Since the first performance of popular music venue, ‘The Attic’, three years ago, its co-founders, Phil Harding and Rueben Rose, say the aim has been to develop a culture where people support the live performances of Christian bands.
Weekly performances are run out of the church hall owned by St Alban’s, Five Dock. “In terms of mission, our role is supporting the bands in their own individual ministry by encouraging them and by giving them a place to perform their ministry through the music of their band,” Phil said.
Now the pair have begun a new venture, ‘Waffle Records’, which aims to send the music of Attic bands into the Sydney community and encourage creativity among Christians. One compilation has been released called Waffle Platter 03, featuring music from ten bands.
However, music is just one aspect of the ministry.  The other prong is to be a living example of a Christian community.
“There are churches running youth outreach events that are great,” Phil says, “but are focused almost solely on getting the kids to listen to a talk. I’d love there to be more places where non-Christian youth can also experience the Christian life as relational, loving, creative and fun.”
“The Attic has a great community. The bands have the whole room clapping and singing along. The young people there get to meet older Christians, and I’ve seen really good relationships develop. Almost every musician we’ve had talks passionately about their music and how God has helped them in their life,” he says.
The venue acts as an introductory event for people interested in Christianity.
“We’re one of the early links in the chain. People can enter a safe Christian community and fellowship with Christians of all ages and hear the gospel expressed creatively through music. Whenever people say to me ‘you should be having a speaker and preaching the gospel’, I say ‘there are so many places where that’s done so well’. We’re a first step for getting people into the Christian community.”
Negative experiences with church-led youth events led Phil to rethink the way ministry to youth can be run. He said he doesn’t want The Attic to discourage new or non-Christians by being “too forceful or heavy-handed”.
“Some people believe events like The Attic must be either completely outreach-focused, with preaching, or a Christian commune where we sing praise and worship songs that will ultimately shut out non-Christians,” he said.
“If you draw the line between Christians and non-Christians that starkly, you’re never going to build relationships,” Phil adds.
“We’re trying to be a place where a natural gathering of Christians and non-Christians can occur, where they can hear music that is gospel fueled, and through that, conversation and relationship evangelism will happen,” he says.
Despite these challenges, working with the variety of Christian bands performing at the venue is a privilege for the co-founders. “We are thrilled when we see young bands who have really thought through their music and are expressing their faith in an honest, exciting and original way,” Phil said.
“A band told me they saw their mission as evangelising the death metal scene. I can’t think of a scarier mission field than that, but these guys have the guts and are in there doing it.
“There’s also a surprising amount of Christian hip-hop with artists who deconstruct secular hip-hop culture in their raps, and talk about why there is something wrong with a promiscuous, wasteful life.”
Music is not the only art being promoted. Poetry readings and short film screeningsare planned for 2004. “We want to encourage Christian artists out there and offer them ways to express that side of their personality.”