Consistent with the proclamation of Jesus in his hometown sermon, Baptist Women in Ministry was founded 40 years ago as a “justice movement,” a seminary president told the opening worship service at BWIM’s 40th anniversary celebration in Louisville, Ky. “Jesus…
Experiences of female clergy are often overlooked in accounts of the SBC schism, professor says
A gender struggle was central to the Southern Baptist Convention schism, but interpreters of the controversy largely have failed to deal with this reality, a Baptist professor said during a lecture in Louisville, Ky. “They treated women as an issue…
BWIM will expand its advocacy in light of Texas actions
Baptist Women in Ministry will expand its advocacy efforts in light of actions taken and not taken by the Baptist General Convention of Texas last week, according to Meredith Stone. Stone, BWIM’s executive director, was one of two messengers to…
Given opportunity to affirm women in ministry, BGCT punts
The Baptist General Convention of Texas — once considered a supporter of women in ministry — declined to give full blessing to the idea when presented the opportunity at its annual meeting July 18. Motions affirming women in ministry and…
BWIM and CBF launch resource for churches studying women in ministry
Baptist Women in Ministry and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship have unveiled a new curriculum to provide congregations with a biblical foundation for embracing and celebrating women in church leadership. The reveal came during the July 29 plenary session at CBF’s…
Baptist Women in Ministry marks 40th anniversary by blessing women cast out by the SBC
Meredith Stone opened Baptist Women in Ministry’s 40th anniversary celebration dinner with spontaneous and scathing remarks about the Southern Baptist Convention’s continuing assault on female clergy. “Forty years later and we are still talking about the SBC,” quipped Stone, BWIM’s…
Why I’m investing my inheritance in women in ministry
Eleven years ago, when I became senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Columbia, Mo., my cousin wrote on my Facebook page, “You have shamed our family.” I wasn’t really surprised by her reaction. After all, my extended family was…
At this Baptist gathering, there will be no debate about women preaching
The national media won’t be on hand, and there aren’t likely to be hot debates over women in ministry when the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship gathers in Atlanta next week for its General Assembly. The largest of two breakaway groups from…
A 1984 prediction comes true for the SBC
In 1984, Sarah Ann Hobbs, director of mission for the North Carolina Baptist State Convention, offered some predictions for women in ministry over the next 30 years. She rightly noted that as women took on more roles in the workforce,…