Brandon Lake: People Are Tired of ‘Slick Preachers’ and Are Hungry for the Authentic Gospel
Singer Brandon Lake urged fellow artists to boldly share the gospel wherever they go as he accepted a pair of awards during the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards, saying the world is hungry for truth and authenticity. Lake won both Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year at the annual event, which was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn., and broadcast Friday on TBN. CeCe Winans won Female Artist of the Year, while MercyMe took home Group of the Year.
It’s been a banner year for Lake, who released a new album, King of Hearts, last year and recently concluded a nationwide tour. He also broadened his audience through collaborations with artists including Jelly Roll, Nick Jonas, Bailey Zimmerman, and Lainey Wilson. He urged artists to share the gospel during their concerts and not rely solely on the music to communicate the message. Lake did as much on each stop of his tour and estimates that around 100,000 concertgoers raised their hands to say they had prayed to receive Christ.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said, adding that “God put on my heart to begin to share the gospel [each night] at the very end.”
“Share the gospel,” he told the audience, which was composed of fans and fellow artists. “It's not hard—and honestly, you should share it in the broken [way]. Don’t be a slick pastor—people are over it, just share your heart.”
Seemingly alluding to signs of spiritual awakening across the nation, Lake urged artists to remain bold in their faith.
“There is a reason why the secular space is looking at ours, and they're taking note,” he said. “God is doing something really beautiful in our nation—so don't buy the lie. And even though there's craziness going on out there, the darker that it gets, the brighter your light is going to shine.”
Lake described his collaborations as opportunities to build relationships and encourage artists who are exploring faith.
“If the rooms you're in are really bright, find a new room. If you carry the light of Christ inside of you, go find a room that's a little darker, because the world needs you—they need your story. I'm having a lot of conversations with a lot of artists and a lot of very influential places, and y'all, you just would never believe how hungry people are for the truth, and there's so many that are this close.
“Go across the street, go across the country. I don't collaborate with all these crazy people so that I can have more fame. Trust me, I could care less. But I'm telling you, man, they're hungry for the gospel, and they want to put their testimony on display. They just need a little encouragement. They need to sit down across the table, break some bread, and have somebody just pour some gas on their fire and tell them that it's worth getting up on the stage and singing about their faith—they don't have to hide it.
“And so, as long as you support me, listen, I'm going to be that guy that stays in the church, but I will never stop moving towards the lost. That's what I'm about, that's what I'm doing, that's what you're going to see.”
Meanwhile, Lake also took a moment to poke fun at fake Facebook stories about his personal life.
“Everything on Facebook right now is fake,” he said to applause. “I'm not having twin girls. My wife's alive. I didn't go to space with Katy Perry, and I obviously don't have a throat tattoo.”
Following is the full list of winners:
- Artist of the Year—Brandon Lake
- Group of the Year—MercyMe
- Female Artist of the Year—CeCe Winans
- Male Artist of the Year—Brandon Lake
- Song of the Year—“Left it in the River,” Jamie MacDonald
- Worship Song of the Year— “Homesick for Heaven,” Phil Wickham
- Breakout Single—“Get Behind Me,” Emerson Day
- Sports Impact—RobertAnthony Cruz (Coach RAC), Savannah Bananas
- Book Impact— “Hey Girl,” Anne Wilson
- Film Impact— “I Can Only Imagine 2”
- TV/Streaming Impact—“House of David,” Season 2
- Podcast Impact—“Whoa That’s Good,” Sadie Robertson Huff
Photo credit: ©KLove/Full Show/Jason Davis
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published June 01, 2026.
