The most surprising moment in Tuesday’s debate over motions (not related to adoption of the abuse-related recommendations) was the appearance of Rick Warren at a floor microphone. The founding and soon retiring pastor of Saddleback Church, 38 miles from the Anaheim convention center, showed up to address a motion about the role of women in pastoral leadership. The motion was prompted by Saddleback’s ordination of three women with the title pastor last year.
“I love Southern Baptists,” Warren said. In fact, he is one. The megachurch of 40,000 and multiple campuses across southern California was founded by Warren from a Bible study group in 1980, although it has never used “Baptist” in its name.
Warren said he didn’t come to defend himself, but read a “love letter to Southern Baptists” that he and his wife, Kay, had written that morning. It included a recitation of the vast numbers of baptisms and church plants that have come from Saddleback over 42 years.
Warren joked that this might be his last convention.
The SBC Credentials Committee brought a motion to study the usage of the word “pastor” in SBC churches. While considering a motion made last year to disfellowship Saddleback, the committee inconsistent use of the title, sometimes meaning the office of the pastor which Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says is reserved for men, and sometimes meaning pastoring gifts, which Warren and some others say can apply to women as well.
The committee recommended a study group. Two seminary presidents immediately came to floor mics, on opposite sides of the issue.
“I was on the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 Committee,” Al Mohler said. “Pastor means pastor.”
The Southern Seminary president objected to a study group to define pastor. In 2000 when the statement of faith was written, he said, “we were told that was the most easily understood word among Southern Baptists for teaching leadership. We have to hope that was what churches understood and what churches said they mean it.”
Mohler feared the eventual dissection of the statement through such study groups. “My concern is as a churchman, theologian and someone who loves this convention… if we eventually have to form a study committee over every word in our statement of faith, then we’re doomed.”
Southwestern Seminary president Adam Greenway proposed an amendment to the study group motion to allow a broader study of how churches in the SBC relate to the Baptist Faith and Message. He recited a list of various statements that churches across the denomination identify as their own foundation—and sometimes none at all.
After a ballot vote, the Greenway amendment failed. And ultimately the Credentials Committee withdrew the controversial motion. Chair Linda Cooper said the committee unanimously believes that “a majority of SBC churches hold the belief that the office of lead pastor, elder, bishop or overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” But they will engage in further study.
Presiding officer Ed Litton emphasized at that point that the issue will remain with the Credentials Committee, until they choose to report it out to messengers.
Bookended by quips about a dying man’s last words and his possible final SBC appearance, Warren called on Southern Baptists to focus on Great Commission matters.
“As Western culture becomes more dark, more evil, more secular, we have to decide: Are we going to treat each other as allies or not?” Warren said.
The committee may bring a recommendation on disposition of the motion, even ahead of the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting.