All photos by Mike Zimmerman Christian hip hop artist and rapper is not only a devout Lutheran; he is a beacon conveying Christ’s message to youth across the nation.
FLAME (Marcus Tyrone Gray), along with his special guest DJ Code (Jared Coad), lit up the Superdome on Sunday, June 20 at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering in New Orleans for a Mass Event. Introduced by CUW’s three student ambassadors, Emma Kaiser, Nina Seeger, and Micah Yurk, FLAME stepped out on stage, creating a strong, spiritual tidal wave of excitement, flowing through 20,000 plus Lutheran attendees all ready to engage with his message.
“Being on stage to introduce FLAME was one of the most surreal moments of my life,” says Kaiser, who on stage was praying inside her head the entire time she spoke. “Standing out in front of 20,000 people is intimidating but it’s all the while more comforting when I knew my Savior was standing with me. It was never about me; it was about preparing hearts to hear what God had to say through FLAME’s music.”
The message—’You are that JOY!’
Prior to his concert performance, FLAME spoke to the attendees about how instrumental Christ has been in his own life. He replayed the anecdote of him as a 16-year-old standing on a classroom desk, in the middle of a lecture, proclaiming his love for Jesus and telling the teacher that nothing the teacher was saying really mattered … that what really mattered was whether or not you go to heaven or hell.
This extremely passionate outburst landed him in the principal’s office upon receipt. However, that moment was a catalyst for him, paving the way to God’s vocation for him as a Christian speaker and performer. What he once thought, as a youth, was that trying to impress God with these jarring acts—seeking His approval—was what God wanted, but in fact, it was quite the opposite.
“We live in what I like to call ‘selfie mode,'” says FLAME, “always examining ourselves, comparing ourselves to others, criticizing ourselves, we try to prove, to not only God, but to one another and to ourselves that we are worthy.”
According to FLAME and Scripture, we need to look beyond ourselves and look to Jesus, “because only Jesus is the founder and perfector of our life.” Jesus died for our sins, and through Jesus’ resurrection we “have access to the victory Jesus has won for us.”
FLAME’s message, overall, was about God’s forgiveness and undying love for us. That we do not need to be sad or depressed about falling short because of His grace and kindness. “You are not your sins … you are not your mistakes … you are not your followers on social media, you are not your spiritual exploits—it’s true.”
He ends his speech saying that we are God’s joy. “We can stop hiding. You don’t need to be enough because Jesus is enough … let us rest in Him.”
The crowd ignites
From the minute FLAME set foot on stage to the moment he ended his performance, attendees were elated.
“The crowd’s response to FLAME was incredible!” says Kaiser. “FLAME’s style of music is totally new to me. So, to see thousands of people instantly light up when he came on stage was wild! The energy in the room shifted—people were on their feet, hands in the air, singing along, fully locked in. It was such a powerful reminder that worship comes in so many forms. Even though his music is different from what I’m used to, I could feel how deeply it was connecting with people—and that was amazing to witness.”
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Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.