Warren Believes SBC’s Stance on Women Teaching Men Tells Black Churches to Go Elsewhere
As Warren elaborated on why Saddleback Church believes women teaching is a secondary issue and that a church shouldn’t be kicked out of the SBC if they allow a woman to do so, he said he believes that the SBC might be sending a message for Black churches to go elsewhere.
“For hundreds of years, Black Baptist churches have been ordaining women, as bishops, as pastors, as prophetesses, as apostles, as elders, and as deaconesses,” Warren explained. “If this is true, the SBC is holding up a sign saying, ‘All black churches look elsewhere. You’re not wanted here.’ “
Warren shared that he has had over 300 letters from “scared pastors” who fear they are going to get kicked out of the SBC as well if they find out there are ordained women in their churches.
“If all that was hurt was Saddleback, I’d just walk away from it,” Warren told Moore. “I am concerned about and now convinced we’ll never fulfill the Great Commission with half of the church sitting on the bench. I believe the Great Commission was given to everybody…That’s what the Great Commission says and Jesus authorized men and women to do it. And I don’t think we’re ever going to complete it. We should quit calling ourselves Great Commission people if we if we’re not going to obey the whole thing.”
Warren believes that millions of women in the SBC are having their talents and spiritual gifts wasted because they can’t teach men. “If the Southern Baptists don’t want them, I’ll take them. I’ll take them and I’ll help them find a place to to serve and glorify God with the spiritual gifts they were given.”
Will Warren Appeal the SBC’s Ruling on Saddleback Church at This Year’s Annual Meeting?
Moore asked Warren if would appeal the SBC’s recent ruling that removed Saddleback Church during their annual meeting this June.
Warren said that, “In my heart of hearts, I just want to walk away from it [because] you don’t want to be where you’re not wanted. But I don’t think I can do that. I think that’s a selfish thing to do.”
“I think I need to stand up for the pastors who are scared to death by this Inquisition,” Warren shared. “And I think I need to stand up for the millions of godly Southern Baptist women whose gifts and leadership skills are being stymied. And so I’m gonna most likely appeal it.”
The appeal won’t be for his benefit or Saddleback Church’s, Warren explained. “We don’t need the Southern Baptist Convention. They need the 6000 purpose-driven churches that are in the Southern Baptist Convention in our fellowship, but we don’t need the convention. But it would be for for the benefit of others.”
