SBC and Women Preachers???

It is nowhere close to being true.

If there are currently any women who preach or pastor Southern Baptist churches, they are very few. Most women called to preach/pastor (and churches who recognize women who are called) have distanced themselves from the SBC over the past two decades.

Not anything I can specifically point you to... However, having formerly been associated with Southern Baptists and familiar with the issues and discussion surrounding women in vocational ministry, I can speak confidently about this matter. I doubt any current Southern Baptists will disagree with my answer.

 

I agree with BB. If a woman says she is called to preach (which we know is impossible because God can't lie), she will align herself with apostate groups such as the CBF or BGCT.

Thanks BB for the insight. This is one time I completely agree with you.

 

I can always count on you to falsely accuse the brethren.

 

Daniel - that is very mean spirited. Youve already decided that our president is a lost man, and now the CBF and the BGCT are apostate. give me a break.

 

In our state Baptist news paper I once wrote a letter in response to a letter written by a SBC woman pastor who was writting about women being free and should be allowed to be pastors. She is the only one I know about, although I know they exsist, but not many in the SBC. The SBC as a whole are agaisnt women preachers. In my experience, in our area, they are usually not Baptists, usually carismatic.

 

Daniel and Dr. Bob;

Please define what you mean by apostate. If it means that if one is a member of the CBF or the BGCT that they are not saved then what double d had to say is beyond politically incrrect. It puts double d in the position of being God himself. Is that a position you really want?

 

God has already said what it takes to be saved in his word. When people violate that, I have the authority to say they are not saved.

Call it whatever you want, you just haven't grasped anything beyond junior church theology if you maintain such a low view of salvation.

 

I just wanted to point out that I originally said that and Daniel happened to agree with me. I did not allege that his agreement with what I said to be meanspirited.

However, his constant allegations that the BGCT, CBF and Baptist moderates are “apostate” is unconscionable, although most moderators around here don’t seem to mind.

I appreciate your intervention.

 

Acts 16:29-31

29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

We/they haven't and therefore you don't have the authority.

 

Daniel,

I agree with you as far as saying that those who maintain that women are/can be pastors teach a false doctrine. Perhaps you should refrain from questioning thier individual salvation and focus on questioning their theology and doctrinal teachings. If you debate whether or not a specific doctrine is true or false you can get your point across without resorting to questioning their salvation.

 

Since the Bible doesn't forbid women from preaching, then a woman who is called to preach can. Additionally, no where in the Bible does it suggest that spiritual gifts are handed out based on one's gender.

Now, as far as the claim that there are thousands of female pastors in the SBC, well, being an SBC'er myself, I can't think of one. I'm reasonably sure that this is a gross exaggeration. Traditionally, the SBC doesn't have female pastors. But there's nothing in the SBC that forbids a woman from being a pastor, an dnothing in the distinctives that would forbid an SBC congregation from having a female pastor.

However, there are thousands of unmarried men who are SBC pastors.

 

Since the Bible doesn't forbid women from preaching, then a woman who is called to preach can. Additionally, no where in the Bible does it suggest that spiritual gifts are handed out based on one's gender.

Now, as far as the claim that there are thousands of female pastors in the SBC, well, being an SBC'er myself, I can't think of one. I'm reasonably sure that this is a gross exaggeration. Traditionally, the SBC doesn't have female pastors. But there's nothing in the SBC that forbids a woman from being a pastor, and nothing in the distinctives that would forbid an SBC congregation from having a female pastor.</font>[/QUOTE]Ah John...

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says:

 

The words of the Baptist faith and message are noncompulsory. Only the Baptist distinctives are compulsory. The Distinctives are very specific to guaranteeing local autonomy, including autonomous biblical interpretation and implimentation.

 

I guess you don't know about Lottie Moon and many others who have been missionaries in the SBC who have started churches in foreign lands. Just ask a foreign seminary student about this. They can easily verify that. In 1998 I wrote Jerry Rankin a letter regarding ordination and the issue of women in ministry especially chaplains to women in the military. The following is a response from his office.

"There is a serious question in my mind as to whether our whole understanding and practice of ordination is being guided by New Testament practice or by U.S tax law which provides certain benefits for ordained persons."

Later in the letter he writes:

"We do not appoint missionaries to the specific role of pastors, but rather to the more specifically missionary role of extending the Gospel to new areas through church planting. There would be some exceptions to this such as those who go to serve English language congregations. We would not appoint women for such roles.

We believe that there is no New Testament teaching which prohibit women from exercising other gifts of ministry such as evangelizing with the expectation that new congregations will come out of the ministry. This obviously means that we do not see the roles of pastor and church planter as being identical."

 

The words of the Baptist faith and message are noncompulsory. Only the Baptist distinctives are compulsory. The Distinctives are very specific to guaranteeing local autonomy, including autonomous biblical interpretation and implimentation. </font>[/QUOTE]Hey John,

You are sort of right...

The BF&M likewise makes it clear that local churches are autonomous. However, if a local church includes the BF&M in its Church Constitution and By-laws, as my church does, then the statement about women not being pastors is binding. The SBC did not force my church to include such language in our Constitution and By-laws, nor did the SBC force us to accept the BF&M 2000 as our statement of beliefs. We prayerfully considered this and each member voted whether or not to accept our new Constitution and By-laws. However, now we have a document in place the ensures that Open Door Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC will not have women as pastors.

 

I agree with Jerry Rankin that missionaries are not pastors. However, we may have pastors who serve as missionaries. In any case the goal of the missionary is not go out and start a church that they are to pastor. The goal is to share the gospel and let the local people determine their own pastors and church government structure etc., based upon the biblical understanding of the N.T. Church. Then once that new church is able to disciple people and reproduce itself by planting other churches it is time for the missionary to move on to a new field or unreached people group.

[ December 05, 2003, 04:33 AM: Message edited by: Bible-boy ]