National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

Meet the President of the NBCA team REVEREND STEPHEN JOHN THURSTON.

Dr. Thurston is the 14th President of the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated International (NBCA). - The second largest association of African-American Baptists in the United States with 1.5 million members. He is a distinguished History Maker as the youngest elected President (September 2003) and youngest appointed executive cabinet officer for fifteen years (1989-2003) as 3rd Vice President. He held the position of Corresponding Secretary for three (3) years. Under his recent leadership the Convention has expanded its horizon by welcoming thirteen churches from Nassau, capital city of the Bahamas, into the organization. In 2004, NBCA renovated and established Headquarters in Dallas, Texas at a previously acquired building. In 2008, The E. Edwards Jones Polytechnic School and Theological Seminary in Ghana, West Africa was completed and the Convention’s name transformed:
National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated International
~Global Missions Introducing The World To Jesus Christ

Rev. Thurston is a Third Generation and Senior Pastor of New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois following in the footsteps of his father, Rev. John L. Thurston and grandfather, Rev. Elijah Thurston. On Resurrection (Easter) Sunday 1971 he delivered his first sermon “When Did You Die.” He was appointed Assistant Pastor on Resurrection Sunday 1974 and Co-Pastor on Resurrection Sunday 1978. He became the Spiritual Shepherd in 1979 upon the passing of his father. God has continued to show favor upon the Thurston family, as Rev. Thurston currently shares pastorate responsibilities with his son Rev. Stephen J. II, Co-Pastor. He is a highly acclaimed Revivalist spreading the Good News of the Gospel “Jesus Saves!” In 2008, he completed Vision 2000: a $13 million building project of a new church worship center.

President Thurston serves on the Boards of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and African American Religious Connection (AARC). Other religious and social commitments include Chairman of Finance for Chicago Baptist Institute, member of Rainbow / PUSH Coalition, Broadcast Ministers Alliance of Chicago & Vicinity and John Marshall Harlan High School Alumni Association.

Thurston holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion from Bishop College Dallas, Texas. In August 2008, he enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina. He holds honorary doctorates from Temple Bible College and Seminary Cincinnati, Ohio; Chicago Baptist Institute Chicago, Illinois; and St. Thomas Christian College Jacksonville, Florida. He was featured by Dollar and Sense magazine as “America’s Best and Brightest Young Business Professional Man,” in 1987. President Thurston joined other religious leaders as one of Ebony Magazine’s “100+ Most Influential Black Americans,” in May 2004. In 2007, Thurston published his first book Attitude: The Paintbrush of the Mind. His second book is in the planning stage entitled My Father's Business.

Rev. Thurston resides in the Chicagoland area with his wife Joyce D. Thurston and their four children: Rev. Stephen J. II, Nicole D’Vaughn, Teniece Rae’l and Christon Avery Elijah.

Reverend Dr. Stephen J. Thurston’s testimony is “God Has Done Great Things For Me!”

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