The 2023 Southern Baptist Convention that was held in New Orleans was a success. The convention began with the commissioning of nearly 79 new missionaries to 33 countries and the passing of resolutions to continue to resource church planting, revitalization, and replanting.
Last year the messengers protected our convention from bad actors, namely sexual predators, and this year the messengers protected our convention from bad theology, namely egalitarianism. Here is a brief explanation of the difference between complementarian and egalitarian theology.
Complementarian theology teaches that there are two genders created by God, male and female, which are equal but different. Complementarianism emphasizes that men and women are equal in value and worth but have different God-given roles and responsibilities that complement each other. According to complementarianism, these roles are rooted in the created order and are reflected in the Bible. In contrast, egalitarian theology teaches that there are no God-given differences in the roles and responsibilities of the genders.
Egalitarian theology is akin to the egalitarian social movements that have promoted the LGBTQ+ movement and the celebration of gender dysphoria. Egalitarian theology crept into most mainstream Christian denominations and the outcome went from ordaining women pastors to affirming the LGBTQ+ movement. Our Convention of churches overwhelmingly voiced our desire to partner with and plant churches that teach and practice biblical complementarianism.
Our church is complementarian rather than egalitarian. We believe that men and women are equal in value and worth in the eyes of God because both are created in His image. We believe that God has given men and women different roles in the home and in the church. For example, certain men are to be husbands and fathers, but no man is to become a wife or mother. We believe God calls certain men to be pastors and elders in a church. God calls upon certain women to be wives and mothers and church leaders but not to be husbands, fathers, or pastors. This is not to limit the genders; it is meant to glorify our Creator, who has organized all of His creation in ways that reflect His glory and His gospel.
You might say we are pro-gospel, pro-life, pro-male, and pro-female! For further reading about complementarianism, click here: https://www.9marks.org/journal/complementarianism-a-moment-of-reckoning/
Also, at this year’s convention, Southern Baptists overwhelmingly affirmed a resolution condemning “gender-affirming care” and all forms of “gender transition interventions.” The resolution called these activities “an assault on God’s created order.” Southern Baptists also called on legislatures to reverse laws that support “gender transition” and affirmed legislatures that have taken action to protect children from these procedures. They also reaffirmed the rights of parents to “direct the upbringing of their children.”
There was much more that happened in those few days in the Big Easy, which can be found in articles written by Baptist Press (https://www.baptistpress.com/) and will eventually be posted in full on the SBC website (see https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/). The bottom line is that our convention of cooperating churches is strong. We are still the most effective, efficient, and theologically accurate missions movement on the face of the earth. To God be the glory.
Last year the messengers protected our convention from bad actors, namely sexual predators, and this year the messengers protected our convention from bad theology, namely egalitarianism. Here is a brief explanation of the difference between complementarian and egalitarian theology.
Complementarian theology teaches that there are two genders created by God, male and female, which are equal but different. Complementarianism emphasizes that men and women are equal in value and worth but have different God-given roles and responsibilities that complement each other. According to complementarianism, these roles are rooted in the created order and are reflected in the Bible. In contrast, egalitarian theology teaches that there are no God-given differences in the roles and responsibilities of the genders.
Egalitarian theology is akin to the egalitarian social movements that have promoted the LGBTQ+ movement and the celebration of gender dysphoria. Egalitarian theology crept into most mainstream Christian denominations and the outcome went from ordaining women pastors to affirming the LGBTQ+ movement. Our Convention of churches overwhelmingly voiced our desire to partner with and plant churches that teach and practice biblical complementarianism.
Our church is complementarian rather than egalitarian. We believe that men and women are equal in value and worth in the eyes of God because both are created in His image. We believe that God has given men and women different roles in the home and in the church. For example, certain men are to be husbands and fathers, but no man is to become a wife or mother. We believe God calls certain men to be pastors and elders in a church. God calls upon certain women to be wives and mothers and church leaders but not to be husbands, fathers, or pastors. This is not to limit the genders; it is meant to glorify our Creator, who has organized all of His creation in ways that reflect His glory and His gospel.
You might say we are pro-gospel, pro-life, pro-male, and pro-female! For further reading about complementarianism, click here: https://www.9marks.org/journal/complementarianism-a-moment-of-reckoning/
Also, at this year’s convention, Southern Baptists overwhelmingly affirmed a resolution condemning “gender-affirming care” and all forms of “gender transition interventions.” The resolution called these activities “an assault on God’s created order.” Southern Baptists also called on legislatures to reverse laws that support “gender transition” and affirmed legislatures that have taken action to protect children from these procedures. They also reaffirmed the rights of parents to “direct the upbringing of their children.”
There was much more that happened in those few days in the Big Easy, which can be found in articles written by Baptist Press (https://www.baptistpress.com/) and will eventually be posted in full on the SBC website (see https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/). The bottom line is that our convention of cooperating churches is strong. We are still the most effective, efficient, and theologically accurate missions movement on the face of the earth. To God be the glory.