In an effort to save the Southern Baptist Convention annual meetings from devolving into disfellowshipping events, Al Mohler plans to make a motion this year to accomplish that in one fell swoop.
That’s a negative and cynical way to characterize Mohler’s expected motion. While a more positive spin is possible, I think it’s an accurate way to characterize the motion, given Mohler’s own rationale.
But how to characterize the motion isn’t the most important response. A much more important response is encapsulated in Baptist principles. Baptist principles inform how Southern Baptists should respond to Mohler’s motion—whether their messengers pass it or pass on it.
Baptists hold to the priesthood of the believer, soul competency, and autonomy of the local church. Each of these presents a more than adequate response to Mohler’s motion.
First, where is the SBC on women in ministry?
SBC on women in ministry
The SBC has been pretty clear the last few years about its stance on women in ministry. Mohler’s motion builds on that.
Mohler plans to propose a “Truth and Unity Amendment” to Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the SBC Constitution, which defines what churches can be part of the SBC.
The amendment would add a sixth qualifier: “Does not act to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation.”
Mohler’s motion differs from, but is no clearer than, the so-called Law Amendment that failed to pass on second vote a couple of years ago. The constitutional amendment proposed by Mike Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., would have limited the SBC to churches that affirm, appoint, or employ “only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”
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The Law Amendment passed on first vote in 2023, but constitutional amendments must be approved by messengers at two consecutive SBC annual meetings. It failed the second vote in 2024 by less than 5 percent. Clearly, the majority of SBC messengers favor excluding churches that affirm, appoint, or employ women as any kind of pastor.
The SBC’s stance on women pastors was further confirmed by messengers in 2023 who voted Saddleback Church in Southern California and Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., out of the SBC because they employ women pastors.
The following day, SBC messengers approved an amendment to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, which already limited the office of pastor to men. The amendment added “elder/overseer.”
The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message acknowledges “both men and women are gifted for service in the church.” Southern Baptists just haven’t been clear about what service women are gifted to do, outside of not being a pastor.
Baptist principles
Baptist principles can provide some clarity.
Priesthood of the believer
Baptists believe in the priesthood of the believer.
The priesthood of the believer is grounded in Scripture: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (2 Peter 1:9).
Peter does not limit the priesthood to men, even as he describes the relationship between husbands and wives just a few sentences later.
Bill Pinson defines the principle: “All who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior are priests. … The believer priest has responsibility to share his or her knowledge of God with other persons, both in word and in deed [and] to bear witness to God’s love as shown in Jesus Christ and to demonstrate God’s love by ministering to persons in his name. This responsibility is carried out in various ways …”
Pinson goes on to state this priesthood and its responsibilities are individual and communal.
Soul competency
He notes the priesthood of the believer goes hand in hand with soul competency, which is also grounded in Scripture.
“Each person has a God-given competence to know and follow God’s will,” Pinson states. “A decision to follow Christ as Lord and Savior is an individual decision; no one can make it for another.”
“Individual believers can go directly to God without the aid of any intermediary. Individuals can and should read and interpret the Bible for themselves without religious officials dictating to them what to believe,” he adds.
Pinson also notes biblical interpretation needs to take place in and with a community of believers.
Local autonomy
A local community of believers forms the local church. Each local church is autonomous, or self-governing and self-directing in matters of faith and practice, Pinson explains. This, too, is grounded in Scripture.
No human authority—no government nor association or convention of churches—has authority over local churches. “Only Jesus is Lord of a church,” Pinson states.
And Mohler agrees: “Your church has the right to go in whatever direction it wants.”
Your church on women in ministry
Baptists believe “each person has a God-given competence to know and follow God’s will.”
Baptists believe every believer in Jesus is a priest “to share his or her knowledge of God with other persons, both in word and in deed.”
And Baptists believe each local church is self-governing and self-directing under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
So, what is Jesus saying to you and to your church? That’s for you and your church to work out with Jesus.
SBC messengers will gather June 7-9 in Orlando, Fla., for their annual meeting. They will elect officers, present motions, and vote on motions and resolutions. At least one motion will address women in ministry. One proposed resolution does.
If Mohler’s motion passes the required number of votes for a constitutional amendment, churches currently affiliated with the SBC who “act to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation” would effectively be disfellowshipped in that one action.
If there’s common consensus on what constitutes “preaching” and “the assembled congregation,” that is.
Baptist principles have guided Baptist churches for centuries. And they should guide Baptists still. With respect to women’s roles and functions in ministry, the priesthood of the believer, soul competency, and local autonomy allow varying interpretations and practices, even if the SBC does not.
Let us remember our principles, and let us—men, women, boys, and girls—go where Jesus tells us to go and do what Jesus tells us to do.
Eric Black is the executive director, publisher, and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.
CORRECTION: First Baptist Church in Alexandria was corrected to Arlington Baptist Church in Alexandria.
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