SBC elects new president, considers fast-tracking vote on women pastors

Attendees at the annual Southern Baptist Convention elected Florida Pastor Willy Rice as the group’s next president during a Tuesday vote. Rice received about 57% of attendee support to assume the role of current president Clint Pressley. In a statement, Rice wrote that he hoped to lead the SBC into a season of reconciliation and renewal.

What else is happening? The group was also expected to vote on whether to suspend a convention rule as a means of fast-tracking the approval of an amendment to remove churches with female preachers from the convention. Standing Rule 6 requires that all motions amending the SBC’s constitution be referred to the Executive Committee for review and discussion at the next annual meeting. Messengers were expected to vote on whether to suspend that rule, allowing attendees to directly approve the Truth and Unity amendment.

Albert Mohler, WORLD Opinions Editor and president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky, introduced his amendment when the denominational meeting kicked off in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday. The amendment would clarify the denomination’s stance on women preaching. Despite the SBC’s statement of faith directly stating that only men can preach, some churches interpret the policy as only applying to the role of senior pastor, while allowing women to preach under a lower title.

Mohler’s amendment would clearly state that cooperating Southern Baptist churches may not appoint or allow women to function as a church pastor, elder, or any other type of congregational overseer. SBC President-elect Rice voiced his support for Mohler’s amendment last month.

What happens next? Suspending the rule would allow the motion and debate around the amendment to take place Wednesday. The female clergy amendment is one of several measures messengers will consider and vote on, with other amendments centered on anti-Semitism and immigration issues.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Black’s previous report for more on what other issues SBC messengers will vote on.