Cory Asbury on finding forgiveness after his viral video controversy

Can anything good come from offending someone on the internet? Yes, says singer songwriter Cory Asbury. And he should know 

The ‘Reckless Love’ writer Cory Asbury is no stranger to criticism.

He recently sat down with me for a long conversation about the state of Contemporary Christian Music, his outspoken approach to social media and why he had decided to take a break from the internet.  

You can hear that conversation now on The Profile podcast (and read it in the next edition of this magazine).

Yet shortly after that interview was conducted, Asbury was back online, and back at the centre of controversy. This time for a parody video which appeared to mock another Christian artist. Forrest Frank had recorded a song from his hospital bed after breaking his back in a skateboarding accident. Frank’s testimony of his miraculous recovery had gone viral online, inspiring a slew of takeoffs. Asbury’s “dicey” take was to also write a song of praise from his hospital bed, only the context was him recovering from a vasectomy (the lyrics included, “Snip, snip season but we stay winning souls / Spread the gospel not my seed”). Many took offence over the episode – including Frank.

Yet the story had a happy ending. Asbury was quick to…