Was the fix in recently at the National Baptist Convention USA's 2024 election for president? If you’ve ever wondered what happens when church politics turn into a full-blown drama fest—think reality TV with hymnals—you’re in for a surprise.
Personally, I am not surprised by the accusations of backroom deals leading to the rise of Dr. Boise Kimber, the new President of the National Baptist Convention.
Black Church Convention Elections Are Dirty
I recently wrote an open letter to the NBC and Dr. Kimber expressing cautious optimism about his tenure but well-earned skepticism as well. When I asked a local pastor about how the election turned out, he replied, “Well, Dr. Kimber got in there.”
This preacher is normally upbeat, and I know him to be a truly called, anointed, and sent Man of God. His voice inflection and tone informed me something was amiss without ever saying so.
Prior to pastoring, I was a street preacher almost exclusively in Denver, Colorado. Many have walked or driven past a guy holding a sign on a street corner with a scripture on it.
I was and still am that guy.
So, when I became a Black church pastor, the inner workings of leadership, its corruption, and the nasty ambition of preachers were shocking, disheartening, and demonic.
More plainly, so-called messengers of the Lord are the most confused and recklessly upwardly mobile people I have ever come across.
Nevertheless, let’s dig into the wild ride that was Dr. Boise Kimber’s election as president of the National Baptist Convention on September 5, 2024.
This wasn’t just a vote; it was a showdown packed with godless ambition, faithlessness, and some seriously steamed pastors who swear the whole thing was rigged. I have little doubt, having experienced “thirst trap” preachers during our state election in 2016, that this is true.
The election for state president was ugly, shocking, and left the loser’s wife shouting, “This was rigged!” In this instance, it wasn’t because her husband had proven himself corrupt, and I still bear the shame of casting our church’s even (7) votes for him.
Back to the national convention: picture this: one guy on the ballot, four others shoved aside, and whispers of “dirty dealing” echoing through the pews.
I’m breaking it all down for you—derived from personal experience—on how Kimber climbed to the top, who wanted to take him on, why they think the game was stacked, and what it means for one of America’s biggest Black Baptist groups.
What’s the NBCUSA Anyway?
First things first, let’s get our bearings. The National Baptist Convention, USA isn’t some little club—it’s a titan, one of the largest African American religious organizations in the country, with roots going back to 1880.
We’re talking millions of members—somewhere between five (5) and seven (7) million—spread across thousands of churches, all tied together by denomination, community, and a mission that’s been a lifeline for Black folks forever.
The president isn’t just a figurehead; they’re the captain, steering everything from spiritual direction to the nuts and bolts of keeping the organization humming. However, this scenario is in a perfect world, and as we know, it is hardly perfect.
Besides the obvious value of the Sunday School Publishing Board, as a pastor, I am unsure of what the value is of the national convention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was hurt and disappointed that Dr. Jerry Young, former convention president, sent letters talking about “money” yet never asked how our church was doing.
Anyway, by 2024, the NBCUSA was ready to wave goodbye to Young, who’d been our leader for a decade. Enter Dr. Boise Kimber, a Connecticut pastor with deep ties to the convention, stepping up to take the wheel.
But here’s where it gets gangster: this election wasn’t your usual “pick your favorite” deal. Nah, Kimber ended up as the only name on the ballot, and that’s when the grumbling kicked into high gear.
To understand why, we’ve got to meet the folks who wanted a shot at him—and why they didn’t get it.
BC 2024 Presidential Election Challengers
Besides Dr. Kimber, four (4) pastors stepped up, ready to lead, only to find themselves locked out:
Pastor Tellis Chapman – As the pastor of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, this brother had a vision he wanted to share beyond the walls of Galilee.
Pastor Claybon Lea – Pastoring multiple church locations (Mount Calvary Baptist Church) in the San Francisco Bay Area, Pastor Lea’s got serious credentials and brought multi-ethnic pastoring experience to convention leadership.
Note: As I have written prior, Black pastors preaching diversity and who tout multi-ethnic churches as more desirable and are the answer to America’s race issue should not be trusted. There exists no physical remedy for the spiritual problem we suffer with (sin). Diversity of Holy Spirit gifts is what a healthy church is based on. This is not to suggest this Man of God espouses such false doctrine.
Pastor Alvin Love – Hailing from Lilydale First Baptist Church (Chicago), Love was another big name ready to take on the reins of leadership at the National Baptist Convention.
Pastor James B. Sampson – Down in Florida, Pastor Sampson leads the First New Zion Missionary Baptist Church and was eager to guide the NBCUSA into its next chapter.
Then there’s Pastor Dwight McKissic, a Texas pastor who didn’t run but became a megaphone for the “anti-Kimber” squad. We’ll get to him in a hot minute—he’s got some zingers worth hearing.
These weren’t just random hopefuls; they believed themselves every bit as anointed to lead. So why didn’t they make the cut?
That’s the question, and it’s where the dirty dealing, backroom preacher-pimping talk began.
How the 2025 NBC USA Election Unfolded
Fast forward to September 5, 2024, in Baltimore. The NBCUSA’s annual meeting, and it’s voting time. But instead of a lineup of candidates, the ballot’s got one name—Boise Kimber—and two choices: “Yes” or “No.”
Wait, what?
You’d expect a big election like this to have some competition, but nah, Kimber’s flying solo as the only name on the ballot. As is true of the worldly style of political totalitarianism, other candidates were found unqualified for one reason or another.
The tally rolls in: 2,538 votes total. Kimber grabs 1,744 “yes” votes (that’s 69%), while 794 folks (31%) go “no.” It’s a win, no question—he’s crowned president and officially takes over on January 13, 2025, in Birmingham, Alabama. Confetti falls, but so do the conspiracy theories—and rightfully so.
The sidelined pastors had pushed hard for a “no” wave, hoping it’d force a redo. They didn’t flip the table, but that 31% “no” wasn’t quiet either—it’s a growl you can’t ignore.
Here’s what is true about pastors, whom I have been in close ministry quarters with for going on twenty-four (24) years: get righteously indignant when another preacher personally deprives them of power, prestige, and position.
However, when the same often spiritually abusive preachers deprive sheep, feed on them unjustly, and help themselves to everything the sheep have, it’s crickets. The reason for this is, despite the belief that these men are “selfless,” the exact opposite is almost always true.
Why Were the Others Kicked to the Curb?
Here’s the deal: to get on the ballot, you need one hundred (100) endorsements from member churches or convention groups—like state conventions or auxiliaries—registered with the NBCUSA.
Sounds fair, except Kimber was the only one who cleared it, according to the National Baptist Convention's Election Supervisory Commission, chaired by Pastor Thomas Morris Sr. The other four? Disqualified. Done.
See ya’, playa, and wouldn’t want to be ya!
Now, those endorsements come with a catch. Churches had to be registered in 2021 or 2022 (and some from 2020), per the board’s call. If your church signed up in 2023 or skipped a year because, say, cash was tight?
Sorry—your endorsement is toast.
What this tells me, and remembering the pitiful outreach of Dr. Jerry Young, was his grace in allowing reduced or skipped yearly assessments from member churches was used against those the board didn’t want as president, while walking Kimber through the back door.
Let me be clear: I have no information that Dr. Young cooked this scheme up, and this is just my experienced guess knowing how crooked these Pharisees are.
The sidelined pastors said tons of their supporters got axed because their churches couldn’t pay up—congregations hit by closures, mergers, or just hard times, stuff Black churches have been wrestling with forever.
To them, it appeared as if the rules were twisted to shrink the pool, leaving Kimber as the last man standing.
Crooked Baptist Convention Preachers Do Evil Things
So, was it really “dirty dealing,” or just the board following the letter of the law? My guess is both, but let’s examine why these folks were hostile:
The Endorsement Trap - That one hundred (100) endorsement rule sounds simple, but it’s a minefield. If a church couldn’t keep its dues current or was let off the hook by Dr. Young during his presidency in 2020-2022, they were out.The challengers argued this favored insiders like Kimber, who’d been around forever (he was Secretary of the Board from 2010 to 2014). They figured he had the hookup to lock down those nods while they were left scrambling.
Voter Lockout - Then there’s the voter mess. That 2021-2022 cutoff shut out newer churches and ones that fell off the list. Board chair Breonus Mitchell Sr. even copped to a case where a 2023-registered church couldn’t vote. To the opposition, it looked like cherry-picking—who’s in, who’s out—and they weren’t calling it a fluke.
One Name, No ChoiceThe ballot itself? A sore spot. “Yes” or “No” for Kimber, nothing else. That’s not an election, they said—it’s a coronation! They hoped a big “no” push would prove people wanted options. That 31% “no” showed some teeth, but 69% said “yes,” and the gavel dropped. Yes, Black folk are simple like that.
Bylaws BluesHere’s what adds insult to injury: the NBCUSA’s bylaws are a hot mess. More likely a ghetto hot mess! Mitchell called them ambiguous, and that’s generous. Rules on who qualifies, who votes, who endorses—it’s all fuzzy, and the opposition felt those gaps got exploited. They offered little proof of this accusation, however.
The Bigger PicturePastor Dwight McKissic didn’t run, but he was all over the “no” train. He posted on Facebook, quoting “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” saying a “no” vote meant “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” Translation: Kimber’s win was a dud, and the process was an inside hustle. The four disqualified pastors even dropped a video in May 2024, pleading to “fight for the soul of our convention.” That’s not whining—that’s war.
These negros, like Jamal Bryant who feigns care for black folk, don’t care about the soul of the convention! If so, and knowing the crookedness of the convention long before now, they would have cried aloud when having nothing (except the disdain of fake preachers) to gain.
As was offered earlier, all they care about is power, prestige, and position.
Furthermore, how any can preach Job’s “the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the Name of the Lord” with a straight face is anathema to me.
Dr. Boise Kimber’s Side of the Story
Kimber didn’t slither into this gig without the requisite experience. He’s been pastor at First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven, Connecticut, with a resume stacked with NBCUSA roles.
Let’s be clear; this is not meant to suggest that the Lord God of Armies cares about anyone’s resume or record, only their obedience. However, the convention has become nothing more than another worldly corporation, so I speak the carnal in a manner they understand.
In Dr. Kimber’s mind, not only was his win legit, but 69% of voters said he’s their guy. He followed the rules, however vague they may be, and that is the end of it.
The commission signed off, the votes were tallied, and Kimber won fair and square.
Rev. Jerry Young, the outgoing president, owned the hiccups—those bylaws are a headache—but brushed it off. “We’re too deep in to change now,” he basically said. Not a glowing defense, but not a confession either. For Kimber’s team, the victory’s clean, and the gripes are just sore losers making noise.
The Fallout: Acceptance or Resentment?
So, Dr. Kimber won—now what?
Some of the opposition softened up post-vote. For example, Pastor James B. Sampson went on Facebook with, “God has spoken, let the National Baptist Convention USA constituency say Amen. Lord bless and keep President Boise Kimber.”—that’s a shift.
McKissic supposedly texted Kimber a congrats too, wishing him the best despite his “no” stance. Nice, right? However, either they were righteous when allegedly fighting for the soul of the convention or post-vote. Did any say they were wrong as publicly?
However, the muttering about the process is still simmering. Kimber’s got a gig where a third of the room might be giving him the side-eye, but there is something about the Black preacher which is both a strength and weakness.
More than any other group I have had the pleasure (or displeasure) of serving with, they are most often totally self-unaware when their pastoral experience crosses a certain threshold.
What Does It All Mean For NBCUSA?
This isn’t just about Dr. Boise or the four who got sidelined in the process of the National Baptist Convention election process. It’s a peek into a bigger tussle.
The convention has been around for over a century, and it’s got baggage—money woes, shifting members, power squabbles, and is why churches like ours see little to no value in membership.
As a Watchman, though currently serving as a pastor, it is almost impossible for me to be in the midst of those the Lord has sent me to encourage (pastors) and remain silent in moments like these.
Why someone didn’t stand in the host of the congregation, during this voting process, and the aftermath, and cry out a prophetic word remains a mystery. Perhaps the convention should be renamed “Ichabod” because the glory of the Lord has departed.
Let those who have an ear hear.
For the Saints (or church members) who believe the fix was in for Dr. Kimber, it’s personal—they see a system too tight-knit, shutting out new pastors and demonstrating that leaders from the Midwest and West Coast are not welcome.
Just by sight, it seems the heart of the convention remains in the South.
NBC USA is Just Another Company
Here’s where it gets real.
I’m a pastor of a Baptist church, not in the NBCUSA’s inner circle, nor on its outer fringes either. Having served with men and leaders who loved and would die for another as a U.S. Marine, I will neither subject myself nor the sheep I lead to such carnal people.
Jesus said the greatest love one can have is to lay down their life for a friend. In the convention, personal ambition isn’t even surrendered, so how could love be present? Furthermore, the Lord said the only way people would know we are His followers is if we have love one for the other.
Still, Kimber’s got the job now. He could bridge the gap—fix those bylaws, open the doors—or dig in, and we’ll be back here with more drama.
Finally, without a prophetic voice both heard and heeded in the midst of this vomit, nothing will change.
Conclusion
Whoomp, there it is—the saga of Boise Kimber’s climb to the NBCUSA presidency, sidelined challengers, rulebook chaos, and all. Pastors Chapman, Lea, Love, and Sampson wanted in; McKissic wanted a reset; and plenty think it was rigged.
The rules held, but they froze out a lot of folks. Kimber’s leading now, but the echoes linger. Will he heal the rift? Will it change next time? No, he is going in with no overwhelming mandate, and 4 in 10 people think he cheated.
This means not only can he not change the direction of the convention, but he has no personal benefit in doing so. After all, rare is the pastor who does anything which doesn’t personally benefit themselves at the expense of others.
They will never forego a bigger church, more money, and more members to stay planted and do the hard work of building while being bi-vocational should the opportunity present itself.
In their minds, this is the Lord blessing them for faithfulness, and in the Baptist world, clinging to the false, demonic doctrine of “once saved, always saved,” there is no eternal consequence for revelry.
God’s people are in trouble when our leaders desire that which God does not desire for us and mock the name of Jesus publicly in its pursuit.
Dang.
Note: These facts were gathered from open source platforms and if any of those named have "clarifications," the publisher of this story will include such viewpoints. Please email; sermondownloadsnow@gmail.com
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