The full text of this tract is shown below in the KJV version. (Do you want to print this tract in a different version than the one listed? Contact us and let us know what you're looking for—we may be able to create the alternate version for you at no charge.)

David Kallappa is a fiery minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He spent 45 years of his life being a pastor on Indian reservations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Washington State.

Born on December 2, 1942, Dave grew up in a large family on the Makah Reservation near Neah Bay, Washington. His family was a family of alcoholics where the love of God was not demonstrated.

His parents would get drunk almost every weekend. They would leave the children unattended while they were off partying and drinking. There was a lot of fighting in his home, and his father often beat his mother.

There was a holiday called Makah Day, which was celebrated locally by his reservation. Dave's family celebrated this holiday by drinking. When the parties were over, the reservation was in shambles, empty liquor bottles everywhere.

Amid the drinking and fighting, David’s brother James went to church, heard about Jesus, and was saved. Following this, Dave noticed a huge difference in James' life. He no longer wanted to fight with people, but instead he was kind.

One time, everybody in the family surrounded James with their beer and cigarettes. They tried to get him mad by chanting things like, "Are you too good for our beer?" This kind of behavior continued, but James did not react in anger.

James kept asking Dave and the rest of his family to come to church with him, but Dave didn’t want anything to do with it. James told the family that if they would come to church and stay through the whole service that he would never ask them again to come. Finally, Dave agreed. 

Everyone in church had been praying for James' family. The pastor knew about the arrangement and how James had persuaded his family to come. After preaching, the pastor asked those who wanted to experience God's forgiveness and be born again to come to the front where he could pray with them. He did not give up when Dave did not respond to the altar call, but instead talked a little longer. There was still no response, so he sang another song and gave another opportunity. This went on and on until Dave finally yielded to God's call on his life. Dave came forward and genuinely submitted his life to the Lord. He was 15 years old. The rest of Dave’s family were also saved that night, except for his father and oldest brother who didn't join for the service. 

Dave's life changed as he learned about God. When his brother James wanted to become a pastor, he went off to Bible College, and Dave and George decided to go too. After three years at Seattle Bible Training School (1963-66), Dave joined the Army and served in Vietnam.

Vietnam was hard and lonely. He went to the canteen regularly just to watch the ball game on TV. After a while, he was thirsty and thought he would just have one beer while he watched the game. One beer led to another, and soon he was just coming to the canteen to drink and didn’t care about the game. He stopped spending time with God.

When returning home from Vietnam, he couldn't find a job. His pastor brother, George, helped him find some work and let him stay in his house. Dave continued to party. He could drive and get the beer for the younger kids since he was older; he was looked up to as the life of the party. 

Dave was angry with life and blamed God for all his problems. He thought that if God really loved him, he wouldn't be an alcoholic and have all the problems that he did.

Life was so busy working and partying every night that Dave hardly saw his brother or his sister-in-law. She would leave him little notes on the refrigerator, ending them with, "God bless you," and "We love you." This aggravated Dave, but it touched his heart at the same time. They didn’t preach to him, but Dave knew they were praying for him.

Something was happening in Dave's heart. One day at work, he could not quit crying. This crying was not drinking-related as he didn't drink when working. After work, he was okay and would go party. This happened more than once.

One evening, when Dave was at a wild party, the people who came with him wanted to go home, so Dave took them home. Instead of returning to the party, he went home to his brother's house.

It was late and his brother was watching television. When he saw David, he turned off the TV. David started to cry. He had consumed somewhere around six beers and was somewhat drunk.

In a sitting position, with his elbows on his knees, Dave looked up and saw a presence between him and George reaching out to him and saying, “Dave, I love you! Dave, I love you!” Dave thought to himself, "Be careful. You're drunk." He fought with the thought that came to him, telling him to ask his brother to pray for him.

In this drunken state, Dave heard the voice of the Lord tell him in a loving voice, without condemnation, “This is your last chance to pray." 

This warning scared David. He felt conviction. 

David started to count the cost.

On one hand, he would have to leave his girlfriend, leave the reservation, leave his negative friends, change his lifestyle, and go back to Bible College. On the other hand, he would be right with God. He asked George to pray with him and gave his life back to the Lord.

When he went to bed that night, it was as though the devil was sitting on him, putting arrows into his head and into his thinking. These arrows said things like, "You're not saved," "You'll never be able to quit drinking," and "You'll be at it again tomorrow."

Dave woke up with a horrible hangover. He made up his mind that he would never drink alcohol again. He resisted those thoughts that had come to him like arrows in the night. When the terrible hangover was over, so was that condemnation.

That life-changing night happened in 1970. Dave was freed from smoking, drinking, and pornography, and he never went back. It is now 2020. Dave has been dry for 50 years and counting!

Dave says that people tell him that it's just so hard to quit drinking and to stay sober. Dave's response is that it's harder to not quit drinking and to face all the torment and drama that comes from the enemy.

Dave left the reservation and his old friends. He volunteered to help different pastors until the Lord led him to a Bible Training School in Mobridge, South Dakota. A year later in 1974, Dave graduated. He married a woman from Trinity Bible College and led his first of many churches.

When Dave's family had gotten saved that night many years ago, people who knew them said it would never last. But it did last. Four sons even became ministers: James, George, Bill, and Dave.

The following is Dave’s favorite song. They used to sing this song a lot in the little church his family got saved in:

Let me tell you the best thing I ever did do (3x)

I put off the old robe and put on the new

The old robe was all tattered and torn

The new robe was spotless and never been worn

Let me tell you the best thing I ever did do

I put off the old robe and put on the new

IF YOUR LIFE IS MESSED UP BECAUSE OF SIN, DAVE WANTS TO ENCOURAGE YOU WITH THESE VERSES:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9).

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

If you would like to have new life in Christ, reflect upon your sin and how it separates you from God, then rejoice and take hope in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for you! He has paid the penalty of your sin and its judgment, and invites you to come to Him, confess your need for His grace, and receive His gift of forgiveness and new life—eternal life!—with Him. 

To receive this gift, simply call out to Him in prayer, making known your failures, needs, and your fears. Thank Him for His gift of salvation and rejoice in His good grace toward you. Ask for His help daily as you walk in this new life with Him and watch as He begins to change you from the inside out. 

Back to top of page