Southern Baptists Stand Firm on Excluding Women Pastors and Reject Rick Warren's Appeal.
The Southern Baptist Convention upheld its decision to expel two churches, Saddleback and Fern Creek Baptist, for having women pastors, during its annual meeting in New Orleans. The SBC's statement of faith asserts that only qualified men can serve as pastors, and the nearly 13,000 voters overwhelmingly voted to uphold the churches' removals. The women will continue to serve as pastors, but their congregations are no longer part of the Southern Baptist Convention.