Bryan Jennings

Walking on Water: PLNU was here

Bryan Jennings (’98)

Walking on Water (WOW) is a Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the Gospel with the global surfing community; their surf films have reached hundreds of thousands of people. 

And PLNU is here. 

Professional surfer Bryan Jennings founded WOW in 1995.  Beginning as a small student-led ministry at PLNU, WOW is now combining surf and faith to impact youth in a unique way.

The ministry began by hosting surf camps (holding their first camp at PLNU’s residence halls), but WOW is now best known for its surf films. WOW’s first film was screened to a few hundred. 

“Little did I know there were later going to be nine more movies reaching hundreds of thousands of people with screenings all over the world,” said Jennings.

WOW has produced nearly a dozen films, most featuring renowned and respected surfers while speaking a message of faith and hope. 

For example, Jennings and WOW had previously told of story of teen shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton in the film, Heart of Soul Survivor, which would play a role in the eventual production of Soul Surfer, the successful feature film. WOW was hired by Sony Pictures to assist with marketing Soul Surfer to the faith community nationwide. Jennings then hosted screenings of the movie to leaders and pastors before it came out in theaters.

And WOW’s latest project, a documentary entitled Promised Land [link to film], takes a unique look at Israel through the eyes of surfers.

“I want [all the youth in the Walking on Water Ministries] to get… the big, powerful, life-changing message that there is so much more than this world has to offer,” said Jennings.