Senior Minister Search Update & Response to SBC Ruling
On June 10 the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) strengthened its ban on women as church leaders and preachers by voting to include language in its constitution stating that SBC churches will not “affirm, appoint, or endorse” women as pastors. The ban even includes guest preachers. This vote is a result of the SBC’s most right-wing faction gaining even more power in the organization’s leadership.
Some of the best qualified candidates who have applied for our Senior Minister position are women Baptist Ministers. Our committee felt it was important to respond to the SBC’s move in a public and meaningful way. We had already participated in an excellent training session offered by the non-profit, Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM), led by their Executive Director Rev. Dr. Meredith Stone. We decided to use $1,000 from our Search Budget and contribute it to this wonderful organization. See our letter to BWIM below:
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June 15, 2026
Statement of Support for Baptist Women in Ministry from Myers Park Baptist Church Senior Minister Search Committee
We affirm and celebrate the vital work of Baptist Women in Ministry in advocating for the full inclusion of women in all areas of church leadership. Rooted in the conviction that God calls and equips all people for service, we believe women are called to preach, pastor, lead, and minister within the body of Christ.
Our faith tradition reminds us that throughout biblical and church history, women have served as leaders among God’s people. We carry forward that legacy by supporting spaces where women can thrive, lead, and serve their communities with courage and faithfulness.
The recent 75% vote of the Southern Baptist Convention to strengthen its ban on women as church leaders and preachers is not unexpected from the SBC, whose statement of faith has long defined the office of pastor as limited to “men as qualified by Scripture.”
In these times, the work of Baptist Women in Ministry stands as a faithful witness to unity in Christ and to the inclusive call of the Gospel. Their advocacy strengthens the church by lifting voices that have too often been silenced and by nurturing future generations of leaders.
In the course of our own church history, MPBC broke the stained-glass ceiling in 1970 by ordaining four women as Deacons. In 1978, Dr. Bonnie E. Cone was elected to Chair the Board of Deacons. In 1980, the church ordained Rev. Robin P. Coira who later joined the church staff as its first female ordained minister, later serving as Executive Minister. Since then, many gifted women have served our church as lay leaders and clergy. It is with the context of their legacy that we stand with BWIM.
We express our deep gratitude for the unwavering commitment of Baptist Women in Ministry and all who labor to ensure that the gifts of women are recognized, affirmed, and celebrated. We stand in solidarity with their mission and recommit ourselves to advancing a beloved community marked by justice, equality, and shared leadership in Christ.
The Senior Minister Search Committee:
Bob Thomason - Chair, Carol Reid Fricke, Carla Hines, Deborah Moore Clark, Mac Sasser, Mike Bowen, Marcy McClanahan, Mary Miller, Jay Rivers
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Please note that our search is not limited to Baptist ministers. We are networking heavily in other denominations as well.
I outlined our search process and timeline in the June 7 article and in The Weekly. No promises for an end date, but so far, we are on schedule. Please continue to include our church in your prayers.