ORLANDO — Albert Mohler’s proposed amendment to Article III of the SBC Constitution, regarding pastoral qualifications, is now one step closer to being adopted.
Messengers at the SBC annual meeting in Orlando overwhelmingly approved the proposed amendment — with nearly 75% in favor — shortly after it was presented by Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on Wednesday morning.
The amendment will still need at least two-thirds approval at next year’s SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis.
Mohler’s proposed amendment reflects other attempts in the last four years — including the well-publicized “Law Amendment” (named after Mike Law) — to codify only men serving in the role of pastor.
Discussion about the amendment was brief, with only two messengers — one in favor, one against — speaking from the floor. After the two messengers spoke, the motion was made to “call the question.” When messengers approved that motion, it ended any further discussion on the topic.
The amendment received 6,028 (74.66%) “yes” votes — compared to 2,026 (25.09%) against — among the 8,074 votes cast. Twenty votes were disallowed.
Labeled by Mohler as the “Truth and Unity” amendment, he said it will “make clear” how cooperating Southern Baptist churches view the role of women in the office of pastor/elder/overseer. Such churches, Mohler said, would not “act to affirm, appoint or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation.”
The amendment varies in wordage from the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, which states: “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”
Tennessee pastor Chris Garner, of Holly Grove Baptist Church in Bells, made a recommendation that the vote on the Mohler amendment be made through “raised ballot” as opposed to a “ballot vote” (often called “secret ballot.”) His recommendation was not approved, however, due to parliamentary rules that require amendments to the SBC Constitution be done through ballot voting.
As the bringer of the motion, Mohler opened up the floor discussion by pointing to its language modeled after the 1689 Baptist Confession, “where the office and function of the pastor are clearly delineated,” he said.
Mohler said the latest amendment would specify “that the key central function of preaching the Word of God to the gathered assembly is limited to men by Scripture.”
Parliamentary procedures allow for discussion from those for and against the amendment. It also allows for a messenger to call the question after both sides have been heard, confirmed by a two-thirds vote of affirmation.
After Mohler’s opening comments, Doug Mize, pastor of First Baptist Church in Greer, S.C., spoke against it. He opened with thoughts on observations from attending the annual meeting during the Conservative Resurgence and how Southern Baptists have “consistently” voted out churches with female pastors.
“What we have already works,” he said. “… We (have) zero (women) lead pastors, co-pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention at this moment. We’re going to keep voting them (out). But this (amendment) is over and beyond the reach that we need to have.”
Collin Smothers, pastor of First Baptist Maize in Wichita, Kan., spoke next in favor of the amendment.
“This amendment is not complicated. The need for it is not complicated,” said Smothers, who has served executive director of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and adjunct professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. “… We need clarity and (the amendment) provides clarity and truth and unity. We need it now, so I call the question.”
At that point, 8 minutes and 22 seconds of debate had clicked from 20 minutes allotted for discussion, with others standing at microphones. Messengers, nevertheless, approved closing discussion by easily exceeding the two-thirds vote.
Mohler originally announced his intention to make the amendment on May 18. After he sparked debate with his response to a question about whether a woman is serving in a pastoral role by discussing a sermon on a podcast, the Southern Seminary president issued a clarification on June 4, rephrasing the amendment to specify “preaching to the assembled congregation.” B&R — This article includes reporting by Scott Barkley of Baptist Press and also from The Baptist Paper.