10 Questions with Brett Davis
We have embarked on a series of interviews entitled 10 Questions, where we will be shinning a light on all the weird and wonderful, frothing, Jesus-loving surfers that make up this global organization. Starting off with the national directors before gradually branching our way out to other legends that make up our CS Fam.
This week on the 10 Questions agenda, we have (queue drum roll here please!!) founding member and all-round legend, the great Brett Davis aka BD.
1.) Full Name, Location & CS Chapter?
Brett Davis (BD) North Wollongong mission of NSW Australia
2.) How did you come to know and follow Christ?
Met my first ever Christian who surfed when I was at high school and his example so impacted me, this was in 1976 so it was VERY unusual to have someone overlap those two worlds.
3.) Tell us a bit about where you’re from and your local surf spot.
I live in a small coastal village just south of Sydney. So many sheltered bays and reefs and Sandon Point is the premier wave, but lots of places light up in the more rare north swells.
4.) What does it mean to be a Christian Surfer?
For me this means my faith is integrated into my life. God has shaped me as a surfer and I need to apply myself wholeheartedly to this. I am not building the kingdom of 'Christian Surfers', but rather I am using the tool of surfing, the lifestyle of surfing, to share christ with my community. It helps me make so much more of my surfing, to make it an act of worship as well as a natural ministry.
5.) Your favourite verse and why you love it.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
I love the NLT translation that I am Gods masterpiece in Christ, when so often I feel I have so much to be worked on. God sees me as a mater Then the purpose to know there is a life of good works God himself as planned for me to live out. Even my surfing is part of His plan. What a great purpose that is.
6.) A cool story of how CS has helped changed a life or brought someone to Christ.
Brett (not me) was one of our most unruly CS groms back in early days. His later years were even more chaotic! After fleeing our state to West oz with warrants for his arrest he bumped into some christian builders who shared their faith and love with him. “I remember all that stuff from CS” he would say. He had a vision of the contrast of his younger life hanging out with CS mates and his current life so wasted. God challenged him to surrender. He did! Pretty soon he was running our CS group in Margaret River and was a regular speaker at many CS camps and gatherings. He remains a ‘rough diamond’ and in touch with CS crew. More recently, our ’shaping bay’ guys group is a radical attempt to create a space for older male surfers to ’shape’ one another lives by discussing crucial male topics. After meeting for five years, one of our guys Marty has said “I think I have found a way that I could be a christian like you guys that I had never thought possible” He is in his 50s and would have never come to church….or to a regular CS meeting. Anthony is another, who had some CS friends in South Africa, and I bumped into him in the surf. After inquiring were he was from, and saying I knew some guys from his area he was blown away when I said I knew Craig Cuff. “Man, Craig only messaged me the other week that I need to get in contact with a guy Brett Davis who lives nearby” Divine appointments. Anthony has been in our group ever since and exploring faith.
Hold the phone - We’e in the business of bringing people to Christ.
7.) One piece of advice you can give to your Christian Surfers?
Surrender your surfing. Ask yourself if you are a Surfer with a capital ’S’ or a Christian with a capital ‘C’. We can’t pretend to worship both God and surfing. It was a huge step for me to finally surrender (and keep surrendering) my surfing and make clear I am a Christian surfer - Christ first, and surfing secondary. This plays out in our Christian Surfers ministry all the time, both how we surf generally as well as when we are ‘on duty’ in our CS activities. The best leaders Ive experienced in CS are not necessarily the best surfers, rather they were the best servants, those who had surrendered their surfing. Ouch, this is a hard thing for a surfer to come to terms with, but vital for any CS person.
8.) Funniest moment serving at an event.
Ahhhh how honest do you want me to be? I was helping out with the video replay tent at the Jesus Pro Am at Manly Beach way back in the 90s (when there was video tape!) It was pretty ground breaking for guys to be able to view replays of their heats 20 mins later and we had worked hard to make this a unique feature of our service. I had run out of blank tapes and borrowed an extra one from a young guy next door….and didn’t think to check it. When the surfing footage finished after a fairly intense heat with lots of attention…….there was the standard 3 seconds of static……..then a TV episode of 'Penthouse Pets' started showing! I pleaded my innocence and all the guys were not buying it…..and were keen to keep it rolling. I was dying. Was that funny? Was for everyone else!
9.) What verse has God got frothing on your heart at the moment
Reading Marks gospel at the moment and Jesus encounter with the guy with leprosy. the guy says “If you are willing you can heal me and make me clean” He knows Jesus is able, but is not sure if he is willing. After all, who would be willing to help a leper? Then Jesus reaches out his hand and touches the guy and says “I am willing” …the touch said that didn’t it, and “Be healed”. I am challenged about how willing I am to reach out to people with God’s love and healing. Do I believe He is still able? Am I willing to be his agent of healing? My Western conservative Christianity is not so good on supernatural healing or even on engaging with the marginalised in my society. God help me to be willing.
Mr Davis loves to chaaaarge. And snaps boards on the regular.
10.) Last time you burnt someone and had to ask God for forgiveness
Went to paddle on a guy and pulled back on a wave at Sandon three weeks ago and went over the falls on him. I felt so bad. I always want to make a point of paddling over, looking them in the eye and say sorry. I don’t want to ruin someones surf and also my reputation. I tend to ask the person for forgiveness more than God!!