 1961 he married his sweetheart, Norma, and in 1963 graduated from BJU with a BS degree in broadcast radio engineering, having received his FCC 1st class RTL; he was also blessed with their first child, a beautiful girl, Sandy, now mother of 2 and grandmom of 3. Three more children followed in God's time, Debbie, David Jr. and Ruth. That same year he co-founded, with a PR brother in Christ, a mission board to occupy in the work of evangelism in the Spanish world, based in PR.

David began producing Bible teaching programs for radio in '63, a ministry which has grown in it's outreach: 2 internet radio stations, a web tv station which 'live'-streams a Sunday evening preaching service and a Thursday evening music program in which he plays hymns in p/d on piano, also streamed 'live' on Youtube at 9pm PR time (24 UTC).

In 1969 he co-pastored a new church with another missionary; in '71-'72 pastored a church whose pastor was away while directing the construction of it's new auditorium. A few years later he began pastoring a church where he still serves the Lord. God began giving David inspiration to author and compose Spanish choruses and hymns starting in 1969, the bulk of 110+ hymns coming from the Lord 'as a flood' between the mid 90's and 2000. He's also published a much smaller number of hymns in English, some with lyrics by his parents to which he composed music scores, including 'FRIENDS - A Wedding Hymn', lyrics by his mother, Pauline. © 1994.

These God given songs and hymns have been published by Publicaciones Voz de Gracia since they were 'born', as well as several other hymnals. David continues serving the Lord in all these ministries and will do so until the Lord says, 'well done, faithful servant... come home!' The web radio stations are www.rvdg.com and www.rvdg.audio. The tv station is www.rvdg.tv .

David has all his (God's) lyrics and tunes under © to protect his legal intellectual property, BUT, desires and encourages congregations, singers, individuals, vocal or instrumental, to freely sing and play these works in the worship of God. However, any type of publishing or recording, be it electronic or otherwise must be handled via contact with his publisher, Publicaciones Voz de Gracia, at acristo@prtc.net or PO Box 50581, Toa Baja, PR 00950

David M. Supless