WACO—As approximately 20,000 Southern Baptists prepare to gather in Orlando, Fla., for the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, June 7-10, Baptist Women in Ministry is greeting them with a message of affirmation for women called to ministry.
BWIM has placed a billboard in Orlando visible to convention messengers and attendees. It stands as a public witness to what the organization has proclaimed for decades: God calls women to ministry and always has.
The billboard’s message is simple: “God calls women to pastor, preach, and minister. Matthew 28:8, Acts 2:17-18.” It is located on Beachline Expressway (SR 528) near the intersection of Sand Lake Road (SR 482).
This year’s SBC annual meeting will once again feature debate over the role and value of women in SBC churches, including a vote on a proposed constitutional amendment limiting the office and function of pastor, elder, and overseer to men.
“Many women who are committed to their SBC churches are navigating what the passage of this amendment would mean for them,” said Meredith Stone, executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry. “BWIM is speaking out for the women living under its weight—not to change the outcome.”
“As proposed, the amendment goes further in limiting women than anything proposed before. Its provisions would mean if a woman preaches, teaches, ministers, or leads in any role that is interpreted as a ‘pastoral function,’ her congregation could be disfellowshipped” from the SBC, Stone said.
BWIM’s mission
BWIM holds firm to its mission to advocate for the full affirmation of women in ministry throughout Baptist life, a vision rooted in its Baptist heritage that the priesthood of all believers truly means all.
“Even beyond the SBC, when women everywhere learn Southern Baptists are once again arguing about women’s value to God and the church, they also feel the pain caused by harmful theology and rising threats to women’s rights,” Stone continued.
“We are speaking out, so that they too will clearly hear the message that women are equally valued. We want all women to know that their callings, gifts, and worth are determined by God and not by any denomination.”
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BWIM is a national organization that supports women who pursue ministry and leadership, and advocates for the full affirmation of women in ministry in Baptist life. For more information, visit bwim.info.
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