Truth and Unity in the SBC: Reflections on Orlando
Nicholas W. Evans
I left the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention extremely encouraged. Three others and I were sent as messengers to represent CBC in Orlando this past week, and what we saw was a convention of churches eager to reach their neighbors with the good news of the Gospel and joyfully committed to standing on their biblical convictions. Our encouragement may be surprising to some who have only interacted with this year's convention through news headlines or articles written by those critical of the SBC, so I wanted to take a moment to explain why.
One of the major points of discussion at this year's convention was an amendment to our Constitution proposed by Dr. Al Mohler entitled the Truth and Unity Amendment. This amendment restates what our confessional documents already make clear: the office of pastor/elder/overseer is reserved for qualified men, as taught in Scripture.
“The issue before us is not whether women are valuable to the church’s mission. They most certainly are. Instead, the issue is whether we will continue to uphold the biblical pattern for the pastoral office”
This amendment does not prevent women from working for a church. It does not prevent women from serving in children's ministry. It does not prevent women from teaching other women. And it certainly does not prevent women from following the example of the women at Jesus's tomb on Resurrection Sunday by proclaiming the good news of Christ to their neighbors, as some online have suggested. What the amendment does accomplish is providing a clear guideline for our institutions as they determine what it means for churches to cooperate together around a shared confession of faith.
Dr. Mohler's amendment simply states that a church in friendly cooperation "does not act to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation."
The amendment is not about creating a new standard but clarifying one that already exists in the Baptist Faith and Message, 2000. Southern Baptists have long confessed that the office of pastor is limited to qualified men by scripture (1Tim. 2:11-14, 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Cor. 14:33-35). The question before the Convention was whether we are willing to clearly define that conviction in our governing documents and apply it consistently. Truth requires clarity, and genuine unity can only exist when we agree on what we believe and practice together.
For that reason, I was encouraged to see the amendment receive overwhelming support from the messengers gathered in Orlando. The amendment passed with almost 75% of the vote, well above the two-thirds threshold required for constitutional amendments. Messengers from across the Convention recognized that cooperation requires boundaries and that those boundaries should reflect our shared biblical convictions.
However, the process is not yet complete. Amendments to the SBC Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds vote at two consecutive annual meetings. This year's vote was only the first step. For the Truth and Unity Amendment to become part of our Constitution, it must receive a second two-thirds vote at next year's Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis.
As Southern Baptists, we should pray for wisdom, conviction, and charity as we move toward that vote. The issue before us is not whether women are valuable to the church's mission. They most certainly are. Instead, the issue is whether we will continue to uphold the biblical pattern for the pastoral office and clearly define the basis of our cooperation as a convention of churches.
I left Orlando encouraged because I saw thousands of Southern Baptists united around the authority of Scripture, committed to the Great Commission, and willing to stand by their convictions even when doing so is unpopular. Lord willing, next year in Indianapolis, we will see the work continue.