The Southern Baptist Convention’s emissaries on Wednesday rejected an amendment that would have strengthened the current ban on women pastors after the proposal fell short of the two-thirds majority required. The so-called Bill, named after its proposer, received 61.45% of the vote, short of the 66.67% needed. More than 8,000 votes were cast. The amendment would amend the SBC constitution to declare that churches are in friendly cooperation only if they “approve, ordain, or employ only men as pastors or elders of any kind, according to the conditions set forth in Scripture. ” The amendment was passed last year and needed another vote in favor to be added to the constitution.
But the failure of the amendment doesn’t mean the SBC will allow women to be pastors. The denomination’s statement of faith, the Baptist Faith and Message, contains a similar statement: “Both men and women are gifted for service in the church, but the offices of pastor/elder/overseer are limited to men qualified by Scripture.” That statement was added in 2000.
Indeed, on Tuesday, the SBC excluded First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, from the conference for its stance on allowing women pastors. The church’s current senior pastor is a man. The vote to declare the churches not in friendly collaboration passed with more than 90% approval. In 2023, SBC messengers excluded two other churches for their stance on allowing women pastors.
Supporters of the legal change argued that the constitutional amendment is more binding on churches than on the Baptist faith and message. According to supporters of the legal change, approximately 1,000 churches in the SBC employ female pastors. Opponents argued that the amendment would target Complementarian churches that employ female staff who have pastor titles, such as “children’s pastors” or “worship pastors,” but who do not preach.
Mike Rowe, a sponsor and emissary of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia, urged emissaries to support the amendment.
“It is faithful to God’s inerrant word,” Law told the messenger. 1 Timothy 2:12-14“…While this prohibition may be considered harsh in our culture, our God is all-knowing and all-powerful, and He has written His Word for the prosperity of both men and women.”
Law added, “Let me be clear: we are happy to celebrate the many women who serve in so many essential ways in the Church. We are so grateful for these godly sisters. This amendment is not about women in the ordination, but specifically about women in the pastoral ministry.”
Spence Shelton, an emissary for Mercy Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, urged Southern Baptists to oppose the amendment.
“The question before us today is not whether we are complementarians. That’s clear,” Shelton said. “The question is not, ‘Do we believe the Bible?’ That’s also clear. We are complementarians, and we believe the Bible. The question is whether this amendment is necessary for our convention to respond. … The mechanisms that we currently have are sufficient to address this issue.”
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Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
