Albert Mohler Jr. has announced a renewed effort to formally reinforce the Southern Baptist Convention’s position against female pastors by introducing a proposed constitutional amendment at next month’s SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
In a video statement released Monday, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary said he intends to bring forward a motion that would revise the SBC constitution by adding a sixth requirement under Article 3, Paragraph 1 governing cooperation among member churches.
The proposal states that “a cooperating Southern Baptist church … Does not act to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, such as preaching to the assembled congregation.”
The motion further reads, “I move the suspension of standing rule 6 so that the Committee on the Order of Business may schedule this motion for debate and consideration at this 2026 annual session.”
Mohler argued that recent controversy within the denomination demonstrates the need for clearer constitutional language and said the amendment could help settle ongoing disputes surrounding the issue.
Drawing a comparison to previous SBC actions, Mohler noted, “A generation ago, the SBC took this kind of action in the constitution by making very clear that our cooperation is not extended to those who would endorse or affirm LGBTQ lifestyles and activities.”
“That has clarified the SBC's conviction. It has created even deeper unity in the truth. And that kind of language in the constitution has served the SBC very, very well,” Mohler explained.
He continued, “One of the greatest testimonies to that is that this is not an issue of open debate at the SBC year-by-year, and it hasn't been for a generation. That's exactly what we need on the issue of the office of pastor.”
The proposed amendment has already gained support from both Josh Powell and Willy Rice, who have officially announced their candidacies for SBC president.
The latest effort follows a failed attempt at last year’s Annual Meeting in Dallas, where delegates voted on a similar proposal aimed at limiting all pastor and elder roles to men. Although the amendment secured 3,421 votes — representing 60.74% support — it fell short of the required two-thirds majority needed for passage.
That earlier amendment was introduced by Juan Sanchez of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, and sought to amend the constitution so that cooperating churches would appoint “only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”
