*Photo by Roy Burroughs
RECAP
11,692 Southern Baptist Messengers gathered in Orlando this past week to conduct business, hear reports, and speak to the issues facing our convention. Along with the guests and exhibitors, the Orlando Convention center bustled with over 21,000 people. Highlights of the convention included:
- Over 1,000 professions of faith during the Crossover Evangelism Event leading up to the convention
- Over 60 International Missionaries were Commissioned
- The election of Willy Rice, Pastor of Calvary Clearwater Florida, as the new President of the Southern Baptist Convention
- A new budget was adopted that improved International Missions giving to 51% of the overall budget
- A task force was approved to study ministering to those with disabilities
- A number of resolutions were approved addressing issues such as immigration, antisemitism, and political violence
There was much to champion regarding our cooperation. The overall demeanor of the room was charitable and warm. While you will never get 11,692 people to be unanimous, most would agree there was unity!
TRUTH & UNITY AMENDMENT
Of particular importance was the approval of a motion made by Dr. Albert Mohler to amend the constitution and bylaws regarding women in pastoral roles. Mohler utilized the 1689 confession as his basis for the amendment which addresses both office and function. He further pointed to texts such as 1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 as the biblical undergirding for his motion. Mohler’s motion read that a Southern Baptist cooperating church “Does not act to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically, preaching to the assembled congregation.” The motion passed overwhelmingly with 75% of the messengers voting in favor. Since it is an attempt to amend the constitution, the same motion must be approved two years in a row by a supermajority of at least 66%. Next year’s meeting in Indianapolis will require the same response from messengers if it is to be codified in the constitution.
Some have bristled at the parliamentary procedures employed during the debate, saying that Southern Baptists didn’t have adequate time to debate the motion and opposing voices were squashed. Yet, that is not a fair assessment for a number of reasons:
- Firstly, the messengers approved a suspension of a current bylaw on Tuesday afternoon in order to address this issue. In other words, they felt it prescient enough to consider this year and not wait until next.
- Secondly, when the messenger from Kansas “called for the question,” (a parliamentary request to end the debate) the messenger body had an opportunity to extend the debate. And yet, when given the opportunity to extend the debate, the messengers did not feel there was any need. They were ready to vote. No more debate was necessary. And that is primarily because Southern Baptists have been debating this issue for the last 4 years. There truly is nothing new to be added to the argument.
Many have critiqued the amendment, postulating that there is no need for it since the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 already specifies that the Office of Pastor is reserved for men as qualified by scripture. They say the credentials committee has correctly adjudicated these issues. They have pointed to the previous meetings in which churches with female pastors have been considered “not in friendly cooperation.” And yet, despite these assertions, the credentials committee has proven fallible. And many Southern Baptist churches have unabashedly acted to ordain women to the office of pastor, or have them preach in their pulpits on Sunday mornings. The amendment seeks to reaffirm to the convention’s position on the matter and give clarity to the credentials committee in adjudicating cases of unfriendly cooperation.
Some have argued that women who are called, gifted, and leading in ministry aren’t being given an opportunity in Southern Baptist churches. But if God has called someone to ministry and gifted them to teach, He has done so according to His Word (and not contrary to it). In other words, God isn’t going to call/gift them for a ministry He has prohibited elsewhere in the Bible, whether male or female. Whatever gifting we receive is a gifting to be exercised in obedience (and not the other way around). And it’s important to note, that the vast majority of the qualifications for serving as a Pastor are dedicated to the issue of character, not gifting or ability.
Some have argued that the convention is more interested in speaking out about “what we are against” instead of “what we are for.” But, if anything, the messenger body overwhelmingly affirmed this past week: We are FOR obeying the Bible! We are FOR obeying God!
We teach, train, rebuke, and encourage with all sound doctrine. If the Bible is for it, we are for it. If the Bible is against it, we are against it. And while scripture demands male leadership in the home and the church, the Bible–and the God of the Bible–is overwhelmingly FOR women! Women are image bearers. They have dignity, and worth. They are helpers in a marriage and the primary evangelists to their children. They make their house a home, shape the next generation, and serve in their church. As Tony Evans puts it, “an ounce of a mother is worth a pound of a pastor.” Perhaps the reason women aren’t called to be pastors in God’s economy, is because their present ministry in the home is much more important.
There is cultural egalitarian impulse which runs afoul of 1 Timothy 2:12 and the testimony of male leadership throughout the whole of scripture. An impulse to think the Bible is an antiquated document with regard to gender is to question the goodness of God’s Word and God’s design. Which is just what the serpent did in the garden. To put it bluntly, it’s Satanic. God’s Word is infallible and His design is liberating. When we operate as he intended, we have life and life more abundant. We are indeed blessed.
I am grateful for the unity we experienced this year. And I am grateful for the clarity with which our convention spoke regarding the pastoral office. And my prayer is that we will lay this issue to rest in 2027 and move on to waiving the flag for our missions efforts and championing our cooperative cause.
Adam Mallette 