Christian artist Forrest Frank recently announced he won’t be attending the Dove Awards or Grammys anymore because he feels convicted about receiving trophies “for something that is from Jesus and for Jesus.”
Jelly Roll (who just won a Dove Award himself) had some questions. In what has to be one of the most deliciously awkward Instagram comment exchanges of the year, Jelly wrote: “Won’t receive trophy for something from Jesus for Jesus but will take the profits from something from Jesus for Jesus. Maybe im missing something here lol.”
And he didn’t stop there. In a follow-up comment Jelly pointed out that Frank says he doesn’t want a trophy for something “from Jesus for Jesus” – which is awesome – but also makes “MILLIONS of dollars doing that same thing that is From Jesus for Jesus.”
I’m team Jelly Roll on this one.
Throughout my years in ministry I’ve watched worship leaders struggle with the tension of being “in the world but not of the world” (Frank’s own words.) It’s a legitimate struggle. But here’s what bugs me about Frank’s announcement: why broadcast it?
If you truly feel convicted about not attending awards shows, just… don’t go. Don’t submit your music for consideration (as Kings Kaleidoscope helpfully pointed out in the comments – that’s what Frank Ocean does.) Don’t make a big Instagram video about your personal conviction and post it for your millions of followers to see.
Because the moment you announce to the world “I’m too humble to accept awards” you’ve just accepted an award for humility. If receiving a trophy for Jesus music is wrong, then why is receiving a paycheck for Jesus music okay? Frank’s hit “Your Way’s Better” topped Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart and crossed over to the Hot 100. That’s big money. Streaming royalties, concert tickets, merch sales – it all adds up fast.
I’m not saying Christian artists shouldn’t get paid (read my article Dirt-Poor Worship Leaders if you think I’m anti-pay!) Musicians have bills like everyone else. But you can’t draw an arbitrary line that says “trophies bad, millions good” and expect people not to notice the inconsistency.
When Frank says “I hope to be an example to the youth that the trophy is our salvation” he’s implicitly saying that everyone who does attend awards shows isn’t being a proper example. That everyone who does accept awards is somehow less convicted, less pure, less focused on Jesus.
Bottom Line: If you’re convicted about not attending awards shows, don’t go. Jelly Roll just asked the question we’re all thinking: if trophies for Jesus music are off limits, why aren’t paychecks? You can’t have it both ways.
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