United Theological Seminary

Alumnus Begins Term as President of National Baptist Convention USA

Congratulations to United alum, Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber who was recently elected President of the National Baptist Convention USA (NBCUSA), the largest predominantly black Protestant denomination in the United States. The NBCUSA Mid-Winter Board Meeting, January 13-16, 2025, is the first denomination-wide gathering under his leadership, during which he will share more about his vision for the denomination.

“Our Convention was built upon mission and evangelism, and mission and evangelism to me equals Christian education,” says Kimber. “We [must] talk about the doctrine of Christian education and what Christian education means to the black church.”

The Rev. Dr. Kimber started preaching at age 15 and joined the National Baptist Convention two years later in 1977. Even before his birth, his great grandfather, Boise Williams, had declared, “this boy is going to be a preacher,” and Kimber lived into that calling, becoming the only preacher in his family’s history.

Christian education is important to Rev. Dr. Kimber, who completed his Doctor of Ministry at United in 2001 under the mentorship of Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, chief of staff for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“United helped me to develop a pathway to social justice by having the opportunity to write about it under a mentor who was a great civil rights leader,” states Kimber.

During his term as President, he plans to continue this focus on social justice by tackling major issues of economics, crime, prison re-entry and racial injustice.

“I think that God is calling us to teach, train and enlighten our congregations on what our world is facing today.”