Southern Baptists take a step to toughen stance against women pastors

The Southern Baptist Convention has taken a significant step toward codifying its stance against women in the ministry. During the annual meeting in Orlando, delegates voted in favor of a constitutional amendment aimed at tightening the organization's policies regarding pastoral roles.

A Major Push for Constitutional Change

The amendment was proposed by the Rev. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Samford University graduate. The measure cleared the necessary two-thirds majority, securing 74.66 percent of the vote compared to 25.09 percent in opposition. With 6,028 votes for and 2,026 against, the proposal moves forward, though it will require a second vote next year to be fully ratified.

Mohler framed the move as a critical effort to maintain doctrinal boundaries. “There’s a great line that divides liberal and biblical evangelicalism, and you can see it on this very issue,” Mohler stated. He emphasized that the amendment serves to ensure that any church in friendly cooperation with the convention reserves the office of pastor—and the specific duty of preaching to the assembly—exclusively for men.

Tensions Over Pastoral Roles

This legislative shift follows years of mounting tension within the SBC regarding the roles of women in church leadership. In recent years, the organization has moved to disfellowship churches that employ women pastors. Notably, the convention severed ties with Saddleback Church in 2023, the megachurch founded by Rick Warren, because the congregation listed women as pastors on its website.

At the 2023 SBC meeting, Warren challenged the direction of the convention, arguing in an impassioned speech that women on pastoral staff “have not sinned.”

Reaction to the Vote

The decision drew sharp criticism from Baptist Women in Ministry, a Waco-based advocacy group. In a statement released following the June 10 vote, the group expressed deep disappointment. “Convention votes do not decide who is called to pastor, preach or minister,” the statement read. “Convention votes do not determine women’s value to God or the church. However, we are grieved that: Convention votes do amplify messages of inequality. Convention votes do cause congregational conflict. Convention votes do hurt women and girls.”

As 205focus.com continues to track this story, the SBC awaits next year’s follow-up vote to see if the amendment will officially become part of the convention's constitution.