Founded by Pastor Clay Evans and his successor at the Fellowship Methodist Baptist Church of Chicago, Pastor Charles Jenkins, the aim of the choir was to focus on their younger teenaged churchgoers. Often referred to as Moses (Evans) and Joshua (Jenkins) by its congregation, the group eventually took the name Joshua's Troop in honor of Jenkins and released its self-titled debut album in 2000. A second album, Project Youth, followed in 2004. By 2007 the group was under the direction of brothers Percy and Jeral Gray, both of the gospel group New Direction. The third Joshua's Troop album, JT3, arrived later that year, followed in 2010 by Troop Nation. ~ Timothy Monger