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<\/source><\/picture>NASHVILLE \u2014 Brandon Lake, Katy Nichole and Blessing Offor won top honors at the 54th annual GMA Dove Awards<\/a>, while \u201cThe Goodness of God\u201d by Bethel Church worship leader Jenn Johnson earned the \u201cSong of the Year\u201d award.\u00a0<\/p>\n This year\u2019s awards, which honor the best in Christian music and media, were held at Lipscomb\u2019s Allen Arena on Oct. 17 and hosted by Tauren Wells.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lake, who received 11 nominations, snagged the coveted \u201cArtist of the Year\u201d and \u201cSongwriter of the Year\u201d awards, along with \u201cWorship Recorded Song of the Year\u201d for \u201cGratitude\u201d and \u201cRap\/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year\u201d for \u201cGraves,\u201d a collaboration with hip-hop artist KB.<\/p>\n Nichole, whose breakthrough hit \u201cIn Jesus Name (God of Possible)\u201d set records on Billboard\u2019s Hot Christian Songs<\/a> and Christian Airplay<\/a> charts, won \u201cNew Artist of the Year.\u201d She received four nods, more than any other female artist.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt the presence of God in almost all of the songs that I’ve put out,\u201d the 23-year-old artist told The Christian Post<\/a>. \u201cI don’t really like to put things out if I didn\u2019t have a personal experience, or I didn’t have a personal moment with the Lord. My hope is that my relationship with Jesus will encourage someone else to have a relationship with Jesus. I just always pray that God moves.\u201d<\/p>\n Offor won \u201cPop\/Contemporary Recorded Song of The Year\u201d for \u201cBrighter Days\u201d and \u201cShort Form Music Video of The Year (Performance)\u201d for \u201cThe Goodness\u201d with TobyMac.<\/p>\n The artist told CP that whenever he pens a song, he has the goal of leaving an \u201cindelible mark\u201d on the heart of the listener.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBrighter days aren’t here yet, but they are going to be. There are going to be brighter days,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s a waiting song; I always want to emphasize that to people. It’s not a song about things being perfect. It’s a song about holding out hope and believing that they will get better. That is the best truth you can ever share with anybody. They don’t have to be perfect now for you to know that it’s coming.”<\/p>\n Johnson, who performed and penned \u201cThe Goodness of God\u201d along with Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram and Brian Johnson, told CP she believes the song is resonating with so many because it reminds listeners of God\u2019s presence amid dark times. \u201cIt brings hope,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other big winners of the night included: Tasha Cobbs Leonard, who won “Gospel Worship Album of the Year” for Hymns (Live) <\/em>and “Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year” for \u201cIt Is Well\u201d; Lecrae for “Rap\/Hip-Hop Album of the Year” for Church Clothes 4<\/em>; TobyMac for “Pop\/Contemporary Album of the Year” for Life After Death<\/em>; Elevation Worship for \u201cWorship Album of the Year\u201d for LION: Live From the Loft; <\/em>and Jason Crabb and Dylan Scott for “Bluegrass\/Country\/Roots Recorded Song of the Year” for \u201cGood Morning Mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie Holcomb, who won “Children\u2019s Recorded Song of the Year” for \u201cSounding Joy,\u201d told CP she\u2019s passionate about instilling biblical truths in children at a young age.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up in the church, I’m so grateful for that. Some of the things that have stuck with me the most from being a kid are the songs that I sang \u2014 \u201cMy God is so big\/ So strong and so mighty\/ There’s nothing my God cannot do.\u2019 I thought, man, could it be possible that I could help start sowing seeds of truth, seeds of love, seeds of hope in little hearts and help little hearts carry around big truths? And that is my hope for all my kids’ books, for all my kids’ records, and for my music as well.”<\/p>\n “It’s really beautiful, specifically for the children, to help their hearts know the sweetness and the tenderness of God at such a young age,\u201d she added. \u201cThey’re so open and ready to receive it. Yes, they teach me all the time about faith. I think for them to have that at a really young age is a gift for me, and I pray that it will be a gift.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cFeature Film of the Year\u201d award went to \u201cJesus Revolution,\u201d while the hit series following the life of Christ, \u201cThe Chosen,\u201d won \u201cTelevision Series of the Year,\u201d a category it won last year as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chad Gunderson, one of the producers of \u201cThe Chosen,\u201d told CP that viewers of all backgrounds and religious beliefs are drawn to the \u201cauthenticity\u201d of the series.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we do our best just to make a good show. And that’s what we hear from a lot of the nonbelievers out there \u2014 that it\u2019s a cool show, good characters, good writing, good production value and all those types of things. For that alone, we’re getting a lot of people.”<\/p>\n “Within the faith community, we’re showing an authentic Jesus,\u201d he continued. \u201cWe’re not showing this disconnected, holier-than-thou Jesus. He is the Son of God, and we portray Him as that. It\u2019s not like we ever shy away from the deity of Christ. But at the same time, He laughs, He cries, He jokes, and He does things that any man would do. Therefore, the disciples are just drawn to Him. And obviously, that draws our audience in.\u201d<\/p>\n Performers at the event included Brandon Lake, Elevation Worship, for King and Country, Jordin Sparks, Lauren Daigle, Blanca and Jekalyn Carr, Elevation Worship, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound and Take 6, and Jason Crabb and Dylan Scott. TobyMac, GRITS, Hulvey and Social Club Misfits also performed.\u00a0<\/p>\n The two-hour awards show was taped in Nashville on Oct. 17 and aired exclusively on TBN and the TBN app three nights later, on Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET and again at 10 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/15\/07\/150755_w_760_914.webp\")
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