INDIANAPOLIS - Georgia pastor Johnny M Hunt was elected Tuesday to be the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Hunt, a Native American who pastors the megachurch First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia, received nearly 53 per cent of the vote of over 5,000 SBC messengers - representatives of local SBC churches - during SBC's annual meeting and was enthusiastically received at a time of decline.

"My heart and passion is to see as many people as possible embrace Jesus Christ as their personal saviour," Hunt said at a press conference after his election was announced. He also expressed passion to have churches fully involved in spreading the Gospel.

After years of being asked to lead the largest Protestant denomination in the country, Hunt sensed a calling to accept the nomination this year. Hunt, who was among six nominees, succeeds the Rev Frank Page who served two one-year terms.