Ex-Caedmon’s Call singer shares pre-show shot with drag performer ‘Flamey Grant’<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/chat-rect.svg\")
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<\/source><\/picture>Drag performer Matthew Blake (left) and CCM singer Derek Webb wear makeup and women’s clothing while standing in front of a cross for a music video. <\/span> | Screenshot:YouTube\/DerekWebb<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDerek Webb apparently really enjoys wearing dresses.<\/p>\n
So much so, in fact, the former Caedmon\u2019s Call singer decided he would wear one to the Dove Awards, the biggest night in Christian contemporary music (CCM) \u2014 and invite a drag performer to join him.<\/p>\n
While Webb is no stranger to the Dove Awards, with 10 nominations and three wins<\/a>, he said this year would be the first time he attended in person.<\/p>\nWebb shared <\/a>an image of himself wearing a woman\u2019s dress, pearls, and black stockings with the caption, \u201cdespite having won a few over the past 20+ years, tonight will be my first ever trip to the dove awards, in the company of some very good friends (@FlamyGrant<\/a> and @gracebaldridge<\/a>, among others). i hardly ever dress up, but this feels like a very special occasion\u201d.<\/p>\n\ndespite having won a few over the past 20+ years, tonight will be my first ever trip to the dove awards, in the company of some very good friends (@FlamyGrant<\/a> and @gracebaldridge<\/a>, among others).<\/p>\ni hardly ever dress up, but this feels like a very special occasion. pic.twitter.com\/BgWLSgnPm9<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 Derek Webb (@derekwebb) October 17, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
A short time later, he tweeted <\/a>another image of himself along with Matthew Blake, a former worship leader<\/a> who wears makeup and women\u2019s clothing and performs under the name Flamy Grant, and Grace Baldridge, who performs as \u201cSemler.\u201d<\/p>\n\n54th annual dove awards, here we come. pic.twitter.com\/USPiTnIT5n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 Derek Webb (@derekwebb) October 17, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
Webb’s ex-wife, artist Sandra McCracken, was nominated at this year’s Dove Awards for her album Light in the Canyon.\u00a0<\/em>In 2014, Webb and McCracken divorced after 13 years of marriage after he admitted <\/a>to an extramarital affair. The duo has two children together.<\/p>\nWhile Webb attributed his wardrobe to the \u201cspecial occasion\u201d of the Dove Awards, the \u201cJesus Hypothesis\u201d singer hasn\u2019t shied away from wearing women\u2019s clothing on multiple occasions in recent months.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the same day as the Dove Awards photos, he posted <\/a>another image of him in the very same dress in an anniversary message to wife Abbie Parker.<\/p>\nEarlier this week, he also promoted <\/a>print-on-demand merch including a cup with an image of Webb wearing – you guessed it – a white skirt, along with the lyrics, \u201cbut I say unto you, you\u2019re beautiful & free\u201d from the song \u201cGod in Drag.\u201d<\/p>\nIn the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly used the phrase \u201cBut I say unto you\u201d<\/a> to proclaim Himself as a higher authority than the scribes, according <\/a>to Got Questions.<\/p>\nWhen asked about his intentions in attending the Dove Awards despite not being nominated, Blake said he sees the appearance as \u201ca sort of banner-wielding, exploratory scouting expedition.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going to stir up trouble or demand a single thing,\u201d he told <\/a>Baptist News Global earlier this month. \u201cWe\u2019re simply going to be present, to express our queer joy, and to celebrate in our little corner of the room.\u201d<\/p>\nBlake said he hopes to make \u201cqueer Christians\u201d more visible simply by showing up at the Dove Awards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am interested in representation and taking up space and providing an option for Christians who believe in a God that redeems the whole world, not just the heteronormative parts of it,\u201d he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
Webb and Blake made headlines earlier this year when the male pair both donned makeup, colorful wigs and women\u2019s clothing while standing in front of a cross for a music video.<\/p>\n
The video <\/a>for\u00a0 \u201cBoys Will Be Girls\u201d includes the lyrics, \u201cI heard Jesus loved and spent his life with those who \/Were abandoned by proud and fearful men \/So if a church won\u2019t celebrate and love you \/They\u2019re believing lies that can\u2019t save you or them \/Cause you\u2019re so beautiful by any name.\u201d<\/p>\nHe also wrote a song titled \u201cGod in Drag,\u201d in which he appears to mock the biblical notions of Heaven and Hell:<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve heard it said \/Oh, God so loves but he\u2019ll reject you \/If you so choose he will respect you \/And for all time, he\u2019ll disconnect you \/From his love and those who\u2019ve left you \/And in the skies live on without you \/While the devil\u2019s flames surround you \/In the place that he designed to \/For eternity remind you \/Of the choice that\u2019s now behind you \/Either way, I bet you\u2019ll break a sweat.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nIn a July interview<\/a> with Sojourners, Webb said<\/a> he wrote the song \u201cfor a dear person in my life who came out to [him] just a few years ago\u201d and compared performing in drag for the \u201cBoys Will Be Girls\u201d video to the Incarnation of Christ.<\/p>\n\u201cThere is something about the experience of being put in drag by Flamy Grant that did feel incarnational to me,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s a great analog to the work that Jesus did, and the power that incarnational risk has.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dove Awards are set to air on TBN Oct. 20.<\/p>\n
\nIan M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post and the author of\u00a0BACKWARDS DAD: a children’s book for grownups<\/a><\/em>. He can be reached at:\u00a0ian.giatti@christianpost.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nFree<\/span> Religious Freedom Updates<\/h2>\nJoin thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/14\/98\/149859_w_760_398.webp\")
<\/source><\/picture>Derek Webb apparently really enjoys wearing dresses.<\/p>\n
So much so, in fact, the former Caedmon\u2019s Call singer decided he would wear one to the Dove Awards, the biggest night in Christian contemporary music (CCM) \u2014 and invite a drag performer to join him.<\/p>\n
While Webb is no stranger to the Dove Awards, with 10 nominations and three wins<\/a>, he said this year would be the first time he attended in person.<\/p>\n Webb shared <\/a>an image of himself wearing a woman\u2019s dress, pearls, and black stockings with the caption, \u201cdespite having won a few over the past 20+ years, tonight will be my first ever trip to the dove awards, in the company of some very good friends (@FlamyGrant<\/a> and @gracebaldridge<\/a>, among others). i hardly ever dress up, but this feels like a very special occasion\u201d.<\/p>\n despite having won a few over the past 20+ years, tonight will be my first ever trip to the dove awards, in the company of some very good friends (@FlamyGrant<\/a> and @gracebaldridge<\/a>, among others).<\/p>\n i hardly ever dress up, but this feels like a very special occasion. pic.twitter.com\/BgWLSgnPm9<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Derek Webb (@derekwebb) October 17, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A short time later, he tweeted <\/a>another image of himself along with Matthew Blake, a former worship leader<\/a> who wears makeup and women\u2019s clothing and performs under the name Flamy Grant, and Grace Baldridge, who performs as \u201cSemler.\u201d<\/p>\n 54th annual dove awards, here we come. pic.twitter.com\/USPiTnIT5n<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Derek Webb (@derekwebb) October 17, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Webb’s ex-wife, artist Sandra McCracken, was nominated at this year’s Dove Awards for her album Light in the Canyon.\u00a0<\/em>In 2014, Webb and McCracken divorced after 13 years of marriage after he admitted <\/a>to an extramarital affair. The duo has two children together.<\/p>\n While Webb attributed his wardrobe to the \u201cspecial occasion\u201d of the Dove Awards, the \u201cJesus Hypothesis\u201d singer hasn\u2019t shied away from wearing women\u2019s clothing on multiple occasions in recent months.\u00a0<\/p>\n On the same day as the Dove Awards photos, he posted <\/a>another image of him in the very same dress in an anniversary message to wife Abbie Parker.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, he also promoted <\/a>print-on-demand merch including a cup with an image of Webb wearing – you guessed it – a white skirt, along with the lyrics, \u201cbut I say unto you, you\u2019re beautiful & free\u201d from the song \u201cGod in Drag.\u201d<\/p>\n In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly used the phrase \u201cBut I say unto you\u201d<\/a> to proclaim Himself as a higher authority than the scribes, according <\/a>to Got Questions.<\/p>\n When asked about his intentions in attending the Dove Awards despite not being nominated, Blake said he sees the appearance as \u201ca sort of banner-wielding, exploratory scouting expedition.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not going to stir up trouble or demand a single thing,\u201d he told <\/a>Baptist News Global earlier this month. \u201cWe\u2019re simply going to be present, to express our queer joy, and to celebrate in our little corner of the room.\u201d<\/p>\n Blake said he hopes to make \u201cqueer Christians\u201d more visible simply by showing up at the Dove Awards.<\/p>\n \u201cI am interested in representation and taking up space and providing an option for Christians who believe in a God that redeems the whole world, not just the heteronormative parts of it,\u201d he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n Webb and Blake made headlines earlier this year when the male pair both donned makeup, colorful wigs and women\u2019s clothing while standing in front of a cross for a music video.<\/p>\n The video <\/a>for\u00a0 \u201cBoys Will Be Girls\u201d includes the lyrics, \u201cI heard Jesus loved and spent his life with those who \/Were abandoned by proud and fearful men \/So if a church won\u2019t celebrate and love you \/They\u2019re believing lies that can\u2019t save you or them \/Cause you\u2019re so beautiful by any name.\u201d<\/p>\n He also wrote a song titled \u201cGod in Drag,\u201d in which he appears to mock the biblical notions of Heaven and Hell:<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve heard it said \/Oh, God so loves but he\u2019ll reject you \/If you so choose he will respect you \/And for all time, he\u2019ll disconnect you \/From his love and those who\u2019ve left you \/And in the skies live on without you \/While the devil\u2019s flames surround you \/In the place that he designed to \/For eternity remind you \/Of the choice that\u2019s now behind you \/Either way, I bet you\u2019ll break a sweat.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n In a July interview<\/a> with Sojourners, Webb said<\/a> he wrote the song \u201cfor a dear person in my life who came out to [him] just a few years ago\u201d and compared performing in drag for the \u201cBoys Will Be Girls\u201d video to the Incarnation of Christ.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is something about the experience of being put in drag by Flamy Grant that did feel incarnational to me,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s a great analog to the work that Jesus did, and the power that incarnational risk has.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dove Awards are set to air on TBN Oct. 20.<\/p>\n Ian M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post and the author of\u00a0BACKWARDS DAD: a children’s book for grownups<\/a><\/em>. He can be reached at:\u00a0ian.giatti@christianpost.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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