Christians
In Business:
Businessman
and surf rider meets Surf Walker, Jesus
Whether
it is surfing the net or surfing the California coastline, Bill Bernard is the
sport’s biggest proponent. Owner of Surf Ride, a retailer of surf related
items in Oceanside, Solana Beach and Surfride.com online, Bill has been in that
business since the 1970s and in the business of ministering to kids for about
as long.
The
storeowner is quick to point out that while there is great potential with
today’s young people, the dangers are great as well.
“The
youth of today don’t have the same security that we had. This terrorism
thing is a bigger threat than we had when we were growing up and it’s not
going to go away,” said Bernard. “Young people are going to have to
live with it.”
He
feels that this constant threat is making teens grow up faster.
“They
know more than we knew at their age.”
He
feels that with the unique tensions in today’s world come heightened
sensitivities. He observed much of this in his role as a Scoutmaster for four
years. To Bill Bernard, this means the ground is fertile for introducing godly
principles. “They are more sensitive to spiritual things than I was as a
youth. The Holy Spirit is definitely influencing them. They can become very
spiritually strong faster and have the potential to grow up more sensitive to
God.”
Growing
up, it took Bernard a long time to attain a similar sensitivity. Raised near
the ocean in Southern California, he began living the life of a surfer from the
seventh grade. He played the role well. “I was what people may think of
as a typical surfer in the 60s and 70s. I had no direction. I spent all my time
hanging out at the beach and working as little as possible.
Bill’s
life as he knew it didn’t last long after that. One of the assistant
ministers from Costa Mesa Calvary Chapel would come down and talk to him in
Cardiff, where he lived in the late 60s. “He began preaching and that was
it.”
As
a result, Bernard came to know Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.
“Through Jesus, I was able to give up the worthless stuff that came with
the lifestyle of a rootless beach bum, and move forward to the real plan and
purpose God had for my life.”
As
he opened his heart and mind to what God’s plan may be, he accepted an
opportunity from Don Hansen of Hansen’s Surfboards to open a little
restaurant on a piece of property Don owned across the street from his retail
store. After months of 10 and 12-hour days the Hutt was open for business. It
was a little open air restaurant with hamburgers and shakes.
“I remodeled it a couple of times and then sold it to somebody from Palm
Springs” Shortly after that the Hutt changed names and became a popular
dinner house and is still there today.
After
the Hutt was sold, Bill had an opportunity to open his own business. His Surf
Ride company began in the late 70s in a little adobe structure on the Coast
Highway and grew into two locations in Oceanside and Solana Beach.
He
and his wife of 25 years plan on handing over the business to their sons, now
23 and 21, but Bill never plans to leave the beach or the young people that
inhabit it. Bernard sees the future of the Church in the faces of these young
people. “I think it’s important that we give kids a start. That is
all they need usually. I enjoy employing them and helping them grow. The love
of God has brought a lot of kids out of their shell.”
Surf
Ride employs about 80 young people. “A lot of Christians work
here,” said Bernard. “It’s a place where people can see
Christianity demonstrated in the real world. It’s non-threatening and the
kids think that it’s cool. Jesus IS cool because He offers life, complete
life. And that’s what these kids are looking for.”
Caz
Taylor is a Christian author, teacher and marketing professional. You may reach
him at cazndaf@attg.net.