A motion to clarify Southern Baptists’ stance against women filling the role of pastor was passed by SBC messengers in New Orleans.
The motion, first brought last year by Virginia pastor Mike Law, received the required two-thirds vote by messengers. Another two-thirds vote of approval is necessary at next year’s annual meeting to proceed with the amendment to Article III of the SBC Constitution.
The motion that was passed was amended from its original version, which was referred to the SBC Executive Committee last year at the SBC annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif.
Juan Sanchez, senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, offered the amendment to Law’s motion. Both pastors had discussed and agreed on its merits the previous weekend, Sanchez said.
Article III lists five points that place churches within the definition of cooperation with the SBC. The amended motion calls for a sixth, adding churches that affirm, appoint, or employ “only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”
The Executive Committee agreed at its meeting on June 12 to bring Law’s motion to the messengers at this year’s meeting. However, the EC’s recommendation included EC opposition to the motion itself, stating that matters of belief ought to be addressed in the Baptist Faith & Message rather than the constitution.
“I agree with the Executive Committee,” said Sanchez. “Southern Baptists know what a pastor is. The Baptist Faith & Message is clear. However, not all messengers agree. This motion would state in positive language what we believe. It aims to clarify the intent of the Baptist Faith & Message from its initial form in 1925.
“By clarifying the intention of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Article VI,” Sanchez continued, “this motion alleviates the need to revise our statement of faith.”
Article VI of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 addresses “The Church,” stating that “while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”
— Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press.