BIOGRAPHY OF DR. SAMUEL C. TOLBERT, JR. 

Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr. stands as a stalwart figure in a lifetime dedicated to Christian service, shaping communities, and influencing global networks with his multifaceted leadership. As the esteemed pastor of Greater St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for nearly four decades, Dr. Tolbert’s impact extends far beyond the pulpit. His unwavering commitment to spiritual guidance has resonated with Christians across the globe, fostering an unusual sense of community and purpose.

In addition to his pastoral role, Dr. Tolbert has been a transformative force in various leadership positions. Serving as the President of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. (NBCA), he provides visionary direction to one of the preeminent Baptist conventions.

His role as President Emeritus of the Louisiana Home & Foreign Missions Baptist State Convention reflects a longstanding commitment to missions and the global outreach of the Baptist community. Reverend Tolbert’s presidency of the North American Baptist Fellowship, boasting a membership of over 19 million Baptists in North America as a Division of the Baptist World Alliance, further solidify his position as a key figure in the Baptist landscape.

Additionally, Reverend Tolbert wears multiple hats in various esteemed organizations, further amplifying his impact on both local and global fronts. As the President of the Greater St. Mary Community Development Foundation, he spearheads initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of the community. Simultaneously, as the President and CEO of Strategic Faith Leadership Ministries, Reverend Tolbert extends his influence to matters of strategic leadership within the faith community.

Reverend Tolbert’s rich history of leadership includes significant roles such as being the President of the Louisiana Inter-Church Conference, 1st Vice President and General Secretary of the National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc., and a member of the National Board of the NAACP. His influence extends to the regional level as the former 1st Vice President of the Southwest Missionary Baptist Association. These diverse roles underscore Reverend Tolbert’s commitment to holistic community development, strategic faith leadership, and the global outreach of the Baptist faith. His multifaceted contributions continue to shape the landscape of religious, civic, and social initiatives.

Academically, Dr. Tolbert’s journey is marked by a quest for knowledge and theological understanding. Beginning at McNeese State University and the Delta School of Business, he laid the foundation for a lifelong pursuit of education. His Bachelor of Arts degree from the Historic Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, was a stepping stone to further theological studies at Shaw Divinity School and Payne Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity. The culmination of his academic endeavors came with the attainment of a Doctor of Ministry from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

Dr. Tolbert’s influence extends into the realm of higher education administration, serving as Chairman of the Board at Simmons College of Kentucky and on the Board of Supervisors for the Southern University System in Baton Rouge, Louisiana which is the only HBCU University System in the country. Additionally, he plays a pivotal role as a member of the Board of Trustees of Fuller Theological Seminary, contributing to the institution’s academic and spiritual legacy across multiple locations.

Beyond his religious and academic commitments, Dr. Tolbert has proven himself as a civic leader with a keen interest in community development. Having served as a Commissioner for the Lake Charles Housing Authority, a representative of District “A” on the Lake Charles City Council for an impressive 12 years, and a member of the Board of the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation, he has actively shaped local policies and initiatives.

Dr. Tolbert’s commitment to civic engagement is complemented by his entrepreneurial spirit. As the President and CEO of Royal Magnolia Enterprises (RME), a consulting and distribution company founded in 2018, he brings a wealth of experience to the business realm.

A member of the esteemed Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Dr. Tolbert seamlessly weaves his commitment to faith and leadership. His role in this historic African American fraternity reflects his dedication to fostering brotherhood and service.

Driven by a deep sense of mission, Dr. Tolbert has undertaken a global journey to fulfill The Great Commission in Matthew 28. Organizing, leading, partnering, and participating in mission trips, he has spread the Gospel of Christ across diverse regions, including the Bahamas, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Norway, Mexico, Panama, South Africa, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe.

In the tapestry of his personal life, Dr. Tolbert is married to Matilda Edwards Tolbert, a partnership that has endured for almost four decades. Together, they are the proud parents of two daughters, Candace Latrice, and Kayla Monique. Dr. Tolbert’s life is a testament to his enduring dedication to faith, education, service, and the enrichment of both local and global communities.

The National Baptist Convention of America shall serve to promote and support Christian education, Christian missions and church extension through the combined efforts of Baptist churches and organizations and shall seek to cause the gospel, as understood and practiced by our Baptist faith, to be spread throughout this nation and to the foreign nations.

The National Baptist Convention shall seek to positively impact and influence the spiritual, educational, social, and economic conditions of all humankind.

Historian L. B. Jordan records that in 1880, there were nearly two million former slaves in Baptist churches which created a need for a national aggregation of African-American Baptists. On Wednesday, November 24, 1880, one hundred fifty-one (151) messengers, representing eleven states throughout the United States, met at the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama and organized the Foreign Mission Baptist Convention of the United States. The Reverend W. H. Alpine of Alabama was elected as the first permanent president.

In 1886 the American National Baptist Convention was organized in Saint Louis, Missouri, and in 1893 the Baptist National Educational Convention was organized in the District of Columbia. There was the recognition for unification among our African-American brothers and sisters; therefore, on September 28, 1895, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Friendship Baptist Church, these three great conventions united and formed the NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, making it the largest African-American Baptist organization in America with a membership in the millions.

In order to carry out the mission of the National Baptist Convention, three boards were created: The Foreign Mission Board, the Home Mission Board out of Little Rock, Arkansas; and the Educational Board located in Washington, D.C.

The preamble affirms:

Whereas, it is the sense of Colored Baptist of the United States of America, convened in the City of Atlanta, Georgia, September 28, 1895, in the several organizations known as ‘The Baptist Foreign Mission Convention of the United States of America,’ hitherto engaged in mission work on the West Coast of Africa, ‘The National Baptist Educational Convention,’ which has sought to look after the educational interest, that the interest of the kingdom of God required that the several bodies above named should unite in one body. The Name of the new organization is given as “The NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION of the Unites States of America.”

Article II gives the objective as follows:
The objective of this convention shall be to do mission work in the United States, in Africa, and elsewhere abroad; to foster the cause of education and to promote the publication and circulation of religious literature.

In 1919, controversy surfaced regarding a charter of incorporation for the Convention and the ownership of the National Baptist Publishing Board. The end result was the emergence of The National Baptist Convention of America (Unincorporated) and The National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Incorporated. In 1987, The National Baptist Convention of America was incorporated in Shreveport, Louisiana under the new caption, THE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED.

In September, 1988 the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated and the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc. met in their annual sessions in Dallas, Texas and Fort Worth, Texas, respectively. A joint worship service convened in the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, celebrating their togetherness and protesting apartheid in South Africa.

Following the joint worship service, the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated re-convened in its 104th Annual Session in Fort Worth, Texas. The controversy over the ownership and control of the National Congress prevailed and caused division among the Convention messengers. The heart of the controversy was whether the National Convention would operate its own Congress with the status of an auxiliary like all of the other auxiliaries, or whether the Convention would continue to relate to a National Congress chartered, owned, and controlled by the National Publishing Board with no responsibility to the Convention. After spirited debate and a democratic vote, the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated voted to operate its own National Congress. As a result of this decision, a new National Missionary Baptist Convention was born in November 1988.

Today the NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED has made tremendous growth in numbers, ministries, and in honoring its commitment to education, evangelism and mission at home and abroad. The National Baptist Convention, Incorporated continues to support mission fields in the Virgin Islands, Panama, Haiti, Country of Jamaica, and Ghana in West Africa.

The National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated, continues to honor its commitment to its nature and function as articulated in its constitution which states:

The National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated is organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes; to foster unity and efficiency of Foreign Mission, Home Mission, and educational work throughout its membership constituency and the world; to serve as an agency of Christian Education, Missionary and Church Extension; to marshal the efforts of Baptist Churches and organizations in extending the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and to the foreign fields; to propagate Baptist doctrines of faith and practice and its distinctive principles throughout the world; to lend its influence in maintaining and safeguarding full religious liberty and spiritual independence at home and on the foreign fields. It is committed to harnessing the Christian scholars and creative religious writers for the publication of Baptist literature and to provide the opportunity for them to be participants throughout the Christian world. It is committed to safeguarding the principles of civil liberty, social justice, and the equality of human kind as children of God.

The strategic planning process was designed to include the wisdom and imagination of denominational officers, pastors, congregational leaders, and the general membership of NBCA. This inclusive approach to discerning God’s will for the denomination and cultivating a collective vision for the future included the convention members getting an opportunity to share their input. You have spoken, and we are responding with this Strategic Plan that outlines the way forward for the next few years. 

Please click the link below to view the approved strategic plan.
Approved Strategic Plan 2023-2028.