SBTS President Albert Mohler announced yesterday that he intends to bring a motion “regarding the office of pastor to the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando in June 2026 to amend the Constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention.” according to video shared on his social media channels.
For years the SBC has grappled with the issue of women pastors, with conservatives with the party seeking to pass and ratify the Law Amendment, which clarifies that the SBC only cooperates with churches that do not affirm, appoint, or employ a woman as a pastor of any kind. If passed, any SBC church with women pastors would have to remove them or get deleted from the convention.
Passing this amendment has been opposed by several SBC leaders, including former SBC presidents Ed Litton, J.D. Greear, Steve Gaines and James Merritt, SBC Executive Committee president Jeff Iorg, Send Network President Vance Pitman, NAMB Vice President of Research and Resource Development Trevin Wax, and many more.
While the Law Amendment was never able to ultimately get over the finish line, despite coming agonizingly close, it is believed that Mohler’s leadership in bringing the motion forward will help it cross the finish line.
The full text of the proposed motion is below:
“I move that the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in June 2026 amend the Constitution of the SBC to add an enumerated 6th item, under Article 3, Paragraph 1, defining composition. This new language would make clear that a cooperating Southern Baptist church:
‘6. Does not act to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, such as preaching to the assembled congregation.’
I move the suspension of standing rule 6 so that the Committee on the Order of Business may schedule this motion for debate and consideration at this 2026 annual session.”
Notably, the current president of the SBC, Clint Pressley, supports the amendment, as do the two new confirmed presidential nominees, Willy Rice and Josh Powell.
