Southern Baptists Disfellowship Saddleback Church Over Female Pastor

California’s Saddleback Church, founded in 1965 by Rick Warren (best-selling author and prominent Christian leader), was removed from the fellowship. Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Tuesday night over the appointment of a female pastor.

The Executive Committee voted to remove one of the largest churches within the United States, less than a year following Warren’s final sermon as Saddleback’s senior pastor. They also ushered in Andy Wood, the lead pastor, and Stacie, the teaching pastor.

Jared Wellman, Chairman of the SBC Executive Committee, stated to The Daily Wire that because the church continued to have a woman in the office as pastor, the convention had to expel the megachurch of 43 years. “not in friendly cooperation” With the denomination

Wood is a story The Associated Press Last year, the Bible was published “teaches that men and women were given spiritual gifts by God.”

“The church should be a place where both men and women can exercise those spiritual gifts,” Wood stated. “My wife has the spiritual gift of teaching and she is really good. People often tell me she’s better than me when it comes to preaching, and I’m really glad to hear that.”

The convention’s decision comes after Warren ordained three women pastors in 2021. This sparked the initial discussion to eliminate the church from SBC.

“While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of the pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture,” The article can be viewed here.

Warren replied to Saddleback’s disfellowship by tweeting on Tuesday, thanking his followers.

“Friends worldwide: I’m so touched by your love!” Warren said. “We’ll respond to #SBC in OUR time & way thru direct channels.”

Friends from all over the globe: I am so touched by your love!
Kay and I love you back!
We will respond #SBC In OUR time & our way
Direct channels:
Our newsletters to 600,000.ch leaders
Daily Hope radio broadcast
1 million PDC alumni pastors list
11 million social media fans
Luke 23.43

— Rick Warren (@RickWarren) February 21, 2023

Warren reacted to Saddleback’s calls for a rift at an SBC convention, June 2022.

“Are we going to keep bickering over secondary issues?” Warren said. “Or are we going to keep the main thing the main thing?”

Warren also said that he believed there was a difference in the offices of pastor and gifts of pastor at the same meeting.

Traditional Christians believe that the Bible clearly states that women can minister under the authority of a Complementarian leader. They argue that primary leadership roles for women are harmful and counter-biblical standards. This puts the congregation on an unstable slope away from the fundamental scripture teachings and onto a path towards more liberalism.

“They are on that path — anybody can see this by following their social media pages,” The Daily Wire was informed by a source who requested anonymity.

The Executive Committee also ousted five other churches from the convention — four of which have a woman serving as a lead or senior pastor.

These churches include New Faith Mission Ministry, Griffin, Georgia, St. Timothy’s Christian Baptist, Baltimore, Maryland, Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, Fern Creek Baptist Church and Louisville, Kentucky.

SBC officials also removed Freedom Church from Vero Beach, Florida. This was due to a sex abuse-related matter. The Tennessean Wellman, a chairman of the executive committee, reported that the church displayed “a lack of intent to cooperate in resolving concerns regarding a sexual abuse allegation.”

“These churches have been valued, cooperating churches for many years, and this decision was not made lightly,” Wellman spoke to The Daily Wire. “However, we remain committed to upholding the theological convictions of the SBC and maintaining unity among its cooperating churches.”

In an interview with The Tennessean Pastor Richard Demsick from Freedom Church stated, “we are deeply saddened by the false allegations, which are slanderous.”

“There are no sexual abuse allegations,” He concluded. “There have been false reports based on gossip.”

Southern Baptist Convention leaders claimed last year that the Justice Department was looking into allegations of sexual abuse in relation to the nation’s largest Protestant congregation, with almost 14 million members, and over 47,000 churches throughout the 50 states.

A consultant outside the church reported that children and women were being abused by pastors, employees of churches, and officials between 2000 and today. The New York Times reported.

“For almost two decades, survivors of abuse and other concerned Southern Baptists have been contacting the Southern Baptist Convention,” The consultant Report said, “to report child molesters and other abusers who were in the pulpit or employed as church staff.”

Victims claimed that they tried several times by phone, email, and mail to reach them, and showed up at meetings and rallies. “only to be met, time and time again, with resistance, stonewalling and even outright hostility.”

Officials from the SBC stated that the convention would be “fully and completely cooperate” With the

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