4 Takeaways from Forrest Frank's Jesus Generation Tour Stop in Nashville

God Is on the Move

Multiple surveys have indicated a movement of God among young people in the United States, but those statistics take on new meaning when you see them up close – with thousands of children, tweens, and teens singing Frank's songs word for word, openly celebrating their faith.

Yes, Christian artists have always attracted young fans, but rarely – if ever – on this scale. Frank sold out GEODIS Park, a soccer stadium, but he also sold out Madison Square Garden in decidedly non-Bible-Belt New York City, accomplishing something few Christian artists ever have.

It's common for artists to avoid such massive venues, both because of the optics of empty seats and the financial risk that comes with it. Frank, though, is doing the opposite – and filling them. His tour includes NBA arenas such as the Target Center in Minneapolis and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, along with stops in cities not typically associated with Christian music, such as Tacoma, Wash., and Sacramento, Calif. All four of those venues sold out.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Kativ

The Gospel Is Central

Frank’s concert stage made a statement before he sang a single note, with a massive cross rising above a simple hill-like platform, visible from every section and serving as a constant reminder of the concert's central message.

His entrance included a bit of misdirection. The bass-heavy Sirius by The Alan Parsons Project – famous as the Chicago Bulls’ introduction music – blasted through the speakers as overhead screens showed Frank and his band making their way toward the stage. But instead of immediately appearing, the video showed them pausing to pray. Members of The Figs then emerged on stage before Frank and informed the audience that the music wasn’t celebrating Frank but rather “the Man from Nazareth” – Jesus.

A video message then appeared on the screens, with a narrator reflecting on what has been happening among young people in recent years, saying he doesn’t know whether to call it a revival, an awakening, or an outpouring, but urging the audience not to “miss it.”

Moments later, Frank walked on stage singing Jesus Generation, signaling his belief that the growing enthusiasm for faith among young people is more than a passing trend. “Where are all the young people following Jesus?” The answer came quickly from thousands of voices throughout the stadium: “We’re right here. We’re right here.”

Later in the show, author and speaker Sadie Robertson Huff took the stage for the Nashville stop and delivered an eight-minute presentation of the gospel, inviting anyone who had not placed their faith in Christ to do so. Different speakers have appeared at other tour stops.

Photo Credit:©GettyImages/pcess609

Christian Music Has Entered a New Era

Frank is one of the most popular Christian artists in America today, even though only a handful of his songs receive significant airplay on Christian radio. Many of his biggest hits fall outside the worship and adult contemporary format that dominates the airwaves, yet they have become enormously popular among children, tweens, and teens who consume music through streaming platforms rather than radio.

(If you're curious, Frank currently has roughly 8.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify – more than Brandon Lake's 7 million and Lauren Daigle's 5.8 million, though slightly behind Elevation Worship's 9.9 million. Skillet, whose music also reaches well beyond Christian audiences, has 11.2 million.)

Frank has built his audience largely outside the traditional radio ecosystem, relying instead on streaming platforms, social media, and word-of-mouth. His rise has been fueled by viral songs that spread on TikTok and by catchy, faith-filled tracks that young listeners play repeatedly through their earbuds.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Jeremychanphotography/Contributor

The Joy Is Real

Frank spotlighted his biggest hits in Nashville, with the crowd singing along to virtually every word, beginning with Amen and continuing with titles such as Good Day, Up!, Drop!, Jesus Is Alive, Your Way's Better, Lemonade and Never Get Used to This.

During God Is Good, Frank invited a young fan on stage to rap a portion of the song. (The young fan knocked it out of the park.) Later, for Thankful, he took a seat at a computer on a small platform in the middle of the crowd, showing how a song comes together from a simple idea to a finished track.

In the middle of all that, he led the crowd in a handful of well-known traditional worship songs.

The evening’s joyful atmosphere was enhanced by an elaborate lighting display. Each attendee received a light-up wristband upon entering the stadium, and throughout the night the bands shifted from red to green to orange and blue, transforming the crowd into a massive, synchronized sea of color.

Beginning to end – from Tori Kelly’s opening set to Frank's final song – the evening stretched beyond three hours. Yet when it ended, few seemed ready to go home.

Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Wirestock