Members of the Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly to restrict cooperating churches from having women serve in the office or function of a pastor, elder or overseer.
The Truth and Unity amendment passed with nearly 75% of messengers voting in favor at the convention in Orlando Wednesday.
Messengers cast 8,074 ballots in total, with 6,028 voting for the amendment and 2,026 voting against it. Twenty ballots were disallowed.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr. Albert Mohler told reporters following the vote he drew up the amendment because the SBC was spending too much time and energy addressing non-compliant churches individually. He believes formalizing the rule in the constitution will streamline the process.
“Yes, it has been dealt with, but it has required the convention’s time and attention and process and deliberation, which I don’t think is very efficient,” Mohler said. “Saying it constitutionally certainly clarifies the situation, and this is not a new doctrine, it’s not a new understanding. The SBC has overwhelmingly affirmed this position at every single opportunity.”
Pastor Doug Mize of First Baptist Church in Greer, South Carolina, spoke against the amendment on the convention floor. He argued the current system of removing churches with female pastors already works.
“We have zero lead [women] pastors, co-pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention at this moment,” Mize said. “We’re going to keep voting them out. But this amendment is over and beyond the reach we need to have.”
Pastor Colin Smothers of First Baptist Maize, Kansas, took the opposite stance. He urged messengers to support the measure for the sake of denominational unity.
“This amendment is not complicated. The need for it is not complicated,” Smothers said. “We need clarity and the amendment provides clarity and truth and unity.”
Reporters asked about the message the vote sends to women. Mohler (pictured above) stressed the SBC holds a high view of women’s contributions to the church.
“I can tell you the Christian church would not exist, much less thrive, without the ministries, the witness and the devoted service of women,” Mohler said. “But specifically in the New Testament it points to the office of pastor, elder, overseer … it makes very clear the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”
He noted the distinction is about a specific calling, rather than capability or value.
“It is saying this is a particular calling and God chooses men whom He calls and qualifies to fulfill that role,” Mohler said. “It is not my job to question God as to why it is so.”
He also assured skeptics the amendment’s scope is strictly limited to the function of preaching to the gathered assembly. He doesn’t believe the SBC will expand the restriction beyond that specific issue.
“I’ve tried to say as carefully as possible, and I’ll say again now, it speaks specifically in terms of function to a woman preaching to the gathered assembly,” Mohler said. “I also will tell you I do not believe the Southern Baptist Convention has shown any evidence of moving beyond that specific issue in terms of the function question.”
Wednesday’s vote served as the first step to enshrine the restriction into the SBC constitution. It must pass a second vote at next year’s convention in Indianapolis to become official.
