National Baptists choose Connecticut pastor Boise Kimber as next president

After an unusual election that gave voters the choice on the ballot of a name or a “no,” members of the National Baptist Convention, USA, lined up behind a new president, Boise Kimber, senior pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven, Connecticut.

Kimber, who ran unopposed but needed the approval of the historically Black denomination’s delegates, received 1,774 “yes” votes, or 69 percent of the votes cast, on Thursday, while 79 votes, or 31 percent, were cast as “no” votes.

“Oh, how marvelous God is,” said Kimber, after outgoing NBCUSA President Jerry Young invited him to greet those attending the final session of the annual meeting. “My brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet you in the name of him who orders our steps. What God has done no persons can put asunder.”