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Get ready for the biggest night in gospel music! The Stellar Gospel Music Awards is gearing up to be an unforgettable celebration of faith, excellence, and musical legacy. This year, the prestigious event is making a historic move to the Queen City. The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards will be taped live at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 15, 2026 +1.

The main ceremony will serve as the crown jewel of a multi-day celebration known as Stellar Plus Week, scheduled for August 12-14, 2026. Fans can look forward to an immersive experience featuring master classes, soundstages, fashion shows, comedy showcases, and other exciting activities leading up to the big night .

Operating under this year’s powerful theme—“OUR MUSIC, OUR VOICE, OUR CULTURE”—the ceremony has officially unveiled a breathtaking roster of performers and presenters that will grace the stage.

Fans are especially thrilled to see worship powerhouse Todd Dulaney and the electrifying Lisa Knowles-Smith added to the performance lineup. Both artists have been delivering incredible ministry this year, and their upcoming Stellar Awards appearances are highly anticipated.

They will be joining an already massive list of gospel music royalty and contemporary favorites set to perform, including:

• Jekalyn Carr 
• John P. Kee with New Life Community Choir 
• Jonathan McReynolds
• Tasha Cobbs Leonard
• Pastor Mike Jr.
• Donnie McClurkin
• Jason Nelson
• Tramaine Hawkins
• Dottie Peoples
• William Murphy
• Melvin Crispell III
• Tasha Page-Lockhart
• Lisa Page Brooks
• MAJOR.
• Adia
• Jamal Roberts
• Nathan Davis Jr.
• Pastor Mike Todd & Transformation Worship
• New Direction Gospel Choir of Tennessee State University

Beyond the incredible musical performances, the 41st Stellar Awards will feature a fantastic lineup of special guest presenters handing out the night’s top honors. The presenter list includes actor and comedian Lil Rel Howery, actress Dominique Perry, worship artist Dante Bowe, gospel star Isaac Carree, and television personality/singer Trina Braxton, with more names expected to be announced closer to the show.

Founded in 1985 by Central City Productions CEO Don Jackson, the Stellar Awards continue to celebrate excellence in gospel music. The 41st iteration of the show will air nationwide on television networks including BET, Bounce TV, and the Stellar Network .

Stay tuned to iPraiseRadio.com as we continue to bring you the latest updates, ticket information, winner announcements, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the 2026 Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Charlotte!

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Joyful news is ringing throughout the gospel music community! Bishop Marvin Sapp, the beloved gospel singer and pastor, has officially tied the knot with Dr. La’Boris Cole in early 2026.

Fans of the “Never Would Have Made It” singer know his powerful testimony well. Sapp has always been transparent about his journey as a widower following the tragic passing of his late wife, MaLinda Prince Sapp, who lost her battle with colon cancer in 2010 . For over a decade, Bishop Sapp devoted himself entirely to raising their children. Now that his children are adults—with the two eldest already married and starting families of their own—God has granted the legendary singer the desire of his heart to find love and companionship once again .

The beautiful union between Bishop Sapp and Dr. Cole is built on a remarkably solid foundation. The two were close friends for more than ten years before they began a private courtship, keeping their relationship out of the public eye until they were certain of its direction . Their journey to the altar was marked by a heartwarming surprise engagement, beautifully orchestrated by Sapp’s own children under the guise of a birthday party. Surrounded by both of their families, Sapp got down on one knee and presented Dr. Cole with a stunning diamond ring to commemorate their commitment to one another .

The wedding celebrations and stunning photos of the couple in their wedding attire began surfacing across social media and news outlets in early April 2026, showing the newlyweds glowing with happiness as they celebrated their union

+1. The gospel community, fans, and fellow artists have been pouring out love and congratulations for the couple as they step into this new season of life and ministry together

.

Join us here at iPraiseRadio.com and the Gospel Newsroom in sending our warmest congratulations and prayers to Bishop Marvin Sapp and Dr. La’Boris Cole on their beautiful marriage! May God bless their new chapter together.

By Gospel Newsroom powered by iPraiseRadio.com

BROOKLYN, NY — For decades, Bishop Hezekiah Walker has been a towering figure in Gospel music, his anthems echoing through churches, family reunions, and moments of triumph worldwide. But today, the Grammy Award-winning artist and senior pastor of Love Fellowship Tabernacle is making headlines for a different kind of legacy—one built with bricks, mortar, and a profound commitment to his community.

Walker is officially expanding his ministry into real estate and community development with the near-completion of HezHouse Apartments, a massive $80 million, 10-story affordable housing development in East New York, Brooklyn.

A Vision Born in Prayer

The journey to HezHouse Apartments began over a decade ago. In 2011, Walker and his congregation were preparing to build a massive 2,000-seat church on a vacant property they had purchased on Pacific Street in 1998. However, a moment of divine intervention changed the course of the project.

“While I was in prayer, I heard God telling me not to build a church, but to build something that would benefit the people in the community,” Walker shared.

Shortly after, developers approached him about the pressing need for affordable housing in the area. Recognizing the shifting landscape of modern ministry—especially in a post-pandemic world where online church attendance has surged—Walker pivoted. When he presented the idea of building housing instead of a mega-church to his congregation, they responded with a standing ovation.

“They were like, ‘Yes, let’s do something for the community. Let’s leave a legacy,'” Walker recalled.

Inside HezHouse Apartments

To bring this vision to life, Walker founded the Hezekiah Walker Community Development Corporation in 2013. Now, after years of navigating city approvals, financing, and development hurdles, the vision is a reality.

HezHouse Apartments will provide 236 affordable housing units to the East New York and Brownsville border. The building is thoughtfully designed to accommodate families of all sizes, featuring:

• 63 studios
• 72 one-bedroom units
• 73 two-bedroom units
• 28 three-bedroom units

What truly sets HezHouse apart is its commitment to the most vulnerable. The development includes 142 supportive housing units specifically designed for individuals and families dealing with serious mental health challenges or substance use disorders. Of those, 93 are designated as deeply affordable units, ensuring safe, stable housing for those who need it most.

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Despite the massive scale of the $80 million project, Walker ensured that the church retained its roots in the community. While the city attempted to buy the land outright during negotiations, Walker refused.

“You can build the building, but the land will always be ours,” he stated. “We leased the land for 99 years. That’s what legacy is all about. We leave it for those that are behind us.”

The development also features commercial space on the ground floor. While the final use is still being determined, Walker is leaning toward creating an adult daycare center to support seniors whose families work during the day.

As residents prepare to move into HezHouse Apartments this spring, Bishop Walker’s project stands as a powerful testament to what modern ministry can look like.

“I really want to leave a legacy above and beyond music,” Walker said. “I want to be able to say to people and show people that Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir was not just out here singing for money and popularity, we were singing to invest in our community.”

By stepping beyond the four walls of the church, Bishop Hezekiah Walker is proving that the hands and feet of Jesus can look a lot like a safe, affordable place to call home.

Stay tuned to iPraiseRadio.com for more updates on how Gospel artists are impacting their communities!