Dove Award-winning Christian music group Point of Grace is speaking out after finding itself at the center of a heated controversy surrounding Michael Passons' rerelease of the beloved contemporary Christian anthem "Testify to Love."
The trio-Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino-used a recent episode of their Circle of Friends Podcast to address criticism they received after publicly commenting on Passons' social media post promoting a new version of the song. The rerecorded track, which features former Avalon members Michael Passons and Melissa Greene alongside country artist Ty Herndon, has been embraced by many supporters as an affirmation of LGBTQ+ love and inclusion.
In the weeks following the song's release, some observers interpreted Point of Grace's supportive comment as an endorsement of that message. The group now says that interpretation was never their intention.
According to Breen, the controversy began when she left a simple message on Passons' Instagram post.
"Michael, we sure love you. We cherish our long-standing friendship with you. Your voice is one of a kind. Love your songbirds," she recalled writing on behalf of the group.
The comment also included praise for Ty Herndon's singing voice.
What Breen expected to be a kind gesture toward an old friend quickly generated a storm of criticism online.
"Very, very shortly after I made it, this song really took on a life of its own," Breen explained. "And honestly, virally, at least it did. It kind of became like an LGBTQ anthem of sorts."
The situation intensified when online reports characterized the group's comment as praise for the LGBTQ+-affirming rerelease itself rather than for Passons personally.
"Now, I'm not even going to get into the beating that we took online simply from being misunderstood," Breen said.
The singer emphasized that her message was intended as an expression of friendship and admiration for Passons' musical gifts, not a statement regarding the theological debate surrounding sexuality.
"When I made the comment, y'all, I was truly just trying to be nice," she said. "I really was."
Breen repeatedly affirmed the group's affection for Passons, who toured with Point of Grace for years as their keyboard player.
"Michael, we love you. Your voice is awesome," she stated.
During the podcast discussion, the group revealed that their friendship with Passons stretches back decades. Breen recalled how close they became while traveling together on tour and described him as "a kind human" whom the members of Point of Grace continue to love deeply.
"He may not have been our piano player anymore, but we never stopped loving him," she said.
The conversation then shifted to a broader question that Breen posed to listeners: Can friendships survive profound disagreements on important issues?
"I believe that it can," she said.
At the same time, Breen made clear that she and Passons do not share the same views regarding LGBTQ+ issues.
"Michael and I don't agree on this topic," she explained. "Can we love a person without supporting a cause? I guess is the big question of the day."
The group's comments appeared intended to reassure longtime supporters who questioned whether Point of Grace had altered its theological convictions.
Denise Jones acknowledged reading social media criticism accusing the group of abandoning its beliefs. Some commenters even referred to the trio as "Point of Disgrace," a label Jones admitted was painful to see.
"We have not changed," Breen responded firmly. "Nothing, nothing has changed. We're the same."
She emphasized that the group's identity remains rooted in its Christian faith and commitment to Scripture.
"We started because we love God, we love people and we love to sing," Breen said. "And the first one being, we love God and we love His Word. And we believe that inspired Word is true in every way."
Jones echoed those sentiments, adding that Scripture has become even more central to the group's lives in recent years.
"I would say, over the past few years, His Word has become more revered to us," Jones said. "God's grown us so much."
Leigh Cappillino agreed, explaining that she depends on biblical guidance in every area of life.
"I don't want to do it without His Word guiding me," she said. "I will flop, flop, flop."
The most direct theological statement came from Jones, who addressed the group's understanding of biblical teaching on sexuality. While acknowledging the emotional complexity of the discussion, she stated that Point of Grace continues to hold a traditional Christian view of marriage.
"Scripture consistently calls same-sex relations sin and reserves marriage and sex for one man and one woman," Jones said.
Despite those convictions, the singers stressed that their friendship with Passons remains intact.
The controversy highlights an increasingly common challenge facing Christian artists: navigating relationships across theological differences while communicating clearly in an era where social media comments can quickly become national headlines.
For Point of Grace, the message they wanted listeners to hear was straightforward. Their comment was intended as an expression of love and friendship toward a longtime colleague whose musical gifts they still admire. While they continue to disagree with Michael Passons on matters related to sexuality and marriage, they insist those disagreements have not diminished their affection for him as a person.
As Breen reflected during the podcast, the debate ultimately comes down to a question many Christians continue to wrestle with: how to maintain genuine relationships with people they deeply care about while remaining faithful to their convictions.
For Point of Grace, the answer appears to be found in continuing to love their friend-even when they disagree.
