In 2021, VP Smith told Christianity Today, “Can we not admit that maybe my brother or sister who loves Jesus and Scripture and reads faithfully might come out with a different understanding?” He added, “What really makes our heart pound fast is mobilizing more people to ministry. That’s kind of the heart of who we are.”
Pastor Duane Mabee told his Tennessee congregation in July that not everyone will like the CMA’s move to ordain women. But “regardless of where we stand,” he wrote, “this issue should not divide us. It is not a core issue of the gospel. Therefore, we should respect and continue to work with people who hold divergent views.”
Mabee added, “We should recognize that women have and always have had, significant ministry roles in the Church and in the Kingdom. We should hold tightly to the core issues of the faith, love each other deeply and work together passionately to advance Christ’s Kingdom and promote the glory of God.”
