Personal Story

Personal Story: Jonathan Morris

Our mission at Walking On Water is to reach and impact the global surfing community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through films, outreaches, surf camps and missions trips. It is always encouraging to receive feedback and learn of the different ways God is utilizing this mission for His Glory! The following is a letter from someone whose life was powerfully impacted by the Walking On Water Films.

“My name is Jonathan Morris, I'm eighteen years old and a senior in high school. I was at last nights showing of "Promised Land" at Northside Baptist Church in Wilmington N.C. and I want to start out by saying that I loved the film so much. I wanted to thank you for all the work you and WOW do. I love all of your movies. Noah's Arc was really the first surf movie I ever watched as a kid, and it was great because through it I saw someone (Noah) who I could look up to not only as a surfer but also as a person in a culture that is deprived of good role models. I love how your work allows you to entertain through surfing but also bring glory to God by presenting the gospel and telling individual’s stories. As a film-maker myself I respect you a lot for not focusing solely on surfing but focusing on the bigger picture. I loved what Britt Merrick had to say in the film about utilizing one’s passions - how you have to be passionate about what you are doing and when you combine that with the plans God has for you, you can achieve huge things for him! Thank you so much for all the work that you and WOW have done. You have inspired me to continue working in film and surfing. I hope one day to also make films like you and to do so in a way that I can let people know about our wonderful God. Thanks so much for your work!” 

Personal Story: Jeremy Hebets

Jeremy Hebets has his first interaction with Walking On Water at age 17 when he attended the High School Surf Camp. “Before coming to the camp,” Jeremy shares, “I was at a turning point in my life. I was getting ready to graduate high school and was hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting involved in the party scene and experimenting with drugs. I was chasing after these things because of the void in my heart from the loss of my earthly father at a young age and a hard life after that. While at camp, my counselor shared with me his story of having a broken relationship with his earthly father and how God was able to change that and be his real Father. At that moment things started to really click for me. For the first time, I realized that the things I was chasing after were just doing damage and not bringing me any healing or freedom. I needed God in my life and Walking on Water played a crucial role in me coming to that understanding. From that point God has taken me on quite the journey. Now it is 12 years later and I am getting ready to graduate from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University with my Masters in Theology and an emphasis in Ministry, Leadership and Care and Counseling. I have also had the blessing, this past year of serving as the West Coast ASP Chaplain and the Hawaii and West Coast Regional Coach for Christian Surfers. It is amazing to see God come full circle using surfers to impact my life and show me who God is and now God has blessed me with the opportunity to do the same with all those He has placed in front of me.

I believe in what Walking On Water is doing for two reasons. The first is, I am a walking testimony of what can happen when being a part of the camp-you can’t help but leave there changed. Second, because Walking On Water is creating opportunities for the youth of today who are being bombarded by a broken society, broken families and lies that look so appetizing, trying to fill their hearts with everything that WONT fulfill their hearts. Walking On Water is not only showing who God is by their actions and deeds but they are teaching the youth what needs to be at the center of their hearts, Jesus Christ. If you are feeling a stirring for someone you know that could benefit from this camp, please move on it because I am so thankful that my family did! God moves in incredible ways.”

Personal Story: Interview with KUSI News Anchor Tom Jordan

Personal Story: Interview with KUSI News Anchor Tom Jordan

W.O.W: Tom, can you please share with us a brief history of your experiences as a news anchor as well as describe your current role working for KUSI news?

TJ: I’ve worked as a news anchor and reporter for 14 years, currently at KUSI News in San Diego. I take my job seriously and truly enjoy the craft of journalism. I’ve covered a lot of different stories; multiple presidential campaigns; the October 2007 Southern California Wildfires; breaking coverage for NBC News on the death of former president Gerald Ford; the 2002 Winter Olympics; the downturn in the U.S. economy and I’ve been fortunate enough to win three Emmys. However, although I appreciated the subject matter of each of the latter, I especially appreciate the opportunity to cover stories that affect everyday lives – like fighting the growing abuse among teens of opiates and other drugs. I look forward to an intriguing year ahead of solid stories. 

W.O.W: How did you first hear about Walking On Water?

TJ: I first met Bryan Jennings and learned of Walking On Water when I was reporting on a benefit for the Chelsea’s Light Foundation called “The Cause.” Walking On Water was a sponsor and was providing outreach for those in attendance. I interviewed Bryan Jennings about The Cause and about Walking On Water and was intrigued about how this former professional surfer was now dedicating his life to proclaiming the gospel and investing in good causes.

W.O.W: Why do you believe in what the ministry is doing?

TJ: I grew up surfing and was a part of a youth culture that didn’t always have good role models out in the water. The result of my past experiences cultivated in me a wariness of getting my own kids involved in the sport. However, Walking On Water has changed my perspective in many ways. W.O.W. is an organization led by and filled with great surfers who are amazing role models. The ministry is showing the youth of today that surfing doesn’t mean you have to follow the crowd. Guys like Bryan Jennings are leading kids to the creator of the waves, showing them that surfing can be meaningful and still fun.

W.O.W: As a news anchor it is no doubt that you have viewed and given feedback on multiple films and documentaries. Can you share some of your thoughts regarding our most recent documentary film Promised Land?

The films produced by W.O.W are a vital component of its mission. They are quality movies with outstanding cinematography, editing and story-telling techniques. I knew that Promised Land would be a great film based on the previous W.O.W documentaries I had seen, however, it had a much larger impact on me than I expected. Director, Todd Morehead was able to portray Israel in a light I had never seen. As I looked at “Israel through the eyes of surfers,” watching the sports’ ability to open up dialogue between the different faiths of Christians, Jews, Muslims and even atheists I couldn’t help but wonder, “Are surfers doing more for the cause of peace than decades of political wrangling and cross-border missiles? Could surfing provide a significant degree of peace in Israel? Could it open the pathway for truth?” Bottom line: What I took away from the film is that I can’t argue my way to get people to believe in Jesus but I can love them with His love-that’s the greatest example of his existence.

We are going to put together a local news story about the Promised Land film for KUSI and do our best to make it a nation wide story through CNN OR FOX news.

Personal Story: Joe Matera

Joe Matera first heard about Bryan Jennings and Walking On Water around 1998 when he was on staff with Christian Surfers. Over the years their CS chapter had used some of the Walking On Water films at various outreach events where, as Joe recalls, “It was apparent that these films were an effective tool in ministering to those in our community. There was always a good crowd that would come out and it was encouraging to see the way these surf documentaries uniquely impacted the lives of those in attendance. I couldn’t wait to meet ‘this Bryan guy’ who produced all of these powerful documentaries.”

In the year 2000, Joe finally got his chance to meet and even host “this Bryan guy” in his home, during a visit to Sea Isle City, NJ for a surf competition, inaugurating a life-long friendship between the two. The following summer Joe flew out to La Jolla to help with the Walking On Water Surf Camps and was so inspired by his experience that he decided to start a surfing division of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in Ocean City NJ. “At the time,” Joe explains, “FCA did not have surfing as a main ministry sport and now, 8 yrs later, the camps are being run Nationwide and are primarily centered around surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding!”

After many years of discussing the possibility of a partnership, W.O.W and FCA have finally decided to team up and co-host this summer’s Walking On Water Surf Camps. Joe shares, “Through Bryan and the Walking On Water Ministry, I have recognized that there is a wonderful opportunity to reach many with the Gospel message through the platform of surfing. Through the camps it appears as if we are just sharing God’s love with the kids but what we didn’t realize is that the kids were also taking home the Gospel message and ministering to their families! It is beautiful to see the Lord at work through the sport of surfing.”

In closing, Bryan Jennings shares, “Through the past 10 years Joe has been an inspiration to me in many ways. Just recently he has been battling Metastatic Melanoma, which has spread into his body but his faith has never once waivered! I am daily encouraged by his ability to live each day to it’s fullest for the Lord’s glory! We ask that you would please keep him and his family in your prayers as he continues in his battle against cancer.”