Southern Baptists, after lengthy debate Wednesday, voted on new language for their constitution that would state only men can be pastors of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
The wording, which must be approved two years in a row, would be added to an article of the constitution that describes ways that churches can be in “friendly cooperation” with the Southern Baptist Convention, which the current constitution defines as churches that agree with the SBC’s statement of faith, contribute to its funding program or entities, do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity and do not condone sexual abuse.
The new language would add that a church “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”
At the 2022 annual meeting, Virginia pastor Mike Law recommended an amendment that would only allow churches to cooperate with the SBC if they do not “affirm, appoint, or employ a woman as a pastor of any kind.”
He spoke to his intent at a microphone at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on the second day of the two-day annual meeting.
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Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church, described being in an area with a small percentage of evangelical Christians when he spoke on the floor of the convention on Wednesday.
“Over a year ago, I realized that five Southern Baptist churches within a five-mile radius of my congregation had women serving as pastors, including senior pastors,” he said. “When an unbeliever looks for a Southern Baptist church in my area, we want them to find a church that holds the Bible’s teachings and our convention’s beliefs.”
Juan Sanchez, senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, introduced a substitute motion with language that focused on men instead of women.
“This motion states what we believe positively: We agree that both men and women are gifted for service in the church,” he said. “Women are a gift to the church, and we affirm their vital roles in the ministry of the church and church staffs.”
The SBC Executive Committee voted Monday to approve placing the amendment before the messengers, or delegates, during this year’s meeting. But they also noted their opposition to changing the constitution to address the issue, with some members saying during the meeting that the faith statement is the place for such doctrinal issues.
“While the messengers to the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting entrusted the Executive Committee with this motion, we recognize the significance of the matter, at this given time, and therefore believe it is prudent to place the referred motion before the entire body of messengers,” the committee stated, “while also expressing our opposition to the suggested amendment to SBC Constitution Article III.”
The Baptist Faith & Message states: “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”
Baptists have differed over whether that faith statement currently refers to barring women from all pastoral roles or only from serving in the role of senior pastor.
Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church, has compiled a list of 170 women serving in pastoral roles. Fewer than a third are senior pastors. The remainder include associate pastors and children’s pastors.
Baptists were divided Wednesday about whether the amendment was necessary or would cast a poor reflection on the ministry work of its women members.
Sarah Clatworthy, whose husband is a pastor in San Angelo, Texas, affirmed the need for an amendment and viewed it as a way to keep “feminism and liberalism” outside the conservative denomination.
“For those churches who have women serving under the title of pastor in any capacity, the constitution should encourage them to change those titles, rather than allowing their titles to dictate what the constitution says,” she said. “Let those who affirm women and pastoral leadership attend the United Methodist convention, where they will be welcomed with open arms. We should leave no room for our daughters and granddaughters in the generations ahead to have confusion on where the (SBC) stands.”
Bob Bender, pastor emeritus of Cross Fellowship Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, implored his fellow Baptists to not fight amongst themselves when they all share conservative beliefs.
“Regarding women in ministry and associate roles, should not title and function be synonymous? Let’s not give women responsibilities to shepherd other women and children and youth and not have their title line up with their responsibilities. That’s being disingenuous and in business could be litigious.”
He also expressed concern about how the convention looks to non-Southern Baptists.
“If we do this, do we really want 100 churches appealing being dismissed with three minutes each at next year’s convention?” he said. “What does it say when we seem to be slow on the take in addressing the sexual abuses of women but fast on the draw to disqualify them from non-pastoral roles?”
The issue of women pastors figured in the debates on the first day of the meeting, with representatives of two churches with women pastors given three minutes to ask for reinstatement in the denomination. On the second day, the Baptists affirmed the Executive Committee’s decision to oust those churches.
Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church, urged the reinstatement of his Southern California congregation on Tuesday. The megachurch had given Stacie Wood, wife of Andy Wood, who replaced Warren as lead pastor last summer, the title of “teaching pastor.” The church previously ordained three women who were longtime staffers on Mother’s Day weekend in 2021. And in May, Katie Edwards was announced as the new campus pastor of the church’s Lake Forest, California, location.
The Rev. Linda Barnes Popham, pastor of Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, likewise appealed the ouster of her church because she holds its pulpit.
While Warren and Popham considered the issue one over which Baptists could disagree and remain together, R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, rebutted their views by saying women pastors violate SBC doctrine.
Adelle Banks is production editor and a national correspondent at Religion News Service.
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18 Responses
Not surprising that a denomination founded in the crucible of slavery and Jim Crow would continue to hold to unbiblical restrictions on women in ministry. Their membership losses will continue well into the future.
What really has happened with women “pastors” is that men leave due to that.
“What does it say when we seem to be slow on the take in addressing the sexual abuses of women but fast on the draw to disqualify them from non-pastoral roles?”
It says the men of the SBC are obsessed with power over women.
Also, why not use language like, “This is what we believe Scripture teaches…” instead of “This is what the Bible says…”? It’s a small distinction but it distinguishes between interpretation and infallible truth.
Amazingly, women with tremendous gifts of teaching, cannot teach the gospel to lost men of darkest Africa or Asia or South America. What a waste. The SBC treat gifted teaching women worse than secular organisations would.
Is this how Christian men in power view their own women?
Makes gifted women want to run as far as they can away from the “men” of the SBC.
These SBC men actually believe that a woman missionary is forbidden from teaching a male non-believer the gospel.
No wonder Christian churches are losing congregants in droves. The decline of the SBC has begun and will soon have no women willing to be taught by SBC men.
It’s not due to the pastor being male, many pastors are changing to more “worldly” ways by pacifying the congregation to soften the preaching/teaching and way less of no nonsense preaching. People don’t want to be told of their wicked ways.
I prefer the no nonsense preaching.
VERY well said Paul. I have talked with several of these pastors who are very quick to assert this belief is “the word of God” leaving zero room for interpretations other well-meaning Christians may have.
Good, there should be only men pastors.
The Bible is clear on this issue. The office, role, function, and title of pastor are reserved only for biblically qualified men.
Jesus was pretty clear in calling women as his first witnesses (aka – apostles)
It seems a lot of authors of these articles and those who comment are not regenerated. It is obvious people do not know the Bible. Subjective experiences are what determine what one believes. Not objective Truth. David F. Wells wrote a series of books that deal with these issues. These issues derive from churches that want unbiblical standards for their denomination. It is time to engender a denomination of churches. Call it the Burger King Conference. “Have it Your way!” Because the refusal to follow scripture and its clear roles for the church/culture. Culture is the Hermeneutic of the day by which pseudo Christianity exegetes the church. Sad! This uses sin as the standard for reform not the gospel/scripture. Abuse is not a new phenomenon. Jesus called out the Pharisees for their abuse. This will never reform the church!
Nicely written article by Adelle. I’ve found, on listening to various commentary and reading various articles, on what has here been decided by SBC messengers, that I’m being driven tangentially in my thinking. Driven to reflect on the place and status of Pastors and Elders.
By and large, I’m not a fan of leaders and authoritative persons; not a fan of the theological certitude they might nominally suggest they possess. I like the idea of teachers and exemplars and sharers and servers. Those who work with integrity in the shared experience of being human. Those whom you know by their existential fruits. Those who ask for nothing from those they serve.
I’m then drawn to wondering what it is, as with the SBC, for a body of people and their institution, to hold to an alternate understanding. What have when we depend on Pastors and Elders. What have we when we determine we cannot so depend on women. How deep into received theology and Biblical interpretation does this question go.
I find I cannot empathise with what I’m contemplating as this alternate way of being (being Christian). Cannot understand because constitutionally I cannot enter that alternate. Cannot properly judge or critique because not entering and understanding.
It seems to me there has to be a Christianity that does not involve any discrimination between men and women. Does not depend solely on one of the two.
Colin, I think you may be intuiting what Jesus meant when he said these words:
“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Mat. 23
Please excuse my ignorance, but which scriptures are being referenced for the current policy being implemented, for and against, women pastors?
Andrew, you asked which scriptures were being referenced for and against women pastors-
1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9 state that overseers and elders of the churches must be husbands of one wife. This disqualifies women as pastors (overseers, elders).
I read Rick Warren’s statement from last year about how office of the pastor and the title were different- which frankly I didn’t follow. I notice this year he didn’t repeat that line of reasoning. Instead, he said that SBC churches should just agree to disagree on this topic and keep spreading the gospel.
Those definitions, of character, disqualify most men from the positions they currently hold in the church. So, they are refusing to hold this standard to themselves, but not to the women?
When retiring and moving to another state, I refused to set foot in a Baptist church when church hunting. The unbiblical SBC declaration validates
my decision.
Andrew, the Scriptures against women pastors are found in Titus 1:5-9 and 1Timothy 3:1-7.
Last year Rick Warren tried to make a distinction between office of pastor the title, but I frankly didn’t follow his line of reasoning. This year he simply says that SBC should just agree to disagree on the topic and still be in fellowship.
With all that’s going on to tarnishing the church and its witness (sexual abuse, “celebrity” pastors abusing their platform and finances, political idolatry and the twisted gospel of “Christian nationalism”, generational racism and segregated congregations, etc), THIS is the hill they want to die on? Then, so be it.
Wow.