After a powerful conversion experience at the age of 17, David moved to Lower Hutt to attend the Assembly of God Bible College. His pastor gave him a copy of the recently published book "The Cross and The Switchblade" written by David Wilkerson. As he read it, David believed God spoke that he would go to New York and work in the Teen Challenge ministry founded by Rev. Wilkerson.

In 1965 David did move to the United States to become a student at Elim Bible Institute in Lima, New York and worked with Teen Challenge as part of his student training. In 1967, he became Director of Evangelism at Teen Challenge, NYC. Later that year he married Darlene, who was secretary to David Wilkerson.

From New York they pioneered a live-in rehabilitation center in New Jersey and later one in Hamilton, New Zealand.

After the birth of their second child, they returned to the USA and served as Youth Pastors at Evangel Church in New Jersey. From there they moved to Scotland where they established the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) base and school of evangelism.

Five years later while on a speaking tour in the USA, the elders at Elim Bible Institute, invited the Bretts to teach a course on evangelism for one semester each year, which they did for seven years. The rest of the year was spent in itinerating in Europe and numerous other countries.

A year after the birth of their 4th child, the Brett family moved to Bradenton, Florida so that the older children could attend a Christian school and also get to know their grandparents better. Alan and Margaret Brett were senior pastors of the Church of the Cross in Bradenton.

For the next five years, David led teams on short-term mission trips to various parts of Europe, South America, Mexico, West Indies and Haiti. In all, more than 1,000 young people (some not so young) went on these trips over a period of 15 years.

On a preaching trip to the South Pacific in the late 1980's, God confirmed clearly that the Brett family were to return to live in New Zealand. In March of 1988, the Brett family relocated in Katikati, New Zealand.

Shortly after a mission trip to China, David was challenged to recruit short-term workers for courrier ministry there and since then teams from England, Scotland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have assisted in their work. David has personally done 88 border crossings, travelling extensively in China and has seen first hand the greatest revival in the history of the church.

A compelling Scripture for the Bretts has always been "Let us work while it is day, for the night comes when no one can work."

David has preached in 39 countries, many countries many times. Over the years some friends and a few churches have contributed to their support in prayer and financial gifts, making it possible to go where ever they were invited without requiring any remuneration. Even with that, there is always an element of faith with cars or other possessions being sold at the last minute to finance a mission trip. God is always faithful.

Gifts of support can be sent direct to
D. Brett, PO Box 16047, Bethlehem, New Zealand
or: c/o Elim Fellowship, Box 57A, Lima, New York, USA 14485
(designate gift for Brett family)
or: c/o Elim Fellowship, 379 Golf Rd.,R.R. #6, Brantford, Canada,ON N3T 5L8 (designate gift for Brett family)