The Birmingham Times
Birmingham’s Pastor Mike Jr. on Saturday won in all nine categories in which he was nominated in the 2025 Stellar Gospel Music Awards including artist of the year for a record fourth time.
It was clearly one of the most dominant showings by a gospel artist in the show’s history as Pastor Mike Jr. — known as PMJ — surpassed gospel legends Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp (three wins each) for most artist of the year Stellar awards.
Born Michael McClure Jr., PMJ is founder and senior pastor of of Rock City Church in the Birmingham metro area. In addition to artist of the year, his wins included Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year upping his total of Stellar awards to 28, making the 41-year-old one of gospel’s most decorated artists.
He won five awards for his EP “I Got Away,” which reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, and four awards for his single “Amen,” which peaked at No. 4 on Hot Gospel Songs in January 2025.
The night came on a somber weekend for PMJ. His grandfather Bishop Calvin Woods, a Birmingham Civil Rights icon, passed on Saturday morning at age 91.
The award ceremony was held in Nashville and recorded for broadcast at 7 p.m. Central time on Saturday, Aug. 30 on the Stellar Network and 7 p.m. Central time Sunday, Aug. 31, on BET.
Here’s a full list of PMJ’s awards:
Artist of the Year
Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Song of the Year
“Amen,” Michael McClure Jr., Adia Andrews, Terrell Anthony Pettus, Andrea Crouch, & David “DLo” Outing; Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
Male Artist of the Year
Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Album of the Year
I Got Away EP; Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
Producer of the Year
Michael McClure Jr., & David “DLo” Outing II; Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Contemporary Male Artist of the Year
Pastor Mike Jr.; I Got Away EP; Rock City Media Group
Urban Single or Performance of the Year
Amen; Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
Music Video of the Year
“Amen,” Pastor Mike Jr., Tony “Mr.YNOT” Minifield, Drae Rudolph & Kevin “Krispy” Key/Moon Men; Rock City Media Group
Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year
“Amen,” Pastor Mike Jr.; Rock City Media Group
