Yesterday at the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, we elected Fred Luter president of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was a great day.

Let me share with you why this is so special and why this is a great choice.

First, Fred Luter is a prince of a person. He loves the Lord and loves people. He’s the same every time you see him. He has a wonderful family. I could go on and on.

Of all the qualifications for president of anything, these personal qualities should be first in importance. Fred is a man of integrity. The Southern Baptist Convention elected Fred Luter because of the “content of his character.”

Second, Fred is a great pastor. Most of us forget we first heard of Fred Luter because of the magnificent work he was doing in the city of New Orleans with African-America males. Franklin Avenue and Fred Luter starting reaching young men for Christ. Since that time we know Fred as a great preacher and popular speaker. We know him for the catastrophe of Katrina and losing the building (but not the church). We know how he shuttled from New Orleans to Baton Rouge to Houston to shepherd his people. Who wouldn’t want to elect someone like that?

Faithfulness, sincerity, genuineness, and integrity have their own rewards. If the election as president of the SBC is a reward, then Fred deserves his election.

Third, Fred is from Louisiana, and he makes me proud.

Fourth, this is a feel-good story. As Fred would say, for a street kid from the Lower Ninth Ward to be elected president of the SBC is an amazing story. But, it’s not a story about Fred so much as about the grace of God. None of us deserves much of anything, but God in His goodness allows us to serve and to lead.

Finally, and this is the correct order, Fred is the first African-American to be elected president of the SBC. The Southern Baptist Convention came out of the divide in our country between north and south in 1845. This signals to everyone a new day among our denomination. Actually, that new day started long ago. This will simply allow other people to recognize it.

Please join me in praying for Fred and Elizabeth. This is a great choice.

If you would like to read about the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in New Orleans this week, please come back to www.waylonbailey.com. I write everyday and would love for you get my perspective on the proceedings. If you subscribe to waylonbailey.com, you will receive an email notification each time I post. Thank you for reading.