The largest Protestant denomination in America just took a major vote on women in ministry.
On June 10, 2026, at their annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention voted 6,028 to 2,046 — a 3-to-1 margin — to advance a constitutional amendment banning women from serving as pastors, elders, or overseers. The measure also prohibits women from preaching to the assembled congregation. The amendment, sponsored by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler, was called the “Truth and Unity Amendment.” It still requires a second vote at the 2027 annual meeting to become official SBC policy.
The SBC is the largest Protestant denomination in the United States with approximately 13 million members. The denomination already holds the position in its Baptist Faith and Message that the pastoral office is reserved for men. This vote would codify that position constitutionally, allowing the SBC to formally remove churches from fellowship that appoint women to pastoral roles.
Supporters argue the position is grounded in Scripture. Critics within the denomination argue it goes further than the text requires and will restrict godly women who have served faithfully.
This debate is not new to the Church. It is as old as the Church itself.
1 Timothy 2:12 and Galatians 3:28 sit in the same Bible. Faithful Christians have wrestled with both for two thousand years.
What do you think — does Scripture clearly settle this question, or is this one of those places where the Church still has genuine room to wrestle? #bible #truth #pastor
