Cory Asbury has officially taken down the shirtless photo that sparked a surprisingly heated debate among Christian music fans - but not before making it very clear that Forrest Frank should not be blamed for the controversy.
The "Reckless Love" singer addressed the backlash in a video after a photo of Asbury, Frank and a friend named Tony began circulating online. The image showed the three men shirtless and was included in a recap of their time on the road during The Jesus Generation Tour.
Asbury said the picture was never intended to be provocative. According to the singer, the tour culture involved a strong focus on "mind, body, soul, health," with the men regularly working out together.
He explained that the photo was simply meant to celebrate the progress they had made physically.
But the internet had other ideas.
Some Christian followers criticized the picture on modesty grounds, arguing that public figures in ministry should be careful about posting images that could become a "stumbling block" for others.
Asbury ultimately decided the picture was not worth the drama.
He said the three men agreed to remove it because they did not want the image continuing to circulate as something that offended people or distracted from the larger purpose of their ministry.
Then came the part that may have gotten even more attention than the original photograph.
Asbury made sure fans knew Forrest Frank was not the person who posted it.
"I posted that photo," Asbury said, before adding: "Lay off my boy."
In other words, if anyone wanted to complain, Asbury was volunteering to take the heat.
He also offered a public apology, saying he never intended for the photo to become "a thing" or to offend anyone. Rather than digging in and fighting over differing Christian standards of modesty, Asbury said he preferred to remove the picture and move forward.
His concluding message was decidedly less dramatic than the controversy surrounding the post: keep focusing on Jesus and pursue humility.
The whole episode unfolded following The Jesus Generation Tour, which featured Forrest Frank as headliner and included Asbury leading worship alongside other Christian artists. The 29-city tour began June 1 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and wrapped August 1 in Arlington, Texas.
The tour was promoted as a night centered on music, worship and Christian community.
Instead, one behind-the-scenes photograph briefly became its biggest talking point.
The controversy also highlights an increasingly familiar problem for Christian artists: social media followers often expect them to navigate standards involving modesty, appearance and personal expression that mainstream performers rarely face.
Asbury appears to have decided that proving a point was less important than protecting the message.
The photograph is gone, the apology has been made, and Forrest Frank has received one very public defense from his friend.
Asbury's message to critics could hardly have been clearer: if you're looking for someone to blame, leave Forrest out of it.
