Women Pastors and the SBC

This past week, the Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Among the agenda items completed during the session, one has proved as controversial as had been anticipated beforehand: Albert Mohler’s Truth and Unity Amendment. This amendment, which passed with more than ¾ percent of messengers voting in favor, ensures that churches in friendly cooperation do not “affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation.” Perhaps the most surprising thing about this amendment was the fact that it was needed at all. Most Baptists, along with the vast majority of other Christian groups, have historically held the belief that the Bible clearly and unequivocally teaches that the office of pastor is reserved for qualified men. Southern Baptists affirm this confessionally; the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 maintains, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” Currently, there are zero churches in the SBC with women serving as lead, senior, or co-pastor. So why did we need this amendment? 

It is no surprise that this issue has finally come to a head. While the belief that the Scriptures limit the role of pastor/elder/overseer to qualified men is overwhelmingly affirmed among Southern Baptists, it’s no secret that the waves of modern culture have brought this issue to our doorstep. Prominent female voices such as Beth Moore, Paula White, and Joyce Meyer have influenced a generation of Christian thinkers that maybe the Church has gotten this issue wrong… Why shouldn’t a woman be a pastor? Are there not gifted Christian women who could do every bit as good a job (if not better) than many men who have, currently, or will serve in pastoral ministry? 

Unfortunately, rather than staying on topic, debates on this issue often drift to completely unrelated and irrelevant points. The issue at hand is whether or not the Bible states that the office and function of a pastor is reserved for qualified, called men, thus prohibiting women from serving in this capacity. Rather than focusing on this question- a question that has been unambiguously answered for an overwhelming majority of Christians throughout the Church’s 2,000-year history- this issue raises objections like these: (1) “Women were the first ones to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus!” (2) “Paul told the Galatians that there is no longer male nor female in Christ Jesus, therefore, gender doesn’t delimit roles or callings within the Church.” (3) “God can call anyone- male or female- to any position.” (4) “She knows more about God and theology than 90% of the men in our church!” While these points have their own merits, they are distractions from the ultimate question, especially for Baptists (“the people of the Book”): “Does God’s Word tell us who can and who cannot serve in the office of pastor?” That’s the real question. I believe, along with way more than 76% of Southern Baptists globally, it does. 

I’d like to offer a few peripheral observations on this hot-button topic with the simple goal in mind of providing clarity and clarification. I will not likely change anyone’s mind, but for those who may not be steeped in this discussion, I hope to shine a little light on the issue.  

• While the issue of gender roles in pastoral ministry is not exclusively a Southern Baptist matter, this amendment is. The Truth and Unity Amendment was offered at an annual meeting of the SBC and was offered (and approved) as a reaffirmation and restatement of the traditional, historical Southern Baptist stance on this issue. The approval of this addition to the SBC constitution provides the pathway for a deeper unity and intentional clarity around a commonly held belief that Southern Baptists have always held to. In other words, if you are not Southern Baptist, this amendment wasn’t about you or written to you. If you want to debate a Baptist on whether our understanding of Scripture at this point is correct, by all means, go ahead. But this amendment was designed to bring specificity and unity within our own fellowship. 

• Our belief that the Bible restricts the office and function of a pastor to called, qualified men does NOT mean that we believe women do not have gifts, callings, and opportunities to serve in the church and in God’s Kingdom. Of course God calls women to various roles in His Church. He calls women (along with all believers) to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. We see women today and in the past serving in mighty ways across the American landscape and beyond. Southern Baptists are proud of the legacy women like Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon have left behind for the glory of God. Women aren’t simply called to be custodians and nursery workers in Christ’s Church; they are called to be soul-winners, prayer warriors, givers, salt and light, and so much more. However, no woman is called to pastor a local congregation because God’s Word restricts the role. Southern Baptist leaders do not put that limitation on women (or on unqualified men); the Bible does. 

• This issue is not so much about our thoughts, opinions, and recognition of the wonderful gifts and contributions of women in Christianity and within the church. For Southern Baptists, the core issue was whether our convention of autonomous, like-minded churches would maintain our foundational belief that the Bible is the ultimate authority for what we believe and how we live. The fact that such a high percentage of our messengers agreed together and reaffirmed our traditional views in the midst of an ever-changing, “progressive” world is an encouragement to all those (like myself) who work day in and day out in local Baptist churches, contending earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Some may read this and say, "But, what about the horrible thing men in ministry have done?!" Yes, we need to address those problems. But none of these other issues dictates what 'Thus saith the Lord.'

My prayer is that God would grant that Southern Baptists continue to stand on the Word of God and refuse to succumb to the external pressures to please the world rather than God. May He equip men and women for the work of Christian ministry. But let us be careful to obey what is written and follow the road He has paved.