This is John A. Broadus warning against the practice of women preaching in church worship. This is NOT a new belief or doctrine. Broadus wrote this in 1880. pic.twitter.com/AW7bVxDYYc
— Albert Mohler (@albertmohler) May 9, 2021
Several people slammed Mohler for quoting from a slave owner to support his position. Charles Holmes Jr., HBCU College Director at The Summit Church (pastored by SBC president J.D. Greear) in Durham, N.C., retweeted Mohler’s post, saying:
Somehow this guy was able to see the “error” of women preaching in church worship, but wasn’t able to see his own error of owning slaves in church worship!!??? Get out of here man. The hypocrisy baffles me. Also I’m not taking theological lessons from someone who owned people.
Tom Buck and Dwight McKissic, both pastors in the SBC, responded to the Saddleback’s news very differently.
The issue is autonomy. The SBC should not be in the business of determining titles for church staff. BFM is not being redefined. “The office of the pastor” as referenced in BFM2K is held by Rick Warren. Women may be gifted, & a local church determines how thet’re labled.
— Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) May 8, 2021
Phil Vischer and Beth Moore saw the irony of posting tweets critical of women on Mother’s Day, and they pointed this out to Greenway and Mohler, respectively. Moore recently left the SBC for a variety of reasons, one of which was the denomination’s posture toward women in ministry.
Saddleback Church Carries On
As of this writing, Saddleback Church has not issued a formal statement about its decision. On the day when Petty, Edwards, and Puffer were ordained, the church also celebrated the commissioning of three new male elders, as well as the appointment of Pastor Johnny Baker as the new global leader of Celebrate Recovery. Baker’s father, John Baker, was the founder of Celebrate Recovery and passed away in February of this year.