Saddleback Church, a megachurch situated in California that was founded by prominent Christian leader and best-selling author Rick Warren, has officially been disfellowshipped from the South Baptist Convention (SBC) this past Tuesday morning due to being led by a female pastor.
Officials sitting on the Executive Committee carried out a vote to kick out one of the largest churches in the United States after just under a year since Warren delivered his last sermon as the senior pastor of Saddleback and ushered in another lead pastor Andy Wood and his wife, Stacie, who serves as a teaching pastor.
Because of the church maintaining the presence of a female functioning in the office of pastor, SBC Executive Committee Chairman Jared Wellman expressed in a statement that the convention chose to kick out the 43-year-old megachurch, as it is “not in friendly cooperation” with the denomination.
Wood explained to The Associated Press this past year that the Bible “teaches that men and women were given spiritual gifts by God.”
“The church should be a place where both men and women can exercise those spiritual gifts,” stated Wood. “My wife has the spiritual gift of teaching and she is really good. People often tell me she’s better than me when it comes to preaching, and I’m really glad to hear that.”
Such a move from the convention also comes after Warren ordained a group of three women as pastors for the church back in May 2021, sparking the initial discussion to remove the church as members of the SBC, making the argument that it went against Biblical principles and Article VI in the Baptist Faith and Message.
“While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of the pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture,” the article stated.
Warren responded to Saddleback’s disfellowship in a social media post this past Tuesday, thanking those who support him.
“Friends worldwide: I’m so touched by your love!” stated Warren. “We’ll respond to #SBC in OUR time & way thru direct channels.”
Friends worldwide: I'm so touched by your love!
Kay & I love you back!
We'll respond to #SBC in OUR time & way
thru direct channels:
Our newsletters to 600,000 ch leaders
Daily Hope radio broadcast
1 million PDC alumni pastors list
11 million social media followers
Luke 23:43— Rick Warren (@RickWarren) February 21, 2023
While attending the SBC convention back in June 2022, Warren responded to officials shouting out to sever the connection with Saddleback.
“Are we going to keep bickering over secondary issues?” stated Warren. “Or are we going to keep the main thing the main thing?”
Warren reportedly stated, while at the same meeting, that he thinks there is a significant difference between the office of pastor and the gift of being a pastor.
Traditional Christians hold the belief that the bible makes it clear from a Complementarian viewpoint that women have a place within the ministry under the authority of a male leader, making the argument that primary leadership roles for women is unhealthy, against biblical standards, and put the congregation on a slippery slope moving away from fundamental scripture teachings.
