I am speaking at the Christian Surfers International meeting tonight here in Portugal. Thanks to Buck Waters for the invitation. There is quite a group here of surfers from all over. Lots of Californians also. I have been hanging out a little with Scott Last and Marty Uhler (pictured) who are both with Christian Associates and both doing a lot with the surfing community.
I talked to Scot a while ago about the reason for the success of the gospel in the surfing community over the past few decades. Scott, who btw, was part of Calvary Chapel in the 1970-74 period when it meet in the tiny chapel, was quick to bring up the connection with creation and the Creator God. I added my observation that the Christian role-models have always had a healthy contextual attitude to the surfing culture that has allowed young surfers to follow Jesus without changing their clothes or language, but has also brought a challenge towards a transformational life-style. Its similar to the Christian movements in the snowboarding and skating communities. Another good reason for a healthy contextualization of the gospel.
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Hi Andrew
Just to say I’m following what you do even if I don’t comment much, great to read about all the people you’re connecting with.
And I’ve just read a piece you wrote here on cyberchurch in 2004 – which chimes in very much with some of the issues I’m dealing with now – the problem is I think will all ‘fresh exprssions’ of church is that people try to understand them in terms of what they know, so to be understandable you end up framing it in the known way because otherwise there’s no way of communicating with the wider church.
Just a couple of thoughts anyway!
Pam
In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul wrote: “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
So when in Rome, be a Roman;
when among snowboarders, be a snowboarder;
when among surfers, don’t forget to say ‘duuuuuuuuuuuuude’ … (just kidding).
As long as the Gospel is not watered down- engage the culture … ‘to win the soul.’
When worlds collide!
I think it is soooo cool when two of my heroes – from very different solar systems – collide! My Seabeck buddy, Andrew Jones (whom I’ve followed and “known” since I was in Nicosia and he was in Prague), and my IMB buddy Buck Waters (who lived in Pensacola and became our good friend when we moved here in 2006) were together in Lisbon for Christian Surfers!
But I should have known this… Buck knows everybody! Even non-surfer types… And Andrew is world famous!
I think it is soooo cool when two of my heroes – from very different solar systems – collide! My Seabeck buddy, Andrew Jones (whom I’ve followed and “known” since I was in Nicosia and he was in Prague), and my IMB buddy Buck Waters (who lived in Pensacola and became our good friend when we moved here in 2006) were together in Lisbon for Christian Surfers!
But I should have known this… Buck knows everybody! Even non-surfer types… And Andrew is world famous!