Below is a letter I wrote to my church this past week about an amendment made to the SBC constitution. I was encouraged by several people to widen my audience so I am publishing it here on Substack, knowing full well I could enter the hornet’s nest.
July 12, 2023
Dear CBC Family,
When I came here as pastor nearly seven years ago, I told you all that I would rarely comment on convention politics whether they be the Southern Baptist Convention or the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. I told you all what I cared about was where we can overlap in mission and join hands in the Kingdom of God.
I am breaking that rule after the Southern Baptist Convention’s meeting this past June. The messengers at the convention in June voted on actions that I vehemently disagree with, and I believe overstepped the boundaries of what a Baptist church is. Messengers voted to disfellowship Saddleback Church, formerly pastored by Rick Warren, and Fern Creek Baptist Church in Kentucky because each of these churches have women who serve in pastoral roles. Then in line with that action, the messengers in the convention voted to amend the SBC’s Constitution and Bylaws to include the line about cooperating churches to say, “cooperates with only churches that affirms, appoints, or employs men as any kind of pastor or elder.” This particular amendment needs another approval next June for it to officially be in the constitution. When this happens, there will be churches who will be disfellowshipped like Saddleback was this past year.
As you may know, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 identified the office as pastor as only for men. You may also know that our church does not affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, but the Baptist Faith and Message 1963, which does not include the article about men-only as pastors.
When our family moved here, I also told you that I am a firm supporter of women in ministry. If a woman is gifted and called by God, then let her serve in the role to which God calls her. Since living here, I have seen women deacons pray in hospital rooms with people on their death bed. I have sat under women preaching at funerals. We have women lead our worship team. Women consistently read Scripture and pray in our services on Sundays. Women serve communion and participate on our Leadership Council. In Crievewood Baptist’s Constitution and Bylaws, we have stated with clarity that we affirm women to be ordained to the Gospel ministry. If we had a woman preach on a Sunday, I doubt many of you would bat an eye at that and would judge her on the quality of her message rather than her gender.
All of the actions listed above are pastoral roles of some kind whether we call them that or not. In the next few articles, I will be laying out a biblical case for women in ministry, including pastoral roles.
Grace and Peace,
Ray P. Miller, Dmin
Pastor, CBC Nashville