Maberly: Contextualization in the context of mainstream ‘rock’ music liste Contextualization in the context of mainstream ‘rock’ music listeners After a great introduction to the historical background of con- By Clifton Maberly textualization, and a survey of contemporary understandings of and approaches to contextualiza- Note: Parts of this article have tion from an evangelical perspec- been previously published as an tive, they say, interview in the Record published by the Signs Publishing Com- Many of our readers may be think- ing, “Well and good; but exactly pany, Warburton, Australia, May how would the authors go about 21, 2005. Used by permission. contextualization? What methods do they espouse? What do authentic, ef- One of the difficulties of teach- fective contextualized products look ing a theology of contextualiza- like?” (1989:197) tion is that the best textbooks on the topic often illustrate the Then we are treated to a 1952 application of the theology with catechism for Indonesian tribals, inaccessible case studies. For an evangelistic tract for Chinese example, one of the best early people, a contextualization of texts on the subject was David justification for twentieth cen- J. Hesselgrave and Edward tury India, a sample of a con- Rommen’s Contextualization: textualized debate for Muslims, meanings, methods, and models. and a contextualized sermon for nominal Christians in Central Clifton Maberly is the senior pas- and Northern Europe. tor for Toowoomba and Highfields While teaching on a theology Adventist churches in Queensland, of contextualization I have seen Australia. His special interest is seeking a common ground of paradigm shifts in my students spiritual concern with unchurched (“light dawns on erstwhile sty- people. He is also involved in cross- gian darkness,” as one of my cultural and multi-cultural issues secondary school teachers used in the local community, especially to exclaim when we got the in relation to the settlement of as- point). But often the inaccessible sisted migrants (particularly Suda- examples reduced the impact to nese refugees) and in community a whimper. The “authentic, ef- race relations. fective contextualized products” Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews University, 2005 1 2/2005 67 Journal of Adventist Mission Studies, Vol. 1 [2005], No. 2, Art. 8 were often an anticlimax. We man. The musicians perform for need more walk-through case three days on the festival’s twelve studies of recent contextualiza- stages and grassy amphitheatres tion. right in the middle of beautiful Contextualization is not an Toowoomba. arcane and erudite skill. You just I sat back and watched as have to do your best to fit the con- our two Adventist churches in text of your intended listeners. Toowoomba threw themselves Last year, after returning into adding their witness to the from thirty years in Asia to take festival. They set up a health up local church ministry in tent with the logo “This is Your rural Australia, one of the big Life,” doing a free heath evalua- events of my new parish rolled tion and a computer calculated up and over me. My new parish, life expectancy prediction on Toowoomba, hosts Australia’s passers-by. They did a great largest Christian music festival, job, and probably nudged many the Australian Gospel Music Fes- people towards commitments in I was disturbed that we needed to pull out health at a music festival. The context was music. That’s the starting point for contextualization. tival (AGMF). The AGMF offers a health, but I was disturbed that celebration of faith, friendship, we needed to pull out health at and music for nearly 40,000 a music festival. The context was people, with music ranging from music. That’s the starting point Scar to Psalms, Jazz to Metal. for contextualization. Last year’s acts included interna- While I was still teaching mis- tional names such as Sonicflood, siology at Sahmyook University Delirious, Brooke Fraser, and in Korea, I had started thinking Lads. It included Contemporary about how I could develop an ap- Christian Music (CCM) legends propriate approach for the secu- David Meece, Chuck Girard, lar Australia I was returning to. and the Grammy Award win- I realized I would be hopelessly ners, Petra. It hosted most of the out of touch with some of the Australian CCM bands, such as greatest passions of Australians Reuben Morgan, Nathan Tasker, (I just hadn’t been there recently United, Planetshakers Band, enough to be passionate about Sons of Korah, Alabaster Box, the State of Origin rugby league). Soulframe, and Roma Water- So I decided I ought to begin https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jams/vol1/iss2/8 2 68 Journal of Adventist Mission Studies Maberly: Contextualization in the context of mainstream ‘rock’ music liste with an area I had kept track of The festival presented a chal- over the years: global popular lenge to me. I am not a musician. culture. Something Australians The year before our two youth have in common with the rest of pastor volunteers had worked the world is their exposure to the up a band that was up to festival primary value-creating media of standards, but that didn’t mean global popular culture: music, there was a role there for me, not movies, and computer games. even as the manager they didn’t With that in mind I began trying need. So I decided to offer my ser- to catch up, not across a national vices as a cultural and spiritual gap, but across a generational interpreter of music. That was one. Teaching in Korea had let better suited to who I am, for a the world pass me by again. missiologist is a cultural inter- Keeping up to the minute with preter. I decided to try to engage popular culture takes a lot of people on spiritual issues in the effort. “Popular” is ephemeral, context of popular music. nothing remains popular for There was to be a large exhibi- long. However I suspected that tion pavilion, where hundreds of popular culture could be that booths would promote and sell useful forum I needed to explore contemporary Christian music spiritual issues. After all, all ele- and contemporary Christian cloth- ments of culture are a microcosm ing, as well promote a few special of the whole. mission opportunities. That would I determined that next year have to be my venue. I would try to talk music at the How do you catch the at- music festival. tention of some of the 40,000 I was kept busy for the rest people streaming though an of the first year back readjust- exhibition hall on their way to a ing to Australia (that is another concert of their favorite artists, contextual story) so it wasn’t stopping only to buy music or until I was on the way back from clothing linking them with their a cross-cultural mission project bands? How could I stop shop- to Siberia (another contextual pers in their tracks? It would story) that I started reading be easier if I was already a well the materials I had gathered known speaker. But I was an on contemporary mainstream unknown, graying man. I just popular music. I read along and wanted a chance to minister to tested the materials out on the music-focused people, and find younger members of the mis- out whether this idea of spiritual sion team. Besides exploring dialogue on the common ground how I could use popular music of music was a viable platform. as a context for religious dia- So I still had the problem of logue, I was thinking through a stopping music-lovers in their witnessing niche for the upcom- tracks as they drifted through the ing festival. exhibition hall on their way to an- Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews University, 2005 3 Journal of Adventist Mission Studies 2/2005 69 Journal of Adventist Mission Studies, Vol. 1 [2005], No. 2, Art. 8 other concert to hear another band. reached and unchurched, that How could I get people to slow God would ensure they heard by down long enough to talk to? other means. That, in fact, is al- I decided to set up a booth in- ready happening as mainstream viting passers-by to consider the rock artists cry out the gospel in spiritual journeys of mainstream ways more effective than many popular artists as an enhance- in-house Christian musicians. ment to their non-CCM listening, and as a platform for dialogue An Aside on Rock Music about faith with those outside Maybe a footnote on rock the stream of contemporary music is necessary for those Christian music. I thought that Christian leaders who have fo- promotion on ‘non-Christian’ cused on the dangers of popular music at a gospel festival would music. I am not getting into have an edge that might catch that debate. I am exploring some interest. Contextualized witnessing within a particular communication needs an edge. context: the context of listeners If you contextualize too well you of popular music. If you don’t Mainstream rock artists cry out the gospel in ways more effective than many in-house Christian musicians. will dissolve into the context. listen to popular music I am Communication needs to sur- not advocating listening to it. If prise within the context. you aren’t familiar with the 70 I chose the logo “Rocks Cry bands listed below, this is not Out” (see photo) days before I your context. We have to know came across the book The rock which contexts we are qualified cries out by Steve Stockman. I to have opinions on. I am aware added his subtitle to the ban- of the raging Christian debate on ner: “Discovering eternal truth rock music: there are hundreds in unlikely music.” The Christian of books and nearly 400,000 rationale behind the logo was websites that address the issue.