Soul Surfer: Catch God’s Wave for Your Life (Church Kit)
Outreach, 2011, $44.95
Outreach’s Soul Surfer is a one-stop resource that brings a wave of good stuff. This DVD-based study is packed full of customizable sermons for adults and youth, promotional materials, a planning guide for outreach events and PowerPoint templates. The backbone to this kit is a 30-minute documentary of the story of Bethany Hamilton—an up-and-coming surfing prodigy whose career was changed forever by a shark attack in the shallow waters off Hawaii in 2003. The documentary includes interviews of family and friends, surfing footage and displays the unwavering faith of a determined girl who never lost hope in her dreams. The video is well done and keeps viewers engaged. Outreach has taken this documentary and served it up for churches and youth groups to dive deeper into topics such as trusting God, perseverance and seeking God’s will. This study can be done in four weeks, or it could be the highlight of a church outreach event.
This resource is very multi-layered, but maybe not as much as it appears to be. Whether youth or adult, the designed resources are nearly identical. The kit does not include a copy of the movie Soul Surfer released by TriStar Pictures in 2011 starring Dennis Quaid and Carrie Underwood. However, this is still a product worth checking into. While it is designed to reach multiple generations and communities, it would be best used in preteen and middle school ministry settings.
