Groundswell Conference 2012
The 10th CS International Groundswell Conference will be held November 4-9, 2012 at Camp Mokuleia, Oahu, Hawaii
Visit the camp website at
http://www.visitcampmokuleia.com and start preparing for an amazing time of fellowship, worship and learning at an all-time location. See you there!
Groundswell 2010 Report
Well, via trains, planes and automobiles...and some dodgy motor scooters...over 185 surfers from 16 nations descended upon our 9th Groundswell Conference. It was like a family reunion, with friends old and new gathering together to fellowship, worship, learn and be encouraged.
It’s impossible to express the Conference experience in a few paragraphs, especially for those who haven't attended before. The coming together of like-minded people of all ages, languages, colours and sizes is such a blessed and special time, especially with the unity we have together in Christ. The focus of this 9th conference was on 'Every Tribe' and despite having such a wide range of accents and faces, there are so many more unreached.
Each day we spent time praying for unreached nations in a different region, covering all of the countries with known surfing communities, and heard of any mission happening that we're aware of. We were challenged to continue to pray and to send.
Our main guest speaker was Associate International Director of Pioneers, Tim Meyers. He had a timely and encouraging message for Christian Surfers and the Holy Spirit clearly guided his words, which were in line with everything that happened during the week and encapsulated so wonderfully the whole tone.
Rather than have a second guest speaker, this conference the evening sessions were taken each night by a different CS national leader. This was some of the most special time as we heard from David and Shinko Levey and Ado and Clair on the trials and joys of establishing cross-cultural missions, along with the lessons they learned along the way. Goto and Aira respectively shared their testimonies through these missions and left barely a dry eye. Sergio Busatto shared on recent breakthroughs in Brazil and reminded us that God has more for us and our mission.
We had small group time, confessing sin, praying together and discussing everything being shared; held focus sessions to discuss specific strategies; surfed the long left reefs and short, punchy beachbreaks; downed banana pancakes and nasi goreng; worshipped, networked, prayed, shared and fellowshipped.
It was an absolutely amazing week. Everyone who attended can attest to the massive sense of unity and calling we have as an international movement and more than ever before are primed to connect with the unreached surfers of the world as God calls and His Spirit enables. We left sad that we wouldn't see each other for quite some time, but so excited for what the future holds in this ministry and in each of our lives as God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise!
Conference Coordinator Richard Agius summed it up this way:
- I remember... that I am God's House. A place where heaven meets the world. I am just a donkey who carries Jesus! Where I go, He goes. (Thank you Tim)
- I remember... praying for the surfing tribes and nations where there is no Christian Surfers mission yet. Asking Jesus to send labourers into new harvest fields.
- I remember... hearing stories of transformed lives through pioneering Christian Surfers ministries. (Thank you Ado and Clair, thank you Dave and Shinko)
- I remember... saying yes, Jesus, I am available to your call, your mission and purpose over my life. (Thank you Ado)
- I remember... being challenged about laying down my rights and trusting in His plan for my life. (Thank you Shinko)
- I remember... people experimenting with new ways of doing mission. (Thank you Roy, Jonty and Andy)
The announcement for next Conference was met with a massive cheer, Hawaii, November 2012. Will we see you there?