A key feature of any mission is the need for contextualisation. Ross Langmead defines contextualisation as “the ongoing and multi-layered process of allowing the gospel to take shape in a particular context.”11This act of contextualisation involves “cracking
the cultural code” of the particular culture.12 To do so involves understanding the
cultural narrative of a culture and its associated symbols, myths and rituals. Langmead recognised that “people move between cultures and assume hybrid identities.”13 Tim
Foster identifies this as multi-layered narratives.14There are three layers, which may
be illustrated as three tiers of a triangle. The first is national culture, which in this case is Australian.
10 Frost and Hirch, Shaping of Things, 12.
11 Ross Langmead, “Contextual Mission: An Australian Perspective” (paper presented at Christian Communities in Contemporary Contexts ANZAMS mini-conference, Auckland, 30-31 October 2009).
12 Tim Foster, The Suburban Captivity of the Church: Contextualising the Gospel for Post-Christian Australia (Mel- bourne: Acorn, 2014), chapter 2.
13 Langmead, “Contextual Mission”. 14 Foster, Suburban Captivity, 37.
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Figure 1: Multi-layered narratives as applied to mission in BJJ in Australia, following Foster’s categories.
The second is local, and refers not only to the local context, but also the broad cultural backgrounds of the students. This is particularly the case for AET, which has a large number of European and Middle Eastern students from Catholic and Orthodox backgrounds. Ninos’ Syrian heritage enables him to relate a variety of people from those contexts, including Muslims. Ninos believes that many churches in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions are not doing their duty in discipling their flocks and sees what he does as essential to serve the people who come to him.
The top tier of the cultural narrative is tribal.15 Western culture is profoundly tribal,
and BJJ is an exemplar of this.16 This cultural narrative is of key importance for
incarnational mission since it encompasses the shared narrative for BJJ practitioners in their particular gym, lineage of BJJ, and BJJ community in general. Those best able to understand this cultural narrative are those who operate within it. The BJJ cultural narrative is displayed in BJJs myths, symbols and rituals. The mythos includes the origin of BJJ, its effectives against other martial arts, its lineage back to the Gracie family, and the competition successes of its head coach. The symbols include the uniforms and patches, belts of the practitioners (a club with a lot of coloured belts has a higher status), the rank of the instructor, and the trophies the club has earned. Finally, there are a number or rituals that are practiced. These include the way in which gradings (the awarding of new ranks) are conducted, i.e. the amount of rounds
15 Foster, Suburban Captivity, 37. 16 Frost and Hirsch, Shaping of Things, 37.
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students do, and belt whipping ceremonies. BJJ students, instead of the traditional oriental bow, typically slap each other’s hands and bump fists before engaging in rolling. The Japanese exclamation or acknowledgement osu (sometimes spelled oss) is also used by some.
These aspects of BJJ culture are not studied without but learned from within. And so it is, for example, much easier to understand the purpose of doing of hard rounds of grappling, followed by walking a gauntlet of belt whipping, by going through it. This tribal initiation rite is one best experienced. Only then can it not be dismissed as some primal masculine sadomasochism.
As Foster notes, however, an understanding of tribal culture is not enough for contextualisation. What is also required is a critique of the cultural norms from within, and a subversive fulfilment of them.17 The first critique is of the business
aspect of running a club, as exhibited by financial generosity. Ninos recognises that his generosity is painful in that it makes him a poor businessman, but believes he gets back in loyalty far more than he gives away in money. A poor box is available for anyone in need and the culture of generosity bred at AET means it is never empty. Likewise, Jamie provides financial assistance in the form of reduced fees etc, as a way to promote a “culture that embodies generosity,” which can foster a sense of loyalty. Jamie sees this generosity as a way to “live out a genuine Christian faith in acts of love and service.” The motivation for his financial generosity is a simple description of his Christian faith and desire to serve others and seek their good.
The second critique is also a subversion in the formation of a Christian based culture of hospitality.18 As noted above, Ninos believes that people often see his gym as a cult,
but what transforms people’s understanding is not logical argument, although this plays a role. What is felt first by people is the atmosphere or culture of the gym. A good, welcoming culture is of utmost importance at the gym. This is manifest both in the way in which new students are welcome, but also in the treatment of grapplers from other gyms with respect.
Renegade allows Jamie to do mission because it is a community where he gets to set the boundaries, culture, and values, as well as the spiritual temperature. This includes a code of conduct, and emphasising respect and appropriate behaviour, which has
17 Foster, Suburban Captivity, 45. 18 Frost and Hirsch, Shaping of Things, 12.
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sometimes led to having to ask students to leave. The welcoming, hospitable nature of Renegade means that an increasing number of women feel comfortable to train in BJJ, which can otherwise be a claustrophobic and confronting sport.
At G4C Geelong, the mantra is “raise up, not rise up.” This focuses on the improvement of others. In a sport that can encourage competitive egos, Woon maintains that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and constantly reminds coaches of their responsibility. G4C also encourages openness in a very non-judgemental environment. Everyone is free to respectfully discuss their thoughts and beliefs.
Another critique from within is about the nature and status of BJJ coaches. In Brazilian culture lower ranks may not ask black belts to roll. Coaches like Jamie and Ninos, however, are very approachable and are not “belt snobs”. While some coaches are very proud and hide aspects of their technique, the coaches from all three of these gyms have a culture of no secrets. They are not afraid of being submitted or tapped out by their students; it is an expectation that it will occur at some point. The principle of “leave your ego at the door” is always adopted. Hence, none of the coaches is proud or fearful, but freely shares their knowledge.
Finally, in other communities student poaching is not unusual, with Brazilians being particularly notorious for this. A student who switches clubs is referred to as a creonte, a derogative term.19 Each of these gyms has a no poaching rule and students who leave
a club to join another are told to speak to their instructors first. Christian coaches maintain the highest possible integrity in all of their dealings. Jamie believes that people naturally turn to a person on the highest moral ground in a crisis and sees 1 Timothy 3 and its exhortation to be above reproach as his ideal to live by. This has provided many opportunities to share his faith.