The Answer Staff Writer 

When Spirit of Praise Ministries pranced off the Cashman Theatre stage clinching the ‘Best Gospel Group’ award, its members were convinced stardom was around the corner.

“We knew God had blessed us with some talented voices and our hearts for ministry couldn’t have been any bigger,” said Rochelle Schoener, co-founder of the group. “What more did we need?”

But shortly after the big win, one of the group’s vocal power houses and lead singer – Nina Hooks - was faced with several deadlines in her professional career as a teacher for the Clark County School District, and some personal challenges amongst leadership brought things to a halt.

“We turned down several ministry engagements because we didn’t want to sing without our lead vocalist and her schedule just didn’t permit her to do anything during those months,” Schoener explained. “The name of the group was Nina Hooks and the Spirit of Praise – it was essentially her and us – which was the way God designed it.”

The group, scheduled to release their first full project this spring, was birthed from an annual women’s retreat hosted by the founding duo’s home church. Nina Hooks and Spirit of Praise Ministries, as it was named then, took the Las Vegas area by storm during its first year. From its kickoff praise and worship set during the Gospel Music Workshop of America to the breathtaking worship injection at True Love Baptist Church’s Gospel Explosion – the group saturated the atmosphere wherever they ministered.

Alice Tugwell, KCEP’s Godmother of Gospel sang their accolades all over town. “Everybody was talking about them after they sang during a live remote broadcast for our station’s fundraiser,” she boasted during one of her Sunday shows.  

Moreover, the group seized gospel enthusiasts throughout the city during a free concert where attendance was so great fans were forced to sit in the church’s choir stand or join other listeners packed in a standing-room-only balcony. “They were the darlings of Las Vegas at that time,” said Pastor Henry Black, president of the Gospel Announcers and Broadcasters Association and radio personality at KCEP.

Undoubtedly, the impact of the voices and the rich worship during the team’s local city-wide tour left admirers eagerly anticipating the concert and the release of their single, which sold out in five minutes.

Since its two-month hiatus, Spirit of Praise Ministries has taken the ministries reins of Las Vegas and has once again, captured the hearts and ears of the people through grass roots worship.

Armed with the unmarked talent of Minister Kenneth Martin, Jr. and a fresh anointing of the spirit of God and voices – Spirit of Praise Ministries has returned to the work of ministry. “Nina has given the group her blessings to move forward until she can join us, and God has given us the power and authority to do what He positioned the group to accomplish,” said Schoener, the group’s musical director.

With their first full television debut scheduled to air April 28th in Las Vegas, San Francisco and Chicago on TLN (Total Living Network), Spirit of Praise Ministries has returned to the arena of ministry with a God-given force and a determination to touch hearts everywhere.

The group resurfaced with a short appearance at New Antioch Christian Fellowship during a revival earlier this year. It didn’t take long for the local Christian community to hear the team was back in ministry before they began to receive invitations – first True Love’s Gospel Explosion, KCEP’s Live Remote Gospel event, and then the Fremont Experience Taste of Sounds and Soul, where the group took listeners to the throne of God, and stopped Vegas visitors in their tracks to hear the sweet and perfected harmonies of worship, and the prevailing vocals of praise.“First of all, Rochelle is no joke. That girl has vocals,” said Sylvester Mitchell, an onlooker during the Fremont event. “And the four part harmony was flawless.”

Organizers of the event echoed the sentiments. “This group is good,” said Pastor David Wallace, also known as KCEP’s preacher man. “They have an awesome sound and a wonderful stage presence. People literally began to worship as they listened to them minister. That’s what it’s all about.”

In addition to Schoener and Hooks, members of the group include Tara Tatum, Karen Conard, Sonya Smith, Evelyn Kline, Henry Black III, Denise James, and musicians Martin (keyboards), Ronnie Johnson (keyboards), Shawn Johnson (drummer) and Mai-son McCurtis (drummer). New members include Patrice Coleman, Andrea Coleman and Monique Hawkins.Under the leadership of Schoener and Martin, the new sound of the group can be attributed to the expertise of the musical duo and the love each has for dynamics.

Schoener, known for standing on her tiptoes as she sings, possesses a voice that commands attention upon the first note and is considered a vocal dynasty in her own rights by many.

And while her powerful delivery - coupled with her masterful runs from one end of the musical scale to the other - rank superior on any stage, her directorial skills have pushed her to another level of ministry.

“I just believe that if you’re going to minister and sing to people that He will supply, you need to make sure they believe you – both vocally and physically,” she said.

“You don’t know what people have been through and are going through when you take that microphone. It may be your only chance to tell them who God is, where He brought you from and how He can deliver you. If that is your message, you have to be enthusiastic about it, and your dynamics in a song should reflect that,” she explained.

Directing choirs since age six, the Chicago native has worked with such gospel greats as Rev. James Moore, Mattie Moss Clark and the Jesse Jackson’s Push For Excellence Choir.

But her 30 years of experience, the precision in her ministry, and the spiritual sincerity she displays never change her ultimate goal of the testimony of God’s grace. “This is my life I’m singing about. If He hadn’t first loved me, I don’t know where I would be,” Schoener admitted.

Martin, a minister of the gospel and master of the keys, brings an added flavor to the group through his zest for ministry. Originally from the Bay Area, Martin – affectionately known as the soul worshipper – breathes worship and possesses an innate ability to please God. “I am just at a place that I would rather have favor with God that anything else,” he said.

“If my playing pleases Him and takes those singing to that music into a place where they can sit at the feet of God, I have accomplished something. If you enjoy it in the meantime, that’s even better,” the husband and father of two said.

Scheduled to take the lead of producing and arranging the music for the group’s upcoming concert in April, Martin has contributed a host of new compositions to the team’s repertoire. “I am blessed that God has given me so much to share with this group,” he said. “I am excited about the upcoming recordings and I can’t wait to share God’s gifts with others.”

The duo has teamed up to write, produce and arrange many of the songs for the new project, scheduled to be recorded in May, as well as the collaboration project with FalkonQuest playwrite and producer Sid Burston. “This man has worked with some of the greats in Gospel – both traditional and contemporary – so we can’t wait to bring the versatility of the Spirit of Praise to the table. The outcome should be exciting,” Schoener said.

For more information on Spirit of Praise Ministries, visit the website at www.spiritofpraiseministries.com or contact (702)561-3937.