Groundswell Conference: Day 6

Well it’s a wrap up day. We announce next conference will be in … drumroll… Hawaii!! Many excited squeals and high-fives!

Final thank you and farewells and people already moving out. It’s been an exhilarating and exhausting 6 days. 

BD’s final word picks up on the groundswell theme that we don’t want to ride a locally generated windswell but rather the far, distant, powerful groundswell that pushes through regardless of local circumstances. The groundswell of God’s Holy Spirit in us. 

Many fond farewells and we will see each other again in 2012 or before or even in heaven.  Special thanks to Rich Agius and Australaisia team. Awesome job by Ado and Indo team. Ever diligent CSI team with Aaron, Beck and Kelly. 

Keep riding the groundswell to all the nations. See you in Hawaii!

Groundswell Conference: Day 5

Today is Australasia and Pacific day. We see proud Aussie flags & tattoos everywhere and our MC’s Fozz and Dan from Cronulla are virtually impossible to understand by our foreign delegates. Funniest of all was Cal Fisher stating that Dan might as well be speaking Greek…. And Cal is from the USA! 

Rich Agius helped us see the challenges of Asia where we will engage with Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, many SW strategies needed. 

Tim Meyers challenged us to a life of faith from Hebrews 11 taking us back to the future with Abram who was told to go, even when he didn’t know WHERE nor WHEN. We are to live with heaven as our citizenship and sojourners through earth. Getting somewhere in God means leaving somewhere. We finished in Revelation 22 at the end of time with the presence of God renewing the nations in heaven, and we are to participate in this now. Wow.

Great conference photos done. Such a range of flags and nations. 

More amazing strategy stories from CSUS and Lyle, how a guy makes his way from being lost to a leader in the national movement. Jodene powerfully shares the women ministry in Australia. Mel relates how Fiji short term missions transforms lives. Cal engages with a surfer church plant that leaves most of us envious.

Communion Indonesian style with special rice and holy water is a highlight then it’s full tilt rejoicing and worship with a mosh pit up front!

Groundswell Conference: Day 4

Today is Americas Day so we were treated to all kinds of exotic candy and exposed to the vast array of Latin American unreached surfing nations, while our Brazilian sisters sang a song, flags all flying.

Tim Meyers took us deeper. It’s not enough just to “be” with the presence of God, we also need to do something. He challenged us with the parable of the servants from Matthew 25:

1. God has invested in you
2. God is not fair and gifts us differently
3. God has given us all we need to be successful, so stop comparing yourself with others & get on with it.

Our small groups are working well and it helps to check in each day with what we are learning. Good honest stuff. More strategy workshops and more challenges. We could debate for days!

Sickness continues to strike down people and prayer team in full swing. Gill Davis has barely been seen. The swell has reached 4-6’ and it’s all go to the Bukit. Some 40 of us descend on a quiet closeout that lives up to it’s name but all manage to enjoy. It’s bizarre to see a conservative Hindu ceremony in the midst of a liberal tourist spot.

Another great worship session. Our Indonesian band admits they didn’t think it possible a group of surfers would engage in worship and are amazed at the intensity. Sergio engages the Peruvian guys & also fire cracker Nacho from Argentina. So much passion.

Cal let’s us hear from Alvaro Marvez our Costa Rican brother, entering new era of a movement. Sergio is our CS speaker and we are challenged to believe God wants MORE for us than we can imagine. His story of the Surfers Bible and Surf House testify to this.

We also got late news the CSUS National Director Dean Plumlee has had a baby girl! Go Amy!

Groundswell Conference: Day 3

Tuesday was Europe day and we heard some mad Welsh accents, considered the lost surfing nations of the Cape Verde Islands, Germany, Italy, etc and Phil Williams gave an amazing report of the growth of our mission. Europe is where surfing is growing the fastest whilst the church is declining - our most needy continent.

Tim Meyers challenged us as to what is true “calling” (basically salvation), that the house of God is a place of meeting (and we see the transition from an empty field to a tent to a tabernacle), and that our most distinguishing feature is to have the essence of God. We are a stairway connecting heaven and earth!! All blown away.

Sickness began to descend on us with Bali belly taking its  toll on many wives - Gill Davis copping the worst of it! We broke into strategy streams and what stimulating discussion; from church panting to chaplaincy to leadership training. Much to digest there.

The hotel has proved to be a great venue with ample space for kids and families, some rotating surf time between husband and wife was noted. Small waves at Canggu and Uluswas were surfed in the free time.

That night we heard the amazing testimony of David and Shinko Levey our Japan pioneers. David exhorted us to the KFC principles of kalling, faithfulness and character. So challenging.

Hardly a dry eye hearing Goto’s testimony of being rescued from the dispair of suicide to life in Christ!

Roy Harley also pitched the internship school, a great model we might expand upon. It was another late night up talking but hopes were high for a swell in the morning.

Groundswell Conference Underway

We held four days of meetings with the International Leadership Team and had a great time reuniting as friends, talking through many issues and making some strategic decisions. Alan Vink once again led us through some excellent training.

We scored some waves up to 6-8' at our Indo location. I award 63-year-old Cal Fisher with the gutsiest effort charging some solid barrels on his first Indo experience...sure hope I'm still doing this at his age!

A number of the wives and kids also connected well. Attending a local dance and music on sunset at the point was extra special. We then relocated to the conference centre and met with the Board of Directors and agreed upon our strategic plan and budget. I'm stoked at the calibre of men and women we have in leadership.

Next day (Saturday 21st) we had our full representative Council Meeting, 30 members from 15 nations. Gill shared a great word from Acts 17 challenging us to hold to our convictions that will give us clarity to see our society for what it really is and then have the courage to confront it. Again it is a very special group of national leaders. We welcomed Argentina and Sri Lanka along for the first time.

People streamed in all day Sunday from around the world and it was a wonderful family reunion. Our key wives had a special catch up under Gill's leadership and laughed and cried through the morning. I took India along for a massage.

Ado arranged an amazing local greeting complete with Gamelan band and traditional dancers, our most unique welcome ever! We have over 185 leaders from 16 nations ranging from Switzerland to Peru to South Africa to Costa Rica and despite us coming from many nations - we are one family.

Today I write this summary from our hotel room next to Gill who is real sick with a fever. Trusting healing comes. Our boys are home alone and I believe both our dog and chickens are surviving under their care?

We heard from our guest speaker Tim Meyers who challenged us from Hebrews 3:6, "we are his house," and exploring the true nature of the church and our part in God's work

Keep praying for us personally as well as the meetings. My prayer is that something of eternal value would be deposited in every person... Please join me! Stay tuned. bd

Leaving for Indo Today

Well, its finally here, our 9th International Conference will be held in Indo next week. I leave today at 5:30pm to join with my six-man International Leadership Team (ILT) for four days of meetings. We plan to work hard and play hard (which I hope translated means a few good waves!)

Its been a crazy last minute rush of registrations and Richo, Steffne, Aaron and team have been doing a good job coping with this...what is it with surfers?! We have over 180 from 14 nations coming and I am looking forward to a time of 'family reunion', great reports, strategic planning, vision casting and some waves together. More to come as I hope to update each day! Picture from our last meeting in 2008 in J-Bay, South Africa. bd

Brazil Visit July 2010

"Sorry Mr Davis this flight to Chile is oversold you have to fly in two days time." I had no hope of getting on standby and my connecting flight to Brazil would be lost! I was sooooo down, and was still praying as I stood rebooking my flight. At the final, final minute, a last second call had me madly running to the gate and I got on! I was 25kg overweight but being so late they ignored this and the donated boards, wetsuits and tools for our CS contact and Homes of Hope, Nathan Anderson. All went through....... Stay tuned for an upcoming short-term mission trip to Chile in February 2011.

After shedding my supplies as surf mule, I went onto crazy Sao Paulo with 20 million Brazilians. It is an endless sea of high rise apartments. I spent the first three days with our uniquely calm 'unbrazillian' Sergio Busatto, our South America Regional Coordinator. We met with his pastor and his church who are a great example of kingdom mindedness and have released him to serve in mission. So good to be face to face as much is lost in email in a second language! Great to attend a local CS mission just starting and being hosted in the home of a seeking surfer who is deciding to follow Jesus - go Roberto!

Along with the Brazil Regional Coordinator Cezar, we headed south to Curitiba and after 5 hours got thoroughly lost. Arriving late and flustered I had no idea what to say. God gave me a timely message with 130 there! "Back to the Beach!!" As if this were not a large enough CS meeting (probably the biggest local weekly meeting I have attended), they actually met in a baptist church that seats a mere 6000? So many big churches in Brazil.

Next morning we left with South Brazil Regional Leader Mauri and headed to his island retreat for 3 days on Ilha do Mel. No cars, no mobile reception, no rush. Just 4 key leaders from the nation discussing the future of the mission. Brazillian debate is similar to most sporting activity - loud, passionate, confusing...... but everyone is friends afterwards. And of course they love to show off their world class BBQ and we laughed a night away. I sprained an ankle on the second day and hobbled about which kept me out of the water, but into more discussion with some of the key women.....and surprise, surprise the same male/female issues abound. Thanks for caring for me Susana, Anna and Paloma.

A final debrief day with Sergio and farewell dinner with wonder wife Kika and I headed home. I was now 'Bible mule' back to Chile and Nathan collected Surfers Bibles at the airport.

I was averaging 4-5 hours sleep a night so a lot of time to think and reflect, feeling God speaking into me.....or was I simply delirous from fatigue? Arriving home again, again, again I realize I've spent a quarter of my life jetlagged for the past 8 years. Amazingly God seems to sustain and inspire. Thanks for those who prayed and 'gaved' for this trip. Off in 2 weeks time for our 9th International Conference in South East Asia with Gill and India. Thanks again my Brazil friends. bd