Platinum-selling Verity Records artist Donnie McClurkin told Billboard magazine this month he is retiring from the music business after he delivers the last album on his contract next year.

McClurkin, pastor of Perfected Faith Church in Freeport, N.Y., said he never intended to be in the music business for the long haul. McClurkin founded the church four years ago and wants to devote more time to it. In the last few years, he has become one of gospel music's top-selling artists. His 1997 self-titled release on Warner Alliance was certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America.

Verity is scheduled to release McClurkin's new two-CD set, Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs, on April 5. McClurkin's biography, From Darkness to Light: The Donnie McClurkin Story, released last fall on DVD and is airing this month on Black Entertainment Television. A performance DVD of Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs is due out May 24. McClurkin recently appeared as a pastor in the movie Diary of a Mad Black Woman. He also has a role in this summer's Hopeville, a 20th Century Fox comedy co-starring Kirk Franklin.