Bishop Walter Scott Thomas, Sr. has served as the pastor of the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland since 1975. Under his leadership, the church body has grown from 200 to more than 7,000 active members. On October 16, 2010, a vision was fulfilled as the New Psalmist family moved into their new edifice, a 4000 seat state of the art facility, designed to minister to the needs of individuals in the 21st century. This new church home is a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

Under the anointed leadership of the late Dr. Harold Carter, Pastor of the New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore, Bishop Thomas was called to proclaim the Word of God in 1973. In 1975, he was called to the pastorate of the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, where he has labored for over forty five years.

Bishop Thomas has developed programs of evangelism, mission and education. Christian education classes that include discipleship training and bible study meet six days a week. Worship services are held weekly every Sunday at 9am. The church also has a broadcast, “Empowering Disciples”, Sunday morning at 6am on WJZ TV in Baltimore.

Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. is highly regarded executive and personal coach with over 30 years of experience in working with church leaders, pastors, church staffs, and building effective ministry teams. Bishop Thomas is a Myers Briggs Practitioner certified in MBTI assessments and interpretations. He has led workshops and seminars across the country on preparing leaders for their next level. He has served as an advisor to leaders who were seeking to make changes in their organizations and has helped them develop strategies to be successful in their efforts. His warm and affable spirit is matched by his ability to ask deep probing questions that enable his clients to see directions they might take.

Bishop Thomas is known as a Pastor’s Pastor. He truly has a Pastor’s heart and makes himself available as a mentor and source of strength for other Pastors. On January 31, 2005 at the New Psalmist Baptist Church 28 sons and daughters of the Church, who Pastor churches across the nation gathered and voted unanimously to elect Bishop Thomas as President of Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors as well as to the office of Bishop.

On July 20, 2005, Bishop Thomas was elevated to the office of Bishop and Presiding Prelate of The Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors. This historical occasion was held at the First Mariner Arena in front of over 10,000 people. The Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors is an established association consisting of men and women who have been influenced by the ministry of New Psalmist Baptist Church and Bishop Thomas.

In addition to providing pastoral leadership to the New Psalmist Baptist Church, Bishop Thomas has served as the past president of the Hampton University Minister’s Conference 1999-2002. Under his leadership, conference attendance doubled. Bishop Thomas is also a well- known author.  He is author of the books Spiritual Navigation for the 21st Century and Good Meat Makes its Own Gravy.  Furthermore, Bishop Thomas is the editor of Outstanding Black Sermons Volume 4 in which he is featured as one of the contributors.

On March 1, 2017, Bishop Thomas released his highly-anticipated fourth book, Hanging On By a Thread. A personal account of Bishop Thomas’ own struggles with leadership and trying to juggle work and home life, Hanging On By a Thread unveils the THREAD Principle. Developed by Bishop Thomas himself, the principle outlines practical steps to restore balance to people’s lives.

Bishop Thomas received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland in Economics. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from the Howard University School of Religion in Washington, D.C. and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Saint Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to his earned degrees, Bishop Thomas was bestowed with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Virginia Seminary and Bethune Cookman College. Bishop Thomas and his committed partner in ministry, Patricia, have three lovely children, Joi, Walter Jr., and Joshua.