Southern Baptist Convention to vote on female pastors

GREENVILLE, S.C. –

This week, thousands of people are expected to convene at the annual Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in Indianapolis, where messengers will vote on several key issues, including one involving women and the title of ‘pastor.’

The Debate

1 Timothy 3 is one example representatives of the SBC use to explain why the role of pastor is intended for men: “If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…”

“The Bible says that pastors need to be husband of one wife. So with that in mind, pastors are men,” Pastor Larry Padgett of People’s Baptist Church in Greer said. Padgett is a member of the SBC, which had a preliminary vote last year to amend their bylaws that maintain that the title of ‘pastor’ is for only men. The move could be solidified this week and sets the stage for SBC churches with any female pastors to be ruled ‘not compliant.’

Voices in Support of Female Pastors

“I grew up hearing sermons that said women could not be ministers,” Senior Minister Carol McEntyre of First Baptist Greenville said. “I was taught about scripture through just a particular, you know, male-centered lens. I didn’t hear about Lydia, who plants a church. I didn’t hear about Phoebe, who’s called a deacon in Romans chapter 16. So there are plenty of instances in scripture where women are leading and teaching,” she continued.

McEntyre was raised in an Independent Baptist Church. She said when she was called to join the ministry, she listened. “This thought dropped into my mind that I knew was not my own. The thought was, ‘You’re not a mistake. I created you as a woman, and I called you to the ministry, and you are not a mistake,’” McEntyre said.

Possible Ramifications

Padgett said churches may decide to leave the Convention if the amendment passes. “People that go to these different denominations-that’s why they’re going there- because some are pulled out of the Southern Baptist Convention because of that one thing, they feel there needs to be female pastors,” he said.

That’s what happened at First Baptist Greenville, which has a long legacy of female leadership dating back to the 1800s when nine of its ten charter members were women. The roles women continued to play eventually led the church to reevaluate its relationship with the SBC.

“In 1987, when the Southern Baptist began to bring up the issue against women in ministry, First Baptist wrote a letter to the SBC protesting that stance,” McEntyre said. The church eventually left the Convention in 1999.

“I just think that we have to look at the full breadth of Scripture and all that Scripture teaches and not just pull out a few passages of Scripture that seem to limit women,” she continued.

Church Perspectives

Padgett said women are an integral part of his church. “Most of our leadership are women, and thank God for women because if they weren’t in the picture, then we couldn’t be what we are today,” Padgett said.

When asked how he would vote if he were able to attend, Padgett said, “To be honest, I would have to vote my convictions. It would be ‘no’ against lady pastors.”

FOX Carolina reached out to several Upstate SBC member churches for comment, including Taylors First Baptist Church. They said in a statement:

Taylors FBC Articles of Faith affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 statement of faith regarding pastoral ministry. “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture” (Taylors FBC Articles of Faith). Taylors FBC reserves the office of pastor for biblically qualified men. We also affirm and support women in vocational ministry. Our steadfast belief is in the vital role that women play in worship, education, evangelism, missions, and advancing and building the church. – Taylors First Baptist Church

Conclusion

As the Southern Baptist Convention prepares to gather in Indianapolis for their annual meeting, the debate over the role of women in pastoral leadership continues to be a significant point of contention. The outcome of the upcoming vote could have far-reaching implications for churches within the SBC, particularly those with female pastors. Stay tuned as this story develops.