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The life of evangelical churches and their spiritual leaders has been portrayed in some recent films and series. Can they help us start conversations?
Christian Surfers seeks to make the practice and culture of surfing consistent with the values of Jesus Christ. “This is about loving our neighbor and serving others”.
Members of Christian Surfers after a surf session in Spain. / Christian Surfers
"We believe that God is the creator of the world and, therefore, of the waves", says Tamiris Rahim, a surfer and a Christian.
It may seem that surfing and Christianity are two opposing things, but there is an evangelical international movement, the Christian Surfers, which seeks to make the practice and culture of surfing consistent with the values of Jesus Christ.
Their originality has led them to appear in a report in the Spanish newspaper El País, where the Spanish director of Christian Surfers has explained what they do, and why.
Marc Pradales (right), director in Spain. / Christian Surfers"This is about loving our neighbor and serving others, in our case, within the surf community", explains Marc Pradales, director of the group in Spain. He is a surf teacher and studies theology in an evangelical seminary near Barcelona.
“OTHER SURFERS ASK US A LOT OF QUESTIONS”
"Many times, on the beach, people do not even know that we are Christians", says Pradales.
"When they find out, they are surprised and ask us lots of questions, the interest in getting to know us is usually greater than ours to make us known", he told El Pais.
When asked about the lack of faith among youth, Pradales responds: "We live in postmodernity, we live in a post-Christian Spain where Christianity is seen as something of the past. But it is not".
Members of Christian Surfers Spain in their last national meeting. / Dani Gioia"We continue to believe that Jesus existed, stepped on our planet, and rose again. And we share the values he taught", he adds.
Do Christian surfers get better waves?. "No", jokes Rahim, "we actually take the worst, because we leave the best waves to our neighbor".
AN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT
The movement started in Australia in 1983, founded by Brett Davis, a surfer who loved Jesus and working with wood, who was the first to connect the biblical teachings with the waves.
In 1999, Christian Surfers became international, and today it has ramifications in 35 countries. Its aims are to bring Jesus and his Gospel to the surfers of the world, to serve as a bridge between the church and the beach and to create missions of surfers all over the planet.
SURF AND CHRISTIANITY
"Surfing is a self-centered lifestyle, while the lifestyle of Jesus is focused on others. But there is nothing inherently wrong with surfing", Christian Surfers say on their website.
For them, being a genuine Christian surfer means not making surfing an "idol" ('because God does not admit competition') but giving all of one's life and surf to Jesus.
Jesus and surf can go together, the group says. / Christian Surfers
Julia Doxat-Purser: 25 years of EEA office in Brussels
An interview with the socio-political representative of the European Evangelical Alliance about how evangelical Christians work at the heart of the European Union.
Lars Dahle: Nominal Christianity, a mission field for the church
An interview with Lars Dahle, of the Steering Committee of the Lausanne Movement Global Consultation on Nominal Christianity held in Rome.
Testimony: Wildfires near Athens
Nico Spies, a Christian worker in Athens, gives details about the wildfires in Greece.
European Freedom Network Bridge 2019 conference
Images of the fifth EFN gathering. Experts, activists, counsellors and church leaders met in Pescara, Italy.
Glimpses of the ELF 2019 conference
Evangelical leaders from across Europe meet in Wisla (Poland) to network for mission in a range of fields. The vision is to renew the biblical church and evangelise Europe.
AEA Plaza opens to serve African evangelicals
After many years of labour, the Association of Evangelicals in Africa officially opened its new centre in Nairobi, Kenya. “Africa, your time has come!”, said the World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Efraim Tendero.
‘Small churches, big potential for transformation’
Photos of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance’s annual gathering “Idea 2019”, in Murcia. Politicians and church leaders discussed about the role of minorities in society.
Luis Palau arrives in Madrid for first overseas outreach since his diagnosis of cancer
Mercy Ships volunteers perform 100,000th free surgical procedure
The milestone represents an important point in the nonprofit’s 40-year legacy.
What are the most important truths that Christians should seek to convey in a secular context?
Espen Ottosen talks about the truths Christians should share with people who have little knowledge and/or many prejudices about Christian belief.
A 50-metre high monument will encourage Britons to pray
Thousands of visitors will have the chance to discover “the God who is alive who listens and answers prayers”.
John Lennox on Acts
Professor John Lennox examines the three supernatural events in the first three chapters of Acts: Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit's descent at Pentecost, and the healing of a lame man by the Apostles.
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