The Beautiful People - chaplaincy at the 2024 Download festival

I had the immense privilege of being a chaplain at the metal/rock festival Download (once known as Monsters of Rock) at Donnington Park 14-16 June, writes Baptist minister Ken Franklin. 

Like the other chaplains there, I had many conversations and opportunities to pray, simply because I was out in faith with my people


 

Ministering to 'my people'

Three days of loud, or incredibly loud music, along with around 70,000 metalheads of all ages. I was there as one of the Christian chaplains to the festival, one of the Baptists on team. And being there among all these metalheads, I knew I was among ‘my people’.

I use the phrase ‘my people’ quite deliberately. We know, though we are in theory one world, we’re split into a multitude of people groups.

Back before training to be a Baptist pastor, I was a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) national leader for children and youth ministry, and a Mercy Shipper before.

In those settings we were familiar with the concept of reaching all people groups, especially with the fervour of youth that the Holy Spirit promises us in the Word, that when all tribes, tongues and peoples are reached, then the end will come. In fact, that understanding was highly motivating when it came to mission to people groups.

In my current pastorate in Greater London, we’re fairly multicultural. Which is amazing, if we allow it to move us all into Kingdom people. One day, one of my African sisters told me that I was one of her people, and if she were to return to her family lands, her family would happily take me with them. One of her people.

Who are your people? In preparing for Download, I was keenly aware of the sense of getting to minister to my people. I have many groups I call, ‘my people’. It’s healthy right? The congregation I serve, they are my people. Our new Games café, they are my people. The schools I serve, they are my people. I’ve become fitness mad, and found a lot of my people there too. Different spheres, all places I belong.

This June I graduate to 50 years of life. A Christian for 36 years. I’ve been a metalhead for about the same. Buying LPs, tapes on release. Walking home from the music store with Guns n Roses, Nirvana and Metallica, and hundreds of others over the last four decades.

 

Who are your people?

I know this scene isn’t your scene (almost certainly). Yet you have your own scenes, with different groups of beautiful people in them. So, who are your people? Where are the groups in God’s world prepared for you to be the love that Jesus would be, if he were there? We cannot only say my congregation, or the other members in my church. This is the true source of so much decline.

Like the other chaplains at Download, I had many conversations and opportunities to pray, simply because I was out in faith with my people. I watched the crowds, enjoyed dozens of visceral, powerful bands with those crowds. I took part in the rituals of gathering with others for a shared love, revelled in the sense of spiritual connection that often happens when people gather.

We cheered, howled, squelched, even cried together. Ankle deep in what was hopefully mud, life happened and many found meaning they hope will sustain them through many dark situations.

Opportunities to chat…

In the mud, so much mud, by urinals I can only assume will be burned afterwards, we prayed with a man. Twenty years ago his leg was mangled. He saw the cross on our jackets. He felt he should ask us to pray for him, for healing! He came looking for us!

A conversation with a fully dressed Stormtrooper about moral goodness; the way of peace in a world of pain; why he cares about all life so much he now rescues worms from the paths after the rain.

A young couple just married who’d grown up in harsh disciplinarian churches but were open to God loving them.

A lad who had lost his brother and needed reassurance, support and a phone. It took an hour, but we got there.

A man who had gone to see the one Christian band on the bill, ‘Fit for a King’. He and I both were big fans, but my colleague Tim, and best friend since the age of four, didn’t know them. Like a pair of metal evangelists, we shared with my colleague about the band.

Tim was converted! I wonder how many Christians would choose a positive chat with man wearing a hat covered in the worst swear word possible? I think he’s the sort of person Jesus really wants us to focus our attention on.

Interesting questions on the sunny Sunday afternoon…

Do you think we have only one body? They did, sensing that what they had now was deeply important but they weren’t sure what that meant.

When do we forgive people? Should we forgive?

Am I more important than the animals on earth?

Have you seen Jesus today?

Could you forgive my sins?

I’m gay, does that matter to you?

Is there anything distinctive about Jesus, or is he just another copy?

The bottom of my shoe has fallen off, can you help me?

Why are Christians even here?

I’m a bit overwhelmed, could I sit with you a little while?

I got baptised last year. I’m shocked to see other Christians. Are you really here too?
 

'An incredible blessing when you get to serve and love among your people'

At the end of the festival, with most of the mud a memory, all the chaplains expressed how privileged we were to be there. Yes it was Drownload (when it all turns to mud). For the few of us who also camped on site, there wasn’t much sleep. I think everyone has already said they want to do 2025.

Before then I have a lot of other chances to be with many groups of my people. To meet those out there in the world that the Holy Spirit is already preparing. This is the same for each of us, if we’re open and willing to go where the Spirit leads.

Some decades ago there was this erroneous comment abroad that God would send you to places you hate to minister there. Makes you want to hate the Maldives!

I’m happy to go wherever God wants. It’s an incredible blessing when you get to serve and love among your people, wherever and whoever they are. Thanks be to God. Blessed are the muddy feet of those that bring Good News.

I’ve Download 2025 booked in the diary and pray we get invited back. I’m booked into see four metal concerts in London (already) before then. I wanna rock!

All this has got me thinking, praying and wondering, is there room for venue chaplaincy in London? All those music and theatre venues, millions of visitors in a year. Worth pondering….
 

Ken Franklin is the pastor of Morden Park Baptist Church in Surrey

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