In a special meeting of the group's Executive Committee Wednesday, it was announced that Rev. Rolland Slade, senior pastor of Meridian Baptist Church in El Cajon, California had been tapped as the new head.

"For the first time in the 103-year history of the SBC Executive Committee, we have today elected our first African American chairman," Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee said during the meeting.

Slade expressed gratitude for the unanimous decision to appoint him as the new chair.

"It says that if you do the work, not only will God reward you, but you'll have the support of all the folks you are working with," said Slade.

News of Slade's historic election came during an online panel discussion called, "A 60 Minute Conversation on Race in America," hosted by Floyd. The conversation comes amid growing racial tension in the country following the death of black men at the hands of white police.

Slade and four other African American Southern Baptist Pastors and leaders took part in the conversation which was streamed live on Facebook.

The group called for racial unity and healing within the Church.

"The world is waiting for us to come together," said K. Marshall Williams, senior pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church of Philadelphia. "Because Beloved, truth be told, this is just a dress rehearsal for when we get around the throne. I think maybe God is stripping us. I don't know about you, but this has been a stripping time for me, a pruning time for me, a time in the refiner's fire, that God would see what He really has as far as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ."

During the meeting, Floyd asked the pastors whether the SBC is progressing on issues dealing with race.

Willie McLaurin, vice president of Great Commission relations and mobilization of the committee recounted being the first black man to preach in some Anglo churches in Tennessee.

He explained how a 10-year-old boy got saved when he gave an altar call. He said the boy's father came down the aisle, hugged him and asked to speak to the congregation.

"He said, 'I wasn't for this black man coming to be our interim pastor, but my 10-year-old son has gotten saved today and today this black pastor is my brother in the Lord. And any of you who have a racist bone in your heart, you need to come to the altar today and get it right with Jesus'," McLaurin recalled the man saying... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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