Some folks preach grace from the pew but throw stones from their phones.
Brandon Lake knew teaming up with Jelly Roll on a gospel anthem wasn’t going to be everyone’s cup of communion wine, but he didn’t expect the loudest backlash to come from people who claim to follow the same Jesus he does.
Earlier this year, the Christian music chart-topper and the country outlaw turned redemption story dropped a soulful duet of “Hard Fought Hallelujah.” It was gritty, honest, and raw. Everything you’d expect from a man who crawled his way out of addiction and prison, and a worship leader not afraid to cross lines if it means reaching people in the dark. They even brought it to life under the Nashville night sky at CMA Fest, where a towering 50-foot cross lit up over Nissan Stadium. But instead of universal praise, some “fellow believers” sharpened their keyboards.
“I didn’t expect to get so much hate from those who confess to be Christians,” Lake admitted during a recent show, visibly moved by the criticism. “The last time I checked, those who were carrying the light were supposed to go towards the darkness.”
It wasn’t critics outside the faith that rattled him. It was the cold shoulders from the very people who sing about grace every Sunday, yet seem offended when it shows up in boots, tattoos, and a past riddled with scars.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, isn’t shy about his spiritual journey. His music bleeds truth, equal parts confession and salvation, and that’s precisely what drew Lake in. After watching Jelly deliver a stripped-down version of “I Believe” with Brooks & Dunn at the 2024 CMA Awards, Lake was floored.
“I watched this man accidentally lead the world in worship,” he said. “It gave me the confidence to reach out to him.”
That confidence paid off. The duo’s version of “Hard Fought Hallelujah” sounds like what happens when redemption walks into the room and doesn’t need church clothes to prove it. But the backlash reminded them both that authenticity still makes people uncomfortable, especially when it doesn’t look like what they expected.
Jelly himself spoke on it: “I’ve been called a ‘lukewarm,’ a ‘fence-rider,’ a ‘cussing Christian.’ I know God’s got a lot more to do with me. But my heart is to share the faith that changed my life.”
He never claimed to be perfect. He built his career on letting the imperfections bleed into the music. And Lake didn’t choose him despite the controversy, he chose him because he saw something real.
“You are thinking so dangerously outside of the box,” Lake told Jelly. “But I got your heart.”
Lake doubled down with a message that cuts through every online opinion: “If you do believe in Jesus, don’t you dare be afraid to go where God’s calling you to, to reach the lost, to reach the broken.”
Say what you want about the pairing, but “Hard Fought Hallelujah” is a modern-day psalm for anyone who’s walked through hell and still had the nerve to raise their hands. It’s not buttoned-up. It’s not polite. It’s not for people looking to play church. It’s for the wounded, the wandering, the wild, and the ones who know faith doesn’t need to be fancy to be real.
Turns out, heaven’s choir might sound more like a Jelly Roll chorus than some folks would like. Good thing grace doesn’t need their approval.
