A 小蓝视频icut pastor will be the new president of the largest Black Protestant in the U.S., bringing to an end a leadership election that stirred division among members.
The Rev. Boise Kimber, senior pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven, 小蓝视频icut. 鈥� and the only person on the ballot Thursday night in Baltimore 鈥� was elected to lead the National Baptist Convention, USA as its 19th president, according to the convention. The election was marked with controversy over the eligibility of four candidates who officials said did not qualify.
Kimber won the top post with a vote of 1,744 to 794, and replaces Mississippi pastor, the Rev. Jerry Young, who ran the Nashville, Tennessee-based N小蓝视频USA for a decade. Kimber, who previously served as the N小蓝视频USA board secretary, said he felt a 鈥渟igh of relief鈥� once the election results were announced at the convention's meeting,
Kimber said that while it was a fair election, he remains concerned about uniting the convention and fostering an atmosphere where every member congregation thrives. He said he will embark on a national 鈥渓istening tour鈥� even as the convention shifts its focus to the election of the next U.S. president.
Those upset by the election procedures think the controversy should rekindle debates over the denomination's relevancy and role at a time of political and social upheaval. The Rev. Matthew V. Johnson, who leads Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, distributed a manifesto titled 鈥淩ebirth鈥� challenging church members to address issues about the N小蓝视频USA's future that it has avoided for decades.
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Darren Sands, The Associated Press
