Update on SBC Convention
Drew Page, Associate Pastor
This year, the Southern Baptist Convention took place in New Orleans, June 11–14, 2023. This meeting served as a potential tipping point regarding the SBC’s view of the biblical qualifications for elder as set forth in Scripture. Because of its importance, your elders, their wives, and Adam Pantling attended the meeting as messengers. We are happy to continue our relationship with the SBC based on the results of this meeting.
On a side note, we faced some difficulties getting there. Ann Dove and I had our initial flight delayed by seven hours, causing us to land in Atlanta long after our anticipated arrival time. Once we got to Atlanta, the attendants informed us that our luggage was on another flight, and we would not receive our luggage until noon the next day. Jamie and Michelle’s initial flight was also cancelled. Finally, John-Paul and Susan also had a delay. Only Adam had no trouble getting in…
But I digress. The actual business of the SBC began on Tuesday, so Adam, Ann Dove, and I took the opportunity to visit the exhibit hall and make ministry network connections. We also ran into my seminary president, Dr. Akin, as well as several of my Southeastern professors. But the topic on everyone’s mind was the business at hand.
By Monday evening, everyone else arrived to New Orleans. We again visited the exhibit hall, where John-Paul, Jamie, and I went to the exhibits to address some of our specific relationships. We met the CEO of Trail Life, the organization that Adam oversees for our boys. We also met the representatives of The Voice of the Martyrs, and we made sure to get a picture for Alan Applewhite (we also got him a book from them – I need to remember to get that to him on Sunday…). Oh, I digress again.
Tuesday, all seven of us appeared to vote on the issues we were sent to address. There were several resolutions passed that frankly hold no weight and are mainly just virtue signaling of various types. But the main items of business were two appeals by churches who had been recommended for disfellowship from the SBC for ordaining and hiring women pastors.
The first church was Fern Creek Baptist Church. During her appeal, she made it clear that she was the senior pastor of the church and God had called her to do so. The second appeal was Saddleback Church. Rick Warren, former pastor and author of the best-selling book The Purpose-Driven Life made the case that the SBC should welcome those with egalitarian views (allow women pastors).
If you want to know how we voted, you can see a copy of my ballot on my Twitter and Instagram pages. We voted to follow Scripture, as well as our common confession as set forth in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Along with us, almost 90% of the vote favored upholding the credentials committee’s recommendation to disfellowship those churches. Therefore, they are no longer part of the SBC.
Another important step was the first passage of an amendment to Article 3 of the SBC constitution, where it will be clearly stated that churches who are not willing to affirm that only men can serve as pastors/elders/overseers will no longer be viewed in friendly cooperation with the SBC (they are disfellowshipped). Unfortunately, to amend the constitution, the amendment must pass to consecutive conventions. So, we will likely be called upon to go to Indianapolis next year to do our part to see this through.
Now, it’s important to note that, while we hold to the inerrancy of Scripture and the roles that God has set forth for ministry with high regard, we ALSO highly regard our godly women who serve in our church and who lead within the bounds of Scripture. Some have accused churches like ours of chauvinism, claiming that men are grasping for power. If it were up to us, it would be MUCH easier to just “go with the flow” and let anyone serve as pastors. But once we begin to chip away at the truth of Scripture, there is no stopping. Either God’s Word is our authority, or there is no authority.
