Messengers to next week’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting who arrive in Orlando by plane will be greeted by a surprising billboard on their drive from the airport to the convention center.
Baptist Women in Ministry has purchased space on a billboard on Beachline Expressway near the intersection of Sand Lake Road — the most likely path for conventiongoers to take.
The billboard’s message: “God calls women to pastor, preach and minister. Matthew 28:8, Acts 2:17-18.”
SBC influencer Al Mohler has announced he intends to propose an amendment to the SBC Constitution — slightly different from the amendments consider the last three years — that would make explicit the SBC’s current ban on women serving as pastors but would add a prohibition on women fulfilling even the “function” of a preaching pastor.
“Many women who are committed to their SBC churches are navigating what the passage of this amendment would mean for them,” said Meredith Stone, BWIM executive director. “As proposed, the amendment goes further in limiting women than anything proposed before. Its provisions would mean if a woman preaches, teaches, ministers or leads in any role that is interpreted as a ‘pastoral function,’ her congregation could be disfellowshipped.”
Facing stiff opposition to his original proposal, Mohler has since modified his amendment language, but the update still would ban women from functionally teaching or preaching to an entire congregation.
BWIM is a national organization that supports women who pursue ministry and leadership, and advocates for the full affirmation of women in ministry in Baptist life. The group originated as Southern Baptist Women in Ministry but broadened its scope amid the late 20th century schism in the SBC that spun off two breakaway groups. BWIM today reaches broadly across the Baptist traditions in the United States.
“Even beyond the SBC, when women everywhere learn Southern Baptists are once again arguing about women’s value to God and the church, they also feel the pain caused by harmful theology and rising threats to women’s rights,” Stone said. “We are speaking out so that they too will clearly hear the message that women are equally valued. We want all women to know that their callings, gifts and worth are determined by God and not by any denomination.”