– Advertisement –

SBC Cooperation Group Recommends Against Using Harsh Terms Like “Disfellowship” When Booting Churches With Women Pastors

by | May 2, 2024 | Feminism, News, Religion, Social-Issues, The Church

✪ Read this article ad-free and leave comments here on Substack

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperation Group, which was formed to study make recommendations on the role of women in the pastorate in the Southern Baptist Convention, released a draft of four recommendations for the upcoming convention. The group has recommended swapping the term “disfellowship” for “not in friendly cooperation” in official parlance. This change, they suggest, is to avoid the harsh implications of the former term. However, the timing and nature of this suggestion hint at a deeper strategic play—one that might be aimed at influencing the Convention’s stance on more contentious issues, such as the ordination of women to the pastorate.

The backdrop to this linguistic recommendation is the Mike Law Amendment, a proposed measure focused squarely on churches that appoint women as pastors—a practice diametrically at odds with the biblical qualification of pastors, elders, and overseers as outlined in the Baptist Faith & Message. The Amendment represents a firm stance on what is a clear-cut biblical issue, maintaining doctrinal integrity and adherence to Scripture.

So why the sudden concern over the term “disfellowship”? To the skeptical observer, it appears the Cooperation Group might be attempting to soften the denominational posture indirectly. By focusing on the supposedly harsh nature of “disfellowship,” the Group is likely manipulating the messengers by signaling that the Convention’s approach, particularly towards churches with women pastors, is overly severe—a subtle bid to sway the messengers’ collective opinion, framing the entire debate around women pastors as unnecessarily rigid and uncharitable.

This focus on semantics might seem minor, but in the battleground of theological disputes, words carry significant weight. “Disfellowship” conveys a definitive separation from established norms—a serious step that communicates the gravity of doctrinal breaches. Replacing it with a milder term dilutes the severity of such violations of God’s statutes, possibly leading messengers to view the Mike Law Amendment as an extreme response rather than a necessary upholding of Baptist standards.

Join Us and Get These Perks:

✅ No Ads in Articles
✅ Access to Comments and Discussions
✅ Community Chats
✅ Full Article and Podcast Archive
✅ The Joy of Supporting Our Work 😉



This is a classic case of focusing on optics over substance, a strategic redirection rather than a genuine concern for linguistic clarity. It raises questions about whether the real agenda is to protect the denomination’s doctrinal boundaries or to ensure that the discussion remains palatable to a broader, potentially more progressive audience.

As the Southern Baptist Convention gears up for its pivotal gathering, the implications of this seemingly innocuous recommendation could extend far beyond vocabulary. Don’t be duped, in theological debates, as in politics, every word matters—and sometimes, a change in terminology can result a whole new direction in policy.

Three Ways to Support DISNTR


The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕
Make a Dogecoin Donation

- Advertisement -

Latest

False Teacher of the Day #64: Joseph Prince

False Teacher of the Day #64: Joseph Prince

At The Dissenter, we are committed to proclaiming the truth of God’s Word while dragging into the light the wolves who twist it to serve the devil’s agenda. Over the years, we’ve exposed a long procession of frauds—charlatans, grifters, heretics, and smooth-talking...

False Teacher of the Day #63: Delman Coates

False Teacher of the Day #63: Delman Coates

Delman Coates, the senior pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, recently delivered a sermon that could only be described as theological arson. Coates didn't just bend the truth—he violently assaulted it, dragged it into a dark alley, and left it bleeding. He essentially...

We Need to Address the Church’s Bondage to Hollywood

We Need to Address the Church’s Bondage to Hollywood

If our church members fall into the habit of frequenting the theatre, we shall soon have them going much further in the direction of vice, and they will lose all relish for the ways of God. If theatre-going became general among professing Christians, it would be the...

- Advertisement -

Subscribe

Store

Follow Us

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

You Might Also Like…

False Teacher of the Day #64: Joseph Prince

False Teacher of the Day #64: Joseph Prince

At The Dissenter, we are committed to proclaiming the truth of God’s Word while dragging into the light the wolves who twist it to serve the devil’s agenda. Over the years, we’ve exposed a long procession of frauds—charlatans, grifters, heretics, and smooth-talking...

False Teacher of the Day #63: Delman Coates

False Teacher of the Day #63: Delman Coates

Delman Coates, the senior pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, recently delivered a sermon that could only be described as theological arson. Coates didn't just bend the truth—he violently assaulted it, dragged it into a dark alley, and left it bleeding. He essentially...

We Need to Address the Church’s Bondage to Hollywood

We Need to Address the Church’s Bondage to Hollywood

If our church members fall into the habit of frequenting the theatre, we shall soon have them going much further in the direction of vice, and they will lose all relish for the ways of God. If theatre-going became general among professing Christians, it would be the...

Dear Effeminate Pastor, Here’s Why You’re Bleeding Men

Dear Effeminate Pastor, Here’s Why You’re Bleeding Men

Dear Effeminate Pastor, You stand on a stage, not a pulpit. Beneath theatrical lights, not the burning fire of truth. Draped in pastel rebellion and accessorized like a department store mannequin on discount, you glide across the platform like a self-help seminar host...

- Advertisement -

Want to go ad-free with exclusive content? Subscribe today.
Already a subscriber? Click Here

Three Ways to Support DISNTR



The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

 

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕