Dave Lubben grew up in Fargo, North Dakota in a family that regularly attended church. "I didn't know God personally," said Dave. "In fact, I was living a very self centered life and, as far as I was concerned, God was very distant."
When Dave was 16 years old, he quit high school to tour as the lead singer in a rock band. At this point in his life, he began searching for happiness, pleasure, and significance in the world. Dave found everything that he had wanted (attention, freedom, etc.). Yet he still found himself searching. "I still felt alone and empty," said Dave. "That was when I cried out to our Creator and asked Him to give me purpose and meaning in life."
Dave found everything he had been searching for through faith in Jesus Christ. "When I turned my life over to Christ, He began to dramatically change my life for the better and for His glory."
Dave returned to high school to graduate with his class in 1994. Although Dave was living in a relationship with Jesus, he still chose to make some decisions based on his own desires. By the time Dave graduated from high school, his girlfriend Maggie was pregnant. In the summer of 1994, Dave and Maggie were married and on December 28, Maggie gave birth to their daughter Alissa. A few short months after Alissa was born, Dave and Maggie realized their marriage was not working and they began to talk about divorce. It was on this brink of divorce that Dave cried out once more for Jesus to help him.
"During a meeting with a pastor," Dave remembers, "I came face to face with the truth that divorce isn't an option with God and that Jesus Christ was offering to help sustain our marriage and give us the abundant life that only He can give. So we surrendered to His ways and invited Jesus to be the center of our marriage."
Since that surrender, God has blessed Dave and Maggie with an incredible eight years of marriage, a son Noah, another daughter Selah, and a third daughter Lydia. Now, Dave is quick to tell others that Jesus is the rescuer of lives, marriages, and families.
In 1999, Dave received his B.S. degree from Minnesota State University. During college, Dave was continually writing and performing songs about Christ and dreaming that he'd "make it big" with the music and talent the Lord had entrusted to him.
While in Nashville, Tennessee, at a Gospel Music Association event, Dave met Petra drummer Louie Weaver with whom he later recorded an album. It was during the recording process that the Holy Spirit began to speak to Dave's heart about his ambitions.
"The Lord began to reveal to my heart that what I had been doing was telling Christ how I was going to serve Him and then coming to Christ and asking Him to bless me," Dave recalls. "It became clear to me that God's desire is for me is to recognize that He is our King and we should approach Him as His servants. Then we should ask the Lord, 'How can I serve You?' When the Lord made these truths evident, I surrendered my life's plans to Him."
Following this surrender, the Lord made it clear to Dave that He was calling him not to seek his own fame, but rather to spread Christ's name and His fame throughout the earth and to live for His glory."
During that time, Dave took a position at Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Fargo, North Dakota, ministering to youth and young adults. Currently, Dave and his family reside in Portland where he serves as worship leader for Meadow Springs Community Church.
Since Dave's surrender to the Lord's plan for his life, numerous doors of ministry have opened, allowing him to share his testimony and lead others in worship at events in the U.S. and on mission trips to Israel, Romania and Uganda.
Dave continues to write praise and worship songs, many of which have been recorded by modern worship artists. Most recently, Dave recorded the appropriately titled album A Place Called Surrender with Vertical Music. Dave hopes that the album, which will be distributed around the world, will carry the message of Christ's love and the promises awaiting those who surrender to Him.