BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The hits keep coming for Pastor Mike McClure Jr. He’s won 11 Stellar Music Awards in the last three years.

Pastor Mike Jr., said “[this is] the first time since 2006, 2007 that someone won Artist of the Year, back to back. So it’s an incredible time to be alive.”

His song “Amazing” received one of six awards at the 37th annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which will air on BET August 7. Pastor Mike also received awards for Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the year, Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year and the Urban Inspiration/Single performance award for his song “Amazing.”

Pastor Mike recently wowed fans in Birmingham during the closing ceremony for The World Games 2022 performing some of his biggest hits including the Stellar award winning songs “Big” and “Amazing.”

When asked about the experience of being one of the artists chosen to record the theme song for the games, he said, “first off I just want to thank Dr. Panion for giving me that opportunity. They placed that responsibility for the music in his hands. The fact that so many people, when they get that opportunity they rush to work with people who they always wanted to work with. But, his ability and his acumen to keep it local was so important to me.”

“So, when they sent me the song, it was very different than they type of music I do. I was like what they want me to do with this? And he was like ‘be you.’ And that night, we got a chance to perform it. All of this is new, so I’m standing next to Reuben then I got Bo Bice on this side, The Blind Boys of Alabama right here. It was a special moment. So at the closing ceremony every body was laughing, they said you were singing, singing!” Pastor Mike continued. “But, it just meant so much that Birmingham was the place for reconciliation and change. The world stopped when Birmingham took notice. And so for us, the beneficiary babies of that movement, the beneficiary babies of the people who, all they had was hope.. now we’re a generation of people who have creature comforts, who are still singing about hope. It was transcendent man.”

Pastor Mike Jr. is the Senior Pastor and Founder of Rock City Church in Birmingham. From music to ministry, he has a lot of lights shining on him as he continues his climb in the gospel music world.

These days when he meets the artists whose work has helped influence his craft, like Kirk Franklin, Smokie Norful, Tye Tribbett or Fred Hammond he said, “instead of now being awe struck, I say ‘tell me something you wish somebody would have told you.'”

On Sunday, August 7 at 8 p.m. ET on BET Pastor Mike will perform at the 37th annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards hosted by Jekayln Carr and Kierra Sheard.

According to the news release promoting this years event, “The Stellar Awards recognize the year’s best performances in the Gospel music genre, honor Gospel music icons, and acknowledge the accomplishments of individuals instrumental in advocating for the Gospel music industry.”