Earlier this week, I attended the 156th Annual Session of the General Baptist State Convention (GBSC) of North Carolina. The gathering took place at Ellis Chapel Baptist Church in Shelby, NC. During the 3-day session, a historic event occurred on Wednesday, October 25th. I was asked to read on behalf of the Convention A Resolution on Women in Ministry. In this resolution, the GBSC publicly affirmed that women in ministry are called by God to lead in all aspects of church leadership—To God Be the Glory!
During an August 2023 meeting of the GBSC General Board, Rev. Dr. Terry Henry challenged the Convention to affirm women in ministry after the Southern Baptist Convention had ousted two churches for having women pastors. At the same meeting, Rev. Dr. Reginald Wells made a motion that a resolution be drafted in support of women in ministry (which I seconded the motion) and the motion passed. In the months leading up to the October Annual Session, Rev. Dr. Ricky L. Banks, president of the GBSC, took unprecedented action by assisting with the drafting of the resolution and endorsing it to be read during the Annual Session.
It has been a long and arduous journey to get to this historic moment in our state convention and women clergy know there is still more work to be done. Nevertheless, we count all progress a win and give thanks for having space to connect with fellow women clergy on Tuesday afternoon during a luncheon sponsored by Baptist Women in Ministry. We rejoiced that Rev. Gwendolyn R. Jones, pastor of Saint John Missionary Baptist Church in Arden, NC and Moderator of the Mud Creek Missionary Baptist Association was invited to preach at one of worship services.
During the reading of the Resolution on Women in Ministry, all women in ministry were invited to stand if they were willing and able. Following the reading, the leadership of the convention invited all women in ministry to come forward to take a group picture. As the women gathered up front, you could hear congregants clapping in celebration and affirmation of these women. You saw tears being shed by women who spent years fighting to be seen and valued. You could also hear a woman who vocally lamented and praised God for this historic moment.
As I stood in solidarity with these women, I was reminded of the ancestors like Jarena Lee (1783-1864), Rebecca Jackson (1795-1871), Julia Foote (1823-1901), Pauli Murray (1910-1985), Prathia Hall (1940-2002) and so many others that spent their lives fighting for equality and dismantling patriarchy. May we continue the fight so we can create a better world where women in ministry are supported, respected, and can thrive as they lead within their church and communities.
Watch Video of Resolution Reading