10 Questions with Roy Harley

Getting to know the International Director of this beautiful global movement of frothing surfers that love Jesus - Mr Roy Harley!!

Cover image: Alan Van Gysen.

The International Director, lining up a ‘Life to the Full’ kinda moment. Image: AVG

1.) Full Name, Location & CS Chapter?

Roy Harley (yes, as in the motorbike but no relation, lol) 

2.) How did you come to know and follow Christ?

I was 16 and liked a girl; she convinced me to go to a summer camp, and my life changed forever. Hard to explain, but I realised I had nothing and my life meant nothing without Jesus. I said a simple prayer and what followed was stoke beyond stoke!

3.) Tell us a bit about where you’re from and your local surf spot.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, my folks then moved to the coastal province of Kwazulu Natal when I was 10. Picked up my first surfboard at 14 and knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Worked a bit to get college tuition, then went to Cape Town to Study and started Son Surf South Africa with my college mates. Moved to J-Bay in 2008 and felt like I had come home. Love this town and its people so much. 

4.) What does it mean to be a Christian Surfer? 

It means changing your centre of gravity from surfing to Jesus. Christ, 1st and surfing in its rightful orbit. This is the secret of life to the full :)  

5.) Your favourite verse and why you love it.

John 10:10 “The Thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I came that you would have life and life to the FULL” When I was growing up, I thought Christians were allergic to fun. The surfers I met didn’t seem to have this allergy at all; in fact, it seemed quite the opposite, lol. Discovering that Jesus, the One who made you and I designed us to live life to the full gets me so pumped. I reckon he would have been very at home with our surfing tribe and its people. 

Roy Harley-Davidson and family!

6.) A cool story of how CS has helped changed a life or brought someone to Christ.

There are so many amazing stories of surfers coming to know the stoke of following Jesus, and I feel privileged hear these stories. This is one that I heard during my pre-covid travels that has stuck with me: A Christian Surfers Girl took on a new roommate. She lived out life to the full. She showed deep love, authentic compassion and grace, and through this, her roommate came to know and follow Jesus not by what she said but by what she did. The new roommate told me the whole story first-hand of how her life had been changed. I never met this CS girl who took on the new roommate, but hearing first-hand the impact this had from the one whose life was changed Stoked me out to no end.

7.) One piece of advice you can give to your Christian Surfers?

Love God and make him your centre of gravity. Love others in the way He has loved you and remember “you are an eternal spiritual being having a temporary human experience on planet earth.” So live life to the full each moment you have for His Glory :)  

Roy Harley and Phil Williams - Hossegor, France.

8.) Funniest moment serving at an event.

“Freestyle Cake Walks”, including Freestyle Cake Walk T-Shirts and cupcakes organised by Craig Jordaan. Too long for these 10 questions, but I reckon you should interview Craig. Hilarious. 

9.) What verse has God got frothing on your heart at the moment?

Leviticus 25: 23 It’s a verse about Property and how all the land or earth belongs to God, but the best bit is the second half of the verse, “For you are strangers and sojourners with me. A sojourner is a temporary resident, someone on a journey whose ultimate destination is home. Home is with God, Home is heaven; this is where our citizenship lies. But how cool that while we are on this beautiful planet, we get to live life to the full WITH HIM YEW!!!

10.) Last time you burnt someone and had to ask God for forgiveness

My last surf at supers :( A friend once said we are all hypocrites; it’s just the depth that varies. I’m constantly trying to keep the lower end of this scale, but I have to confess it was my last surf at Supers. Aargh.  

Roy Harley directing his path through an internationally appreciated down carve at Supertubes.