Matt Beacham

Matt Beacham is a professional surfer who was featured in Noah’s Arc, the inspirational surf movie produced by Walking on Water and shown at our movie night in 2007. Matt was gracious enough to speak at the National Convention last year and share his faith. Below is an interview Matt did that is included in The Christian Surfers New Testament Bible.

Chris Ahrens: Is it easier for a surfer to find God than it is for a non-surfer?

Matt Beacham: It would be a big thing for some people to go to the beach and watch the sunset once a month. I get to see the sunset while surfing, two or three times a week. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that much is expected of me, because most people never get to see things I see. Surfing should lead me closer to God.

CA: A lot of people say that Christianity is for losers. You seem to have most of the things the world has to offer, why would someone like you even want a relationship with God?

MB: I felt that He was with me from the beginning, so any time I run from Him, I feel like I’m betraying a friend. I honestly believe that I’m backstabbing a friend when I run from God. For me, I see so much order around me, even in an imperfect world. I have to figure out the source of it. I think that’s a realization a lot of people come to. It sends them on a quest to find the Lord. My hope is that they end up at the cross.

CA: In a sense you’ve been like Solomon; whatever you put your eyes on you could get. Have you been willing to trade all that to find God?

MB: In the eyes of the world, I’ve lived the American dream, so far. I’m acquainted with selfishness, but I’ve experienced life with meaning for so long that in the absence of it, I lose all my creativity and all my sense of reason. When I’m on a selfish stint, I lose everything that I feel has been a gift from God. I’ve experienced that enough to know that a life with God is the only life worth pursuing and the only life that’s going to carry beyond the grave.

CA: Do you see changes in yourself?

MB: Yes, but I’m so unimpressed with who I know I am. In the end when I stand before God, I think He’ll say, I was never impressed with you, Matt, but I love you. I chose to love you even before you were born. I’ll realize then that He hung onto that commitment to love me no matter how flaky and stupid I was. He’ll let me into eternal life with Him by His great mercy. It’s been a good realization in a lot of ways how lame I am, basically. A work in progress is the bet way to put it.