Confusion is growing,
Faithful churches are leaving,
And historically, female pastors are an early step toward liberalism.
As of June 2023, there are currently over 1000 SBC churches with female pastors. This is in direct contradiction to both God’s Word (i.e. 1 Tim 2:12–13; 1 Tim 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9) and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 ( Section VI. “The Church”). 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.
Dozens of SBC churches have already left or stopped contributing to the Cooperative Program due to the toleration of female pastors within the convention on this issue and more. Generally speaking, history shows that once a denomination has female pastors, it’s usually just a matter of time until they ordain homosexual pastors. The American Baptist Churches USA allowed female pastors in 1985 and then homosexual pastors in 1999. The Episcopal Church USA went from having female pastors in 1976 to homosexual pastors in 1996. For the ELCA, it was 1988 to 2009. For the PCUSA, it was 1956 to 2011. And after the United Methodists allowed female pastors in 1956, they are now hemorrhaging over homosexual ordination, and it’s the conservatives who are leaving.
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. We must believe what the Bible teaches and go wherever it leads regardless of cost or consequences.