In 2023 Southern Baptist Kicking Churches Out For Having Female Pastors

Last Monday, the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention decided to dismiss six congregations, one for allegedly treating a sexual abuse complaint improperly and the other five for having female pastors.

“Southern Baptists hold to a complementarianism, a theological idea that teaches men and women have certain assigned roles,” The Tennessean reported.

“The credentials committee evaluates whether a church is in “friendly cooperation” with the convention and determines whether to recommend disfellowship. The executive committee then votes on that recommendation,” that report stated.

The churches expelled for women pastors are New Faith Mission Ministry in Griffin, Georgia; St. Timothy’s Christian Baptist Church in Baltimore; Calvary Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi; Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville; and Saddleback Church, The Alabama Baptist reported.

According to the study, the sixth church, Freedom Church in Vero Beach, Florida, allegedly handled a sexual assault complaint improperly. Churches are permitted to appeal.

“There’s been no sexual abuse, as well as it’s a false accusation that we haven’t been more than ready and willing to cooperate with the Convention, that has been unwilling to actually hear the truth, or find out, or know anything about the details,” the Baptist Press report stated.

The controversy over women pastors at Los Angeles-based Saddleback Church, the convention’s second-largest church, began two years ago when founding pastor Rick Warren ordained three women.

Warren, a best-selling author, retired last year after more than 42 years at Saddleback. Andy Wood and his wife, Stacie, previously of Echo Church in San Jose, California took over in leading the church.

The five churches ousted for having women as pastors “have been valued, cooperating churches for many years, and this decision was not made lightly,” Committee Chairman Jared Wellman said in a statement to The Associated Press.

“However, we remain committed to upholding the theological convictions of the SBC and maintaining unity among its cooperating churches.”