Jono Bailey has been a part of Christian Surfers (CS) for over 20 years. His passion for adventure, surfing and faith has taken him all over the world and back home to Coolum Beach.
This month he will be guest speaker at a Men’s Breakfast to talk about his journey.
In his teens Jono was looking for a life of adventure. He had become disillusioned by what felt to him like a safe, sanitized version of Christianity in his local church and yearned to follow in the footsteps of his grandparents who traveled by ship and train in the 1940’s from Australia to live as missionaries with remote communities in the Nuba Mountains, Sth Sudan, Africa.
Now a parent of three with wife Naomi and national operations manager of Christian Surfers Australia, Jono has found a community that’s invited him to live the adventure and life of a missionary he craved, from his local beach.
“I’ve had so many incredible experiences in CS where I’ve been challenged to live outside my comfort zone and walk a journey of faith with Jesus,” he said.
In the late 1990s Jono was living in an open house he shared with two other CS leaders and studying at bible college but was at times struggling with what felt like the stereotypical path of a “leader” in the church.
“I didn’t really want to be running Sunday services and preaching on a stage, I wanted to be running surf events and talking about Jesus with surfers on the beach. I think the battle at the time was realizing that serving in CS was just as legitimate as being a “church minister”. I have perspective now that both are important and have their role in seeing God’s Kingdom grow in our communities,” he said.
During that time with CS Jono has been involved bringing the Jesus Pro Am to Queensland and more recently the launch of Christian Surfers Aus on TikTok social media platform.
As CSA operations manager Jono’s role encompasses working alongside their national director and administrator (Steve and Kath Bailey) and regional coordinators to plan and implement epic national events, fundraising campaigns, communications and training programs.
Anglican Church Noosa will host a Men’s Breakfast on Saturday 17 May at 7.45am at Sunshine Beach Surf Club, Duke Street, Sunshine Beach with guest speaker Jono Bailey. Tickets $28. RSVP by Friday 9 May to anglicanchurchnoosa.org
