Originally published in Church Leaders
Dove Award-winning Christian artist Cory Asbury publicly apologised for posting a post-workout shirtless photo of Forrest Frank, himself, and a third man on social media that some fans considered inappropriate.
Asbury, who recently finished up “The Jesus Generation” tour with Frank and Tori Kelly, posted a video on social media explaining why he shared the photo.
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“A few days ago, I posted a recap of [the] tour with Forrest, and one of the pictures was a picture of a couple of us working out, shirts off. Honestly, I didn’t think much of it, but I wanted to bring some clarity to that post,” he said. “My heart was just to share highlights of the culture that we were experiencing on the road. It was about mind, body, soul, health.”
“So, we were working out a lot, and one of those days, we’re just looking at the progress and going, ‘Man, we’ve come a long way,’” he added.
The Reckless Love singer told followers that it was not his intention to cause people to stumble and that he decided to delete the photo.
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“There was no intention for anyone to stumble or be a block of offense at all,” he said.
“I guess there was a little controversy over that on the internet that I just decided, in talking with Forrest and Tony, we’re just going to take that photo down,” he continued. “That doesn’t need to live on the internet as a thing of offense that could possibly be a stumbling block.
“I realise a lot of different people share a lot of different opinions on modesty, and maybe one day we’ll weigh in on that,” he said, “but for now, we just want to go ahead and take that down in humility and just say, it doesn’t matter that much for us to post what we’re looking like if it’s causing people offense. It’s just not necessary.”
He continued: “I also want to make it clear: I posted that photo. Forrest didn’t post that photo. It was from my account, so lay off my boy. Give him some slack.”
Asbury concluded by clarifying that addressing and deleting the photo was not a public relations move but a humble apology.
One woman who criticised the photo argued that Christian men should be held to the same standards of modesty as women.
“If three Christian women that were really well known were to post themselves in a bikini, or a sports bra and tight spandex, or, you know, anything of that sort that would be equivalent to those men, they would absolutely get slammed in the comments,” she said.
She continued, “This is very, very immodest for these three men. It’s absolutely unfair. Double standards would absolutely be being applied.”
“If women are called to cover up, so are men,” she added. “You are exposing your body not only to your sisters in Christ, but to your brothers in Christ that might struggle with same-sex thoughts.”
She called the posts a “bad look” for artists who publicly represent their Christian faith.
“Why are we only coming at women for dressing immodestly? Modesty goes both ways,” she said.
@adiannashiba modesty goes both ways, not only is this immodest but immature, and pride full, and ego is seen on the screen. what’s the point of posting your body for the mass to see? not okay! @Cory Asbury @forrest frank ♬ som original – SpxMac
The person also pushed back against those who dismissed the controversy as insignificant.
“It’s very much so a big of a deal when people are looking up to you in the Christian community,” she said, “and they’re using you as an example of what righteousness should look like and could look like.”
The user concluded, “Cory, Forrest Frank, do better. The other guy, also do better, I don’t know your name.”
Another woman weighed in, also argued that Christian men should be held to the same modesty standards as women.
“That is a hard area for me. Like, when I see a man running — specifically men that are really in shape without their shirt on running — I have to immediately divert my eyes because I don’t want to start a bad habit, and I don’t know who’s married, who’s not,” she shared. “I don’t want to be lusting after another woman’s husband. Like, Forrest Frank is married. I don’t know the other guy; I don’t know his situation.”
However, she pushed back against those questioning Frank’s faith over the photo.
“Two things can be true at the same time: men should be held to the same level of modesty that they expect for women,” she said, “while also all of the people that are condemning Forrest Frank and saying that he’s not a true man of God because he posted that are wrong.”
She said Christians can publicly hold Frank accountable without condemning him. “Obviously, we should be holding him accountable,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean casting him out of the Christian community.”
@somernickole We can hold men to the same standard of modesty we expect from women without questioning their entire faith. Accountability does mean condemnation. Godly people can still lack discernment sometimes. The goal is correction, not casting people out. #ChristianTikTok #ChristianContent #BiblicalTruth #ChristianMen #modesty ♬ som original – Argiloso
“Obviously, Forrest Frank bears fruit,” she added. “He’s like a genuine follower of Christ. And he can still do something wrong, and slip up, and be capable of sin.”
She said Christians can publicly hold Frank accountable without condemning him. “Obviously, we should be holding him accountable,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean casting him out of the Christian community.”
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