Forrest Frank Surprises NYC Pastor with Courtside Seats to Knicks Finals Thriller

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Forrest Frank’s concert in New York City was pushed back one night due to the NBA Finals, so he used the unexpected opportunity to go to the Knicks game – and to surprise a local pastor with a courtside experience.

Frank was in the middle of the Northeast leg of his nationwide Jesus Generation tour when a scheduled Wednesday, June 10, stop at Madison Square Garden collided with the Knicks' unexpected playoff run – and the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.

The Your Way’s Better singer was forced to postpone his concert until the following night, but not before finding a way to enjoy the unexpected free evening with a local fan. On game day, he posted an Instagram video asking his followers to help him find a local Knicks supporter to join him courtside. He ultimately selected Matt G. Sierra, a pastor at V1 Church who is also a Knicks fan.

“This is the most surreal thing,” Sierra said hours before the game as he learned he was picked.

“This is a God thing,” the pastor added.

The experience turned out to be unforgettable. The Knicks erased a 29-point deficit and completed the comeback on an OG Anunoby tip-in with less than two seconds remaining to win 107-106. Frank and Sierra could even be seen on the television broadcast during the game-winning sequence, visible in the lower-right corner of the screen with their backs to the camera – each jumping up and down. It was the largest come-from-behind victory in NBA Finals history.

The Knicks now lead the series 3-1 and are one victory away from capturing their first NBA championship since 1973.

“Internet, I need your help,” Frank said in his game-day video. “So, I'm in New York City right now. We were supposed to play Madison Square Garden tonight, but because of the NBA Finals being here, our show got moved to tomorrow, and I was thinking, man, it would be so fun to invite someone who's deserving and could maybe use encouragement. So here's what we're gonna do. I want you to comment below a story about someone who should be there – it could be someone who's just a super fan that couldn't afford a ticket, or someone who just needs that boost of encouragement, and I want to bring them as my buddy to the game.”

After the game, Frank posted a video of the two celebrating the Knicks’ win in the final seconds.

Sierra also used the moment to point viewers to faith.

“God is so real – He's so much realer than you could ever ask,” Sierra said. “He'll do so much more in your life. Be faithful with the little.”

Frank’s Jesus Generation tour also includes Tori Kelly, Cory Asbury, and The Figs.

Photo Credit: ©Instagram / Forrest Frank

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. 

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