5,000 churches departed the United Methodist Church, the second largest of Protestant Mainline Denominations. That represents 16% of 30,000 member churches. You can read more about this here.
Why did this happen? This happened because of a lack of biblical integrity, the extremes of which could no longer be tolerated by many churches in this very liberal denomination. The issues leading to this fracture began decades ago with, among other things, the ordination of women as pastors, including but not limited to women teaching men in the Sunday morning services and other venues. This easing of biblical standards led to the eventual embrace of LGBTQ++ causes and openly practicing homosexual ministers and ministerial candidates, including approved ministers who were “drag queens.” You can learn more about this here (invest 7 minutes). In this brief video, one sees and hears from the UMC, its officials, pastors, and superintendents’ in their own words.
Is the ordination of women and women pastors a step in the direction of ordaining and embracing homosexual clergy? Is this a rare or common path? Ask the Episcopal Church USA, which took its initial steps down this slippery slope nearly 50 years ago. The Episcopal Church USA is closing churches at such a rate that they are not expected to see 2050. Ask the Presbyterian Church, USA—they’ve made the same choices and find themselves in the same boat. The Gospel Coalition, Canada, addresses this direction and path in a revealing and thought-provoking article about choices in the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec Association/Denomination here. What is the key issue? Two words: Biblical Fidelity.
Why am I writing this essay? This morning it was announced that the Southern Baptist Convention voted to uphold the expulsion of Saddleback Church. Why were they expelled from the SBC? Saddleback, during Rick Warren’s watch, ordained women and later sought to expand the bounds of biblical egalitarianism (i.e. ordaining women, women pastors, and women preaching in the Sunday services). Later Saddleback Church installed a female teaching pastor. This led to the debate and final decision to expel Saddleback from the SBC. You can find a video that summarizes the debate with opposing and closing arguments by Rick Warren and Al Mohler by clicking here. Pay particular attention to the content of their comments, particularly Rick Warren’s avoidance of any appeal to the authority of Scripture.
What’s the big deal? The big deal isn’t cultural. The big deal is biblical fidelity. The Scriptures are pretty clear on this issue (1 Timothy 3:1ff; Titus 1:2ff; 1 Timothy 2:12-13). The issue doesn’t hang on “one word,” as Rick Warren contends. This issue goes beyond denominations to the authority, sufficiency, and inspiration of Scripture.
These days, it seems all kinds of churches and denominations are determined to follow the same path as the United Methodist Church. Thankfully, the Southern Baptists, as a denomination and as churches in cooperation with that denomination, chose a different path. Their actions serve as an example to us all. Besides, we know where the egalitarian path leads. It leads here.
UPDATE: While we are not “Southern Baptists” there is much we can learn from their example. There is a movement today, even within our own circles, to have that “What is a Woman Documentary Experience” with “What is a pastor/elder/shepherd?” This is at the root of the controversies discussed above. A succinct explanation of this question is provided here (a must read).