Baptist Women in Ministry praise failed SBC ban on female pastors as Mike Law vows to fight on

While the majority of Southern Baptist messengers were left disappointed Wednesday by the failure of a proposed amendment to the Southern Baptist Convention's constitution to permanently ban women from serving as pastors "as qualified by Scripture," groups like Baptist Women in Ministry applauded.

The Texas-based advocacy group, which supports women who pursue ministry and leadership in Baptist churches, represents a coalition of women connected to denominations such as the Southern Baptist Convention, Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Churches USA, Baptist General Association of Virginia, Baptist General Convention of Texas, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, National Baptist Convention, USA, National Missionary Baptist Convention and  Progressive National Baptist Convention.

Some 5,099 — or 61% of messengers who cast ballots at America's largest Protestant denomination's Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana — voted in favor of the proposed amendment to the SBC’s constitution, known as the Law Amendment. The proposal needed 66.66% of the votes to be ratified. About 38%, or 3,185 messengers, opposed the motion.

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“Baptist Women in Ministry offers appreciation to all the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) who voted against the Law amendment BECAUSE of their commitment to support and affirm women serving as pastors of all kinds in the SBC,” the group said in a statement Wednesday following the vote.

“We are grateful to churches and messengers represented at the SBC who came to send the message that women have equal value to God. We know that others voted against the amendment for other reasons, but we hope the message of your support for female pastors will be amplified,” the statement added.

The amendment received much less support than it did when it was proposed by Pastor Mike Law of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia at the SBC's Annual Meeting in June 2023, which passed with approximately 80% of the vote from more than 12,000 messengers.

In his statement on the failed proposal, Law urged Southern Baptists to keep fighting for biblical faithfulness as some openly discussed leaving the denomination on social media because of what they see as a liberal drift.

“Southern Baptists, I am grateful to God for you. Yes, I am disappointed in the results, but I am not disheartened. 61% of Southern Baptists voted for the Amendment, that is a majority, that is encouraging, and that is something we can build upon,” Law wrote.

“Realize that leaving loses the ground gained, your labors for this amendment were not in vain, therefore my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58),” he continued. “Now is not the time to leave, but to lean in, lead, and labor for biblical faithfulness, while believing the best about brothers and sisters who came to a different conclusion on this Amendment.”

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines "pastor" as "one who fulfills the pastoral office and carries out the pastor's functions." Article VI of The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 further notes that the scriptural offices are pastors and deacons and "[w]hile both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."

Messengers overwhelmingly voted in support of the amendment to permanently ban women from serving as pastors last year, hours after 88% of messengers voted to uphold the removal of Rick Warren's Saddleback Church for allowing a woman to serve in the office of a teaching pastor. The removal of Fern Creek Baptist Church for having a woman pastor was also affirmed by a vote of 92%.

In his arguments supporting the amendment, Law noted that as of June 2023, there were more than 1,000 SBC churches with female pastors in “direct contradiction to both God’s Word … and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

“These churches are confused in thinking that embracing God’s word on this issue will lead to institutional decline. Many of these churches don’t understand that the same interpretive method that leads to female pastors also leads to practicing homosexual pastors,” Law argued.

He stated that the denomination has already lost dozens of churches due to the toleration of female pastors.

“Generally speaking, history shows that once a denomination has female pastors, it’s usually just a matter of time until they ordain homosexual pastors,” he said.

He pointed out that the American Baptist Churches USA allowed female pastors in 1985 and by 1999 they were allowing homosexual pastors. The Episcopal Church USA made that shift in 1976 and by 1996 they began allowing homosexual pastors. He pointed out that the ELCA, the PCUSA, and the United Methodists all followed a similar trajectory.

“The reality is this issue has been a canary in the coalmine for many denominations. If we cannot be clear and unashamed about what the Bible says a pastor is now, then there is little hope that we will stand firm on other teachings of God’s Word that are out of step with the standards of the world,” he wrote. “We must believe what the Bible teaches and go wherever it leads regardless of cost or consequences.”

Outspoken SBC Pastor Dwight McKissic, who founded and leads Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, was among the minority of SBC pastors celebrating the failure of the Law Amendment.

“Really hopeful that Mike Law will now go back to minding his own business and church affairs, and to stop combing other churches websites looking for a female occupying the role and title of children’s pastor,” he wrote on X after the vote.

“This has been a major two year distraction. Now that the vote is over, it’s time to let bygones be bygones, circle the wagons, and move forward. It’s not helpful or healthy for our convention to engage in this unnecessary & divisive fight year after year. Two years is more than enough. Drop your weapons.”