Arkansas megachurch pastor Ronnie Floyd has been elected the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Floyd received over 51 percent of the votes in a three-way race for the position, besting Maryland pastor Dennis Manpoong Kim and Pastor Jared Moore from Kentucky.  Over 3,000 members of the Convention elected Floyd on the first ballot.

Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr., the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, praised Floyd as a “dependable and faithful man” who will “lead all Southern Baptists and lead them well.”

Floyd indicated he wants to focus on church growth and international mission work.

Floyd’s church, the multi-site Cross Church, has baptized over 17,000 people in the 27 years he has been senior pastor.  The church also contributed over $700,000 to the SBC’s missions fund in 2013 alone.

Floyd succeeds Pastor Fred Luter, the first African-American to be elected president of the SBC.