Southern Baptists expected to reaffirm ban of women in pastoral roles

ATLANTA — Southern Baptists attending the denomination’s annual meeting in Indianapolis next week will consider a variety of resolutions, such as affirming support for Israel, reproductive technologies, religious liberty and integrity in leadership.

The nation’s largest Protestant denomination will also elect a new president from a field of six candidates.

The issue drawing the most attention, though, is the continuing debate over the role of women in ministry in the denomination’s network of more than 40,000 affiliated churches. Women are not allowed to hold the title of pastor in Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated churches.

According to the statement of faith, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

At the convention, delegates sent by member churches will consider whether to double down on the practice by adding it to the denomination’s constitution.

The constitutional amendment would ban churches that appoint or hire women with pastoral titles of any kind, including children’s pastor, youth pastor, associate pastor or co-pastor, and those who take on duties of a pastor.

Supporters say the amendment will clarify the denomination’s stance on churches with women in those roles. Others say it’s not needed because it’s already in the statement of faith and there is a process to deal with churches that are found in violation.

Some warn it could result in a mass exodus, particularly among African-American congregations where women have historically held greater ministerial roles, even if not senior pastor.

The proposed amendment is known as the “Law Amendment,” named after Virginia Pastor Michael Law, who is behind the proposal.

The Rev. Jéan Ward is senior pastor of ImPower Church in Atlanta and executive director of the African American Fellowship, a coalition of 325 African American churches in Georgia. He has strong opinions about what he would like to see discussed at the annual convention.

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