David Ring was born with cerebral palsy in
Jonesboro,
Arkansas, the seat of
Craighead County, in the eastern part of the state. His father was
Baptist pastor Oscar Newton Ring. Ring's father died in 1964.
Cancer took his mother four years later. Ring was hence an
orphan at the age of fourteen. Depressed from the combination of losing his parents and the difficulties of his disability, Ring dropped out of
high school. Ring specifically struggled with losing his mother, the only woman he believed would love him. According to Ring, he attempted to commit suicide many times over the course of the following two years due to his depression. With the encouragement of his sister, however, he gave his life to
Jesus in 1970 and returned to
Liberty High School in
Liberty, Missouri, where he graduated in 1971. Ring earned a
Bachelor of Arts degree from
William Jewell College in
Liberty in 1976, where he was a member of
Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. His signature message is "I have cerebral palsy, but cerebral palsy don't have me." His now famous catch phrase (concerning Christians who make excuses regarding their faith) is: "I have cerebral palsy, and I serve the Lord with all that is within me. What's your excuse?" ==Ministry==