Forrest Frank during his headlining tour in Sept. 2024
Courtesy | Observatory North Park Instagram

The day before the Gospel Music Association awarded him artist of the year at the Dove Awards Oct. 7, Christian pop artist Forrest Frank posted a video on social media explaining he would not attend upcoming award shows because he does not want the worldly recognition for worship music. 

“I’m convicted, personally, that a line I can draw is that I will not receive a trophy for something that is from Jesus and for Jesus,” Frank said in the video.

Frank’s commitment to glorify Christ rather than himself is inspiring, but he should glorify Christ by using his gifts and accepting their rewards. Deciding not to participate in awards has the opposite effect: He has drawn more attention to himself with his absence from the Dove Awards ceremony and his series of posts about why he will no longer participate. 

Although unintentional, this should encourage Frank to be more careful how he uses his platform, even when spreading the faith. The role of a Christian artist is to spread the Gospel with his work, but it’s dangerous to post personal convictions to 6.3 million followers about how you avoid glory and make donations. It turns a personal conviction into a sermon and makes a show of humility.

Many fellow award nominees commented on Frank’s Instagram post, praising his decision and willingness to follow his personal conviction. But country rap artist Jelly Roll criticized Frank in an Instagram comment. “[He] won’t receive [a] trophy for something from Jesus for Jesus, but will take the profits from something from Jesus for Jesus,” Jelly Roll said. “Maybe I’m missing something here lol.” 

After news outlets such as Fox News, The New York Post, and People featured stories about Frank’s decision not to participate and Jelly Roll’s subsequent comments, Frank responded with another video. He said he’s had qualms about profiting from worship music, but justified having a multi-million dollar income by suggesting he donates some of his profit.

“What I do with that money after it legally comes to me I’m never going to tell anybody because your left hand isn’t supposed to know from your right hand,” Frank said. “I might give 90% of my money away, I might give 10% away, or somewhere in between, but y’all are never going to know that.”

What could have been a simple trophy won at the Dove Awards earlier this month became a viral exchange with Jelly Roll and a justification for Frank’s profits. What was a chance for Frank to perform his award-winning worship music and accept this honor became a controversy.

No one would have criticized Frank for attending the Dove Awards. He’s poured his heart into creating music and has been very successful. While his music is from Jesus, it’s also from Frank using his God-given talents and inspiration. 

Now, Dove Awards attendees are responding with explanations of why they participated. Frank placed a negative connotation on attending award shows and artists want to defend themselves. By saying he wouldn’t take a trophy for music given to him by God, Frank implied receiving such a trophy would be taking credit for the work of God. No Christian artist wants to do that.

The Dove Awards ceremony is the wrong place to protest receiving a trophy. It doesn’t feature the provocative fashion show of the Grammy Awards. Instead, it displays classy performances of Christian music artists and stirring speeches of thanks to God. Frank gave the same kind of speech –– he just set himself apart by doing it on Instagram and protesting the praise.

Frank said he didn’t intend to elicit such a dramatic response, and was surprised by people’s reactions.
“I posted my personal conviction and it triggered a lot of people,” Frank said. “I had no idea that was going to happen.”

It seems like Frank has scruples about the life of a Christian music artist and feels a tension between his desire to be humble and his desire to do his job well. Frank’s decision not to attend the Dove Awards satisfied neither: he received more attention and didn’t perform his art. Frank was so concerned about avoiding glory that he drew himself more into the public eye.