The GOSPEL MESSAGE would never have been told without women… How the Southern Baptist Convention vote went 20 miles wide and 2 centimeters deep with 1 Timothy 2:12 Posted on June 18, 2023

The GOSPEL MESSAGE would never have been told without women… How the Southern Baptist Convention vote went 20 miles wide and 2 centimeters deep with 1 Timothy 2:12

Before I go down the rabbit hole in my frustration about the vote from the Southern Baptist Convention this week pertaining to women in pastoral positions and removing churches from the SBC as a result of that vote, let me say this: I am SO THANKFUL that when I get to heaven, walk the streets of gold, and have tear stained eyes at the very sight of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I am never going to be asked if I am Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, or any other religion. I am thankful God is not religion, only man.

This past week, the Southern Baptist Convention met in my city. My favorite city. My hometown. The city that I love above all others, New Orleans. The number one topic of discussion, debate, and headline news: Is it BIBLICAL for women to be pastors?

The scripture at the root of this debate comes from two verses. I have heard 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14: 34 -35 more times than I can count. Interestingly, Paul, the author of both books, also tells women not to wear gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, and men not to use anger­–none of which are ever preached on, debated, or the cause for removal from a religious organization.

We’ve all heard a host of reasons as to why some feel women cannot be pastors: women are too emotional, women might tempt men with their bodies, women have menstrual cycles, women cannot handle the workload, a woman’s voice is too soft, how can women have children if they are a pastor, and, my favorite, men may leave the church if a woman is in charge. These answers reveal that the majority of objections people have about women preachers and pastors are not rooted in scripture, but rather stem from mankind’s own assumptions about gender.

Even if one does truly believe that women should not lead churches, the way the entire vote came to life should be taken personally by every single Southern Baptist woman. The executive committee for the Southern Baptist Convention is made up of 86 members: out of those 86, there are 13 white women and 2 black women. The panel that brought the discussion to the floor of the convention center in New Orleans the day the amendment went to vote was a panel made up of entirely men. Furthermore, the two churches (Kentucky’s Fern Creek Baptist Church and Rick Warren’s – PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE guy–Saddleback Church) that were expelled from the SBC because they refused to remove women pastors from their staff brought an ingenious statement to the panel and committee: “No one is asking any Southern Baptist to change their theology! I’m not asking you to agree with my church,” Warren insisted, reading from a printout at a microphone on the floor of the convention hall during a three-minute speech. “I am asking you to act like a Southern Baptist, who have historically agreed to disagree on dozens of doctrines, in order to act on a common mission. We agree on 99% of things and this is the issue that you kick us out on.”

Several male Southern Baptist preachers have publicly stated they will leave the SBC if women are voted in as equals and allowed to carry the title of paster. HERE, IN ITSELF LIES THE CORE ISSUE. In our society today, we are treading water with our mentality of problem solving and communications. Instead of pastors saying, “We agree on the MAIN THING. Jesus Christ SAVES LIVES. Pull up a chair and let’s have discussion”, some pastors threaten to take their Bible and go home. My way or the highway.

Moving on, at a breakfast this week hosted by one of the most influential new groups to rally their camp, the Conservative Baptist Network, founded in 2020, speakers urged attendees to vote against women in church leadership, and to also institute poll watching and voter mobilization programs at their churches for local and national elections. An evangelist Marine declared that America needed “real men” and railed against “all this trans stuff,” to great applause. “They are trying to make sissies out of our boys, and they are trying to make boys out of our girls,” the Marine, Tim Lee, said. This is a statement I actually agree with and can discuss at another time, but it has absolutely nothing to do with females being qualified and encouraged, by Scripture, to lead churches.  Southern Baptists needed women “working in our churches” Mr. Lee said, speaking directly to women. “We just don’t need you to be the pastors of our churches.”

Many within the denomination fear that ascendant secular values are restructuring family life, children’s education, and personal identity. They worry about their denomination’s shrinking size and cultural stature; however, this identity crisis is fresh. The broader debate in schools, legislatures, and consumer culture over women’s roles, men’s roles, and the roles of transgender people is prompting some evangelicals to assert their standards about the roles of men and women in society. Once again, women are punished for a much larger issue men cannot control.

Let’s pretend for a moment that scripture, not sexism and current culture influence, is at the root of the issue. The Bible has more to say about women in leadership positions that seem to be forgotten when referencing 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians. Here are just a few examples ROOTED IN SCRIPTURE:

“They told all these things” (Luke 24:9) Did you know the very first Christian preachers were all women? In all four gospels, women are the first to learn of Christ’s resurrection when he appears to them, and they are the very first people to share this news with others. Depending on which gospel you read, the first proclaimer is either Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-10 and John 20:17-18), Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (Matthew 28:8-10), or Mary, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and others (Luke 24:9-10). The VERY FIRST TIME the story of the resurrection is told, it is proclaimed by a woman. IF WOMEN HAD “KEPT SILENT IN THE CHURCH, THERE WOULD BE NO CHURCH!” The role of a pastor is evangelism, vision, and communication shown by these women.

•  “Outstanding among the apostles” (Romans 16:7) The following women often get overlooked, but even though we do not have long stories about them, their leadership still is recorded in the Bible. There is Anna, who was a prophet (Luke 2:36) along with the four daughters of Philip who also prophesied (Acts 21:9). A “prophet” in the biblical sense, is a truth-teller delivering God’s message to the world — in other words, a preacher. There is also Phoebe, who was a deacon (Romans 16:1), and Junia, who the Bible describes, not only as an apostle, but an outstanding one (Romans 16:7). Priscilla, along with her husband, is someone Paul names as a “co-worker” in Christ, and in Acts 18, Priscilla teaches Apollos, a “learned man, with a thorough knowledge of scripture.” Despite his considerable expertise, Priscilla is able to explain “the way of God more adequately” to him, and he expresses no dismay at her gender. In many of the passages where she is mentioned, Priscilla’s name is listed before her husband’s, which is noteworthy in a culture that usually placed husband’s names first, suggesting Priscilla, rather than Aquila, was the leader of this particular couple. The role of a pastor is to lead the church by coordinating, planning, directing, organizing, and working with others, while serving as their administrator, all shown by these women.

• “Because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39) We know her as the “Woman at the Well.” After this woman spoke with THE LIVING WATER, according to John 4:28, she left her jar behind to go tell the people about Jesus. She left behind what she came to the well to do because she found more important work. Shortly thereafter, the text reports that many Samaritans believed in Christ because of her testimony (4:39), demonstrating she was quite the effective evangelist. The conversation Jesus has with her in John 4 is the longest recorded conversation Jesus has with anyone. Why would Jesus spend all that time talking theology with a woman if he didn’t want her to tell anyone about it? He doesn’t reprimand her for leaving her jar — her “women’s work” — behind. Rather, he encourages her spiritual pursuits and questions, then welcomes those she leads to him. The role of a pastor is to create an effective evangelical program that cares and ministers to their communities as shown by the woman at the well.

• “Until I, Deborah, arose” (Judges 5:7) So far, I have mentioned New Testament women, but there is no absence of strong women in the Hebrew scriptures. Deborah, for example, is named in the Hebrew scriptures as both prophetess and judge. The people come to her for words from God; she leads, directs, and guides them, and no one seems to object based on her gender. In Judges 5, Deborah leads the people in song after leading them to victory in battle. She sings, “They held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7). Without her leadership, the people would not fight on their own behalf. The role of a pastor is to discipline the flock when needed because of the love and best interests they desire for them and to encourage the flock that if ‘God is for them, who can be against them?’ as the woman Deborah did.

• “Go and inquire of the Lord for me” (2 Kings 22:11-20; 2 Chronicles 34:14-33) For some reason, Huldah (2 Kings 22:11-20; 2 Chronicles 34:14-33) is always overlooked by the men who say women can’t teach, though in her own day she was anything but invisible. As the story goes, King Josiah’s men were cleaning out the temple when they discovered a scroll of the Book of Law given by Moses. Josiah asked several men, including the high priest, to go inquire of the Lord about the contents of the scroll. Who did all those important men seek out for answers from God? Huldah. A woman. It is worth noting that Huldah was married, but they went to her, not her husband (which, for the record, made perfect sense, seeing as how she was the prophet and he was the keeper of the royal wardrobe). It is also worth noting that Huldah was a contemporary of male prophets like Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Nahum. The king’s men had lots of great options, and they chose Huldah. She doesn’t just instruct men; men seek out her instruction. If the King of Judah wasn’t afraid to listen to a woman, why should we be? The role of a pastor is to be the PRIMARY counsel and communicator of the Word of the Lord as the woman Huldah was.

•  “All the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing” (Exodus 15:20) Miriam was the very first person in Hebrew scripture to be named a prophet (Exodus 15:20). I don’t mean that she was the first woman named as a prophet. She was the first prophet. Period. Furthermore, Moses would never have led the exodus of the Israelites if it weren’t for his sister, Miriam, who kept watch over his basket in the river and ensured her baby brother was cared for. If it weren’t for his mother, if it weren’t the two Hebrew midwives, Shiprah and Puah, if it weren’t for Pharoah’s daughter, and later his wife, Zipporah, who saves his life again (Exodus 4:24-26) then the deliverer of the Israelites would have never been able to fulfill God’s purpose for his life. The role of a pastor is to protect their flock and keep them safe – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, by preparing them for any size battle with armor that is rooted in God’s word as these women did for Moses.

• “And spare my people” (Esther 7:3) Esther once saved the entire Jewish people from slaughter, which is hardly a minor accomplishment. Easily swayed by the petty and vengeful desires of one of his esteemed nobles named Haman, King Xerxes had signed a law ordering the massacre of the Jewish people. Had it not been for the bold intervention of Queen Esther, many, many people would have perished for no logical reason at all. I would challenge anyone who says women are “too emotional” to be leaders to look at the two powerful men in the book of Esther — Haman and the King — then look at the two quasi-powerful women in the story — Queen Esther and Queen Vashti — and tell me which gender acts according to whim and emotional charge and which gender acts methodically and reasonably. (Earlier in the story, King Xerxes gets wildly drunk and requests that Queen Vashti come parade herself in front of the drunken men for their viewing pleasure — a request Queen Vashti quite soberly refuses.) Which gender acts with appropriate restraint and which gender is out of control? Which gender is motivated by self-interest and which gender demonstrates a concern for integrity and/or the safety of her people? The role of a pastor is to represent the church in civic matters as Esther, a woman, so boldly did

•  “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets” (Numbers 11:29) Technically, Numbers 11 is about two men, but I can’t leave this story out because it is just so relevant. In the story, the Spirit of God falls upon these 70 elders who start prophesying inside the tent of meeting. But Eldad and Medad? They start prophesying in camp, outside the tent — that is, outside the approved parameters. Moses’ assistant, Joshua, gets really worked up about this unauthorized preaching and rushes to find Moses. “My lord, stop them!” he demands. But Moses responds like this: “Would that all the Lord’s people be prophets and God put his Spirit on all of them!” Gosh, what a beautiful line, and presumably when Moses says he wishes all people were prophets, that includes women, since his very own sister Miriam was God’s first prophet. Would that all God’s people be prophets — like Eldad, like Medad, like Miriam! The role of a pastor is to be secure enough in themselves- because their lives are rooted in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ – that they are bold visionaries capable of keeping their eyes on the bigger picture and purpose, as Moses, the man, did when it came to Eldad and Medad, the women.

• “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4) Pentecost Sunday is the day God’s Spirit pours out upon everyone. On Pentecost, Peter quotes the prophet Joel saying, “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy’” (Acts 2:17-18). The role of a pastor is to teach, so others can “go tell the good news”, as women have done since BEFORE the birth of Jesus

• “My soul glorifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46) And finally, while the list could go on, I rest my case with the blessed Mother Mary. I cannot imagine any better argument for women ministers in all of scripture than Mary, who quite literally bore the Word-Made-Flesh in her own body and gave birth to him. She carried God around in her belly and then labored to get that Good News out of her womb and into the world; if that’s not an accurate depiction of preaching, I don’t know what is. She let Love grow within her, fill her out, and expand her. She nurtured Love, fed Love at her breast, raised Love, sent Love out into the world, stood vigil when Love died, visited Love’s tomb, and proclaimed Love’s triumph when Love rose from the dead. In addition to the embodied ways in which she ushered the Good News into the world, she also prophesied in Luke 1, offering the now infamous song known as the Magnificat. I saved this one for last because it is by far my personal favorite. The role of a pastor is to love unconditionally, possess integrity, show passion, vision, and humility, lead in fiscal responsibility, be purpose driven, be an excellent communicator, be an endless encourager, mentor nonstop, show patience, always desire peace, be gentle, not quick tempered, never give up, pray without ceasing, and love their flock so much that they will always choose them over self. No earthly person has done this, nor ever will, more than Mary. A woman. A preacher. A pastor. Jesus’s first love on earth.  

I will conclude here by saying that I’ve occasionally heard people attempt to argue that the rarity of female leaders, disciples, preachers, and deacons in scripture is proof that God intended those positions to be for men — as if a precious few women got the gig only because the men wouldn’t take the job when they were supposed to. The fact that any women at all were leaders, disciples, preachers, and deacons in the midst of a patriarchal society that didn’t value women as equal contributors is proof that God’s call on women could not be deterred even by a culture that didn’t readily accept women’s gifts.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28