Six years ago, Bible Society and Christian Surfers International (CSI) published the first Surfers Bible. It was an instant hit on the surfing scene with some remarkable results.
“I was in hospital after a severe surfing accident, and the only thing I had to read was the Surfers Bible,” said professional bodyboarder Glenn Thurston.
“By the end of my recovery, I had not only healed of my injury, but I had come to a faith in Christ,” he said.
First published in 2002, the "Surfers Bible" has had amazing success with over 75,000 copies distributed around the world.
“Surfing is growing at a phenomenal rate all over the world and has become a world youth icon synonymous with excitement, freedom, and a way of connecting with nature,” said Brett Davis, Christian Surfers International Director.
“However, the catch is that surfers tend to worship the creation rather than the creator. In fact, Australians are more likely to surf than attend church regularly, so it is vital to connect with them and help them,” Brett said.
With this in mind, CSI partnered with the Bible Society to produce the original Surfers Bible, and now, with the latest release, more Surfers Bible.
“We have now produced a second edition of the New Testament Surfers Bible, a complete Surfers Bible including the Old Testament in a surfer-friendly waterproof zip cover and The Surfers Guide to God, a pocket-sized Gospel of Mark,” said CSI Operations Manager Aaron Hughes.
In keeping with the surfing media trend of providing a surfing DVD with related surfing magazines, the new Surfers Bible includes a free DVD featuring a surfing documentary shot on a surfing trip to Nias in Indonesia in mid-2007.
The DVD features top-line surfers, including WCT surfer Glyndyn Ringrose, one-armed wonder woman Bethany Hamilton, bodyboarder Brendan Newton, longboarders Brad Whittaker and Kiwi Kirk Beyer, along with American Fuel TV ‘On Surfari’ couple Shayne and Shannon McIntyre and Hawaiian up-and-comer Kahana Kalama.
“We wanted to share a ‘faith in action’ story of these surfers using their surfing to help the tsunami-affected areas of Indonesia,” says film director Brad Whittaker.
“The idea is that readers will become interested in the lives of these well-known surfers, read their testimony in the Bible, then read the Bible for themselves.”
Source: Christian Surfers International