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Remember to complete your CCT Survey by March 31, 2026
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Saturday February 7- FEB Pacific voted to dismiss 8 churches for their convictional complementarianism from the Fellowship
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This website was originally launched to support the '97 Gender motion. The motion received majority support from delegates (57%), falling short, however, of the 67% needed to pass. The delegates sent a strong message that we are a convictionally complementarian fellowship.
With FEB National's new two-year complementarian congruency process, this site will continue to be a complementarian resource for news and networking.
Recent News
CCT Survey
FEB National released its latest Complementarian Congruence Team (CCT) report on Monday March 9. It asks questions about view on Article 9 of the AoF, current church practices in relation to complementarianism, views on our bylaw and position statement, and also how your church would hypothetically relate to FEBN on gender issues given a number of scenarios. The information will be used by the CCT to present an amended draft article 9 of the AoF and any bylaws or position statements by Sept 2026.
Churches are encouraged to stress the importance of maintaining a biblical view of gender in relation to the office of pastor/elder/overseer in form and function however possible. Suggestions include that gender language should be in the AoF, that our bylaws should be updated to include elders/overseers and not just pastors, to retain something like our ’97 gender statement, that departure from the Fellowship would result should any form of egalitarianism be introduced as permissible. We strongly encourage church elderships/boards to complete the survey and have all other elders/deacons submit individual versions of that.
To access the survey: https://form.typeform.com/to/dLWUfjwm
Print survey: https://keepfebcomplementarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CCT-Survey-Print.pdf
CCT Video
FEB National released its latest Complementarian Congruence Team (CCT) report on Friday March 6. In the video released Mar 9 Steve Jones, FEB President, and Lillian Boyd, Executive Minister at Springvale Church and member of the CCT, introduce the CCT survey. They verbalize the story behind the survey, some of the content of the survey and what lies beyond the survey. (Hopefully the survey won’t produce compromise but biblical commitment).
While having a brother and a sister in the Lord in an info-sharing video is appropriate, it is disconcerting that FEBN chose to feature a female ‘minister’ while at the same time assuring churches of FEB’s complementarianism and it seems to preclude the view that all ministers and pastors should be men, a view held by many churches.
To access the video: https://vimeo.com/1171873778
Articles and Resources
CCT Assurances to FEB Central
On Tuesday March 24, FEB Central held their AGM. It was a time of encouragement as we heard reports of what Christ is doing through His churches across the region. Naturally, pastors and churches were eager to learn more about the CCT process. For this, FEBN President, Steve Jones, was interviewed by FEBC Regional Director, Tom Haines. It is equally natural for leadership to want to ‘steady the ship’ in tumultuous theological times. However, there are more helpful and less helpful ways to bring assurance. In an informal interview format Tom asked Steve some common questions about the matter.
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Firstly, words require definition. Unless he is using a very different definition, Steve cannot say we are “convictionally complementarian” when recent months have clearly revealed that we are not. It isn’t simply that we apply our complementarianism differently; we aren’t all complementarian. Organizational unity must not be sought via ambiguity at the expense of truth. Clarity is kindness.
Secondly, it is difficult to imagine that the CCT’s first round of meetings went off without a hitch when a sizeable portion are or support egalitarian practices and would not agree with our ’97 position statement.
To read the entire review: https://keepfebcomplementarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CCT-Assurances-March-30.pdf
TGC Canada: Is a Pastor the Same Thing as an Elder?
Paul Carter, a Fellowship Pastor, writes for The Gospel Coalition Canada:
“This passage [Acts 20:7-28] is particularly helpful because it uses the word for elder, presbyteros, again in the plural form, as well as the word for overseer, episkopos, also in the plural, and the word for shepherd, poimainō, in the infinitive, which can also be translated “to pastor”[1]. The English word pastor is based on the Latin word pastor which means “shepherd”. The fact that Luke refers to the group of people addressed by Paul as “elders” in verse 17 and then subsequently as “overseers” in verse 28 indicates that these terms were considered synonymous: an elder was an overseer. That he connects the oversight office to the task of shepherding/pastoring in verse 28 suggests a tight connection between those concepts.”
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“Collectively, these five passages suggest that the terms elder and overseer should be understood as synonyms, referring to the authoritative leadership office in the church tasked with leading, feeding and protecting the flock of God. These tasks are properly understood and described in shepherding or pastoral terms. In the same way that a shepherd has a rod so as to lead and defend the flock, so too the pastor/elder/overseer is invested with authority to care for, correct and if necessary corral a straying congregant. Further, the fact that the terms presbyteros, episkopos and poimēn, when used in noun form referring to human leaders other than Jesus, always appear in the plural suggests that a plurality of oversight leaders was the norm in New Testament churches.”
To read the entire article: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/ad-fontes/is-a-pastor-the-same-thing-as-an-elder/
Stephens, The Fellowship’s Unity Crisis
“Now here we are 20 years later, the differences of theology remain and in fact are exacerbated. Eight faithful churches have been removed and more may be on the way. Our church has been in tension with our region for 10 years because I questioned why our region was not complying with national bylaws. Our region also has churches who have women elders, pastors, and preachers. For raising this issue our church is on the cusp of removal, accused of the same divisive spirit as the 8 faithful churches in BC. Yet, just like the 8 churches in BC that were removed, we all share the identical convictions of the majority of Fellowship churches. We’re told that we are the problem for pointing out the stark theological and practical differences that exist between churches on an issue that has been settled by passing a position statement and national bylaw more than 20 years ago. But our churches aren’t the problem, we just put our finger on the problem.
It is not that 8–10 churches in BC caused division, nor has our church caused division, it was the National Council that allowed (and continues to allow) regional leaders to defy a bylaw and refuse to respect the historic and present day majority of churches who affirm that Fellowship churches are complementarian—meaning that the pastoral office and its functions of preaching and oversight are reserved for biblically qualified men.”
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“How does this ecclesiology translate to an association of churches? I suggest that the delegates gathering at convention are the “elders” of an association. The highest authority in a Baptist association is the convention of churches when delegates gather and make proposals, bylaws, and set doctrinal boundaries. Of course, the delegates can’t do this task alone, so they delegate to the board or council—the “deacons”—to write proposals, policies, or statements that the delegates either approve or send back for refinement.
Therefore, the churches—or delegates—are the elders, and the board, whether National Council or regional board, are like “deacons” who carry out the will of the elders. When the deacons act like elders, or act apart from the elders, we’ll have conflict and a crisis in the church.”
To view the entire article: https://www.fairviewbaptistchurch.ca/the-fellowships-unity-crisis/
FEB Central Communication About Excommunication of 8 Churches
Eight Churches Removed from FEB Pacific
“Several themes emerged in the discussion on the microphones. From the “for” side, arguing for the removal of the churches, it was emphasized that the churches continued to advocate with National—proof they had not accepted the region’s decision at IMPACT 2025. It was also mentioned multiple times that the eight churches themselves viewed that egalitarian-practicing churches were beyond the bounds of their fellowship and so removing them was precisely what they themselves had been advocating for.
On the “against” side, arguing for retaining the churches that wanted to remain [one church already removed itself since IMPACT 2025], several themes emerged. Firstly, it was noted by several speakers that theological discussion had been repeatedly requested of the Board and was denied several times. Churches were thus being removed without ever discussing the relevant theological debate underpinning the dispute. In relation to this, at least two of the defense speeches argued against the contention, made repeatedly by FEB Pac leadership, that this isn’t a theological issue. On the contrary, it was argued that it is indeed a theological question whether this is a secondary issue, the sort which defines our boundaries as a fellowship, or a minor tertiary issue one.
A couple of the speakers also pointed out that a test of “joyful fellowship,” interpreted as it was by the Board, creates a problem when it is treated like a bylaw, and that the eight churches had indeed written of their desire to FEB Pac leadership to fellowship, save only that they could not, in good conscience, refrain from taking part in national dialogue and involvement around gender-related issues.”
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“The elephant in the room during the discussion was the two-year process initiated by National Council in response to this dispute, and the call by over sixty Ontario churches to not remove churches during this process. In connection with this is the background relationship of Pacific to National and whether or not Pacific is permitted to contravene National Bylaws. Several of the churches expressed their desire to simply wait out the process. In the end, the delegates voted to remove the eight churches, with results ranging from 63 to 68% in favor. These churches are now no longer in the Fellowship, will have their benefits and licenses removed, and will no longer be able to partake in National processes on the Complementarian Congruency or Affirmation of Faith process.”
To access the entire summary: https://keepfebcomplementarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Summary-of-Speial-Meeting-to-Remove-Eight-Churches-Feb-7-2026.pdf
Haykin, On FEB Canada and Its Affirmation of Faith
“Christian denominations are created by confessions; and these confessions are liminal, they create boundaries. Hopefully, this liminality is about secondary matters and not tertiary issues. The distinction between secondary and tertiary issues is of vital importance here.1 In Romans 14, for instance, Paul deals with tertiary matters of food and holy days. In more recent history, the issue of the millennium should have been regarded as a tertiary matter.
Baptism, though, is not a tertiary matter: it is a secondary issue. One’s stance on it determines which community one belongs to. As a Baptist, I believe in the baptism of believers, not infants. I have many dear Paedobaptist friends, who are solid Christians, with whom I can work on many endeavours and from whom I have learned much (and in the most important matters of the gospel we agree as one), but on the matter of ecclesial identity we obviously must go our different ways.
Currently, there is a debate within the FEBC over the role of women in the public ministry of the church. In the late 1990s, the FEBC affirmed its commitment to complementarianism, though the affirmation was not one that was binding on the churches within the denomination. In recent days, some churches within the FEBC made a proposal to make it binding. A motion was brought to our annual denominational meeting last November to make it so, but it did not obtain the necessary percentage of votes to pass.
At the same time, a revised and expanded Affirmation of Faith was up for approval. All of the articles passed except the one on the church, which, it was felt obviously, did not clearly specify that ruling, teaching elders must be qualified men. A committee was then struck to come up with a clearer article on the matter over the next two years.
Involved in proposing the motion for making complementarianism binding on FEBC churches were a number of churches (8-10) in BC (as well as others across the FEBC). In the BC region of our denomination, they have interpreted our denomination’s complementarianism to mean that the “senior pastor” of the church must be a qualified man, but other pastors in the local church can be women. The 8-10 churches of this region that were involved in proposing the motion to make complementarianism binding across the FEBC have been deemed “divisive” by the region and next week, the BC churches are meeting to expel these churches for their “divisiveness.” Of course, in my mind, the real issue is that these churches take exception to the BC interpretation of complementarian.
In their defence, the BC region claims to be majoring on the primary issues of the Faith and that women in the ministry is a secondary issue. But then so is baptism, as I noted above. And by their logic, churches engaging in the baptism of infants can rightly belong to our denomination.”
To access the entire article: https://michaelazadaghaykin.substack.com/p/confessions-create-communities-on
Crocker, Gender and the Pastoral Office
Article by Chris Crocker, Toronto Baptist Seminary,
“Mankind, created by God, was male and female. This design He pronounced “very good” (Gen 1:27) and is to His glory Men and women were created equal in value and complementary in role to fulfil the Creation mandate of exercising dominion over the earth; reflecting the image of God together. Men are called to humble headship and women to humble help (Gen 2:7, 20; 1 Cor 11:3) Men and women are created of equal value and yet complementary in role Biblical teachings are not culturally bound but are related to the relationship of Father and Son in the economy of redemption (1 Cor 11:3), Creation (1 Cor 11:8; 1 Tim 2:13), and Christ’s relationship to His bride, the Church (Eph 5:32). Complementarity is a vital matter of orthopraxy that has been near universally held by orthodox churches for nineteen centuries—indeed amongst old covenant believers since creation. To embrace egalitarianism is to do a grave disservice to biblical hermeneutics and compromise on Scriptural authority, inerrancy, sufficiency, and clarity; dismissing not only numerous passages but the thrust of Scripture.”
To read the full article: https://keepfebcomplementarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Gospel-Witness-Nov-2025.pdf
Haykin, On the Expulsion of Eight Churches
From Dr. Michael Haykin, eminent church historian and Heritage professor:
“Despite the fact that some 50-60 Fellowship Baptist churches here in the East pled with the BC churches not to move in this direction, the BC region went ahead with their expulsion.
Much more could be said, but I wish to go on record that I think this action to be quite unwise and out of sync with where the rest of our denomination stands on this issue. Ironically, it may well be that the BC region is acting divisively in this matter!”
To read the full article: https://michaelazadaghaykin.substack.com/p/the-expulsion-of-8-fellowship-baptist
FEB Central Communication on Upcoming Vote to Remove 8 Churches in FEB Pacific
TGC Canada: What Is a Complementarian Church?
Paul Carter, a Fellowship Pastor, writes for The Gospel Coalition Canada:
“Churches cannot plant other churches until they agree together who will preach the sermon, who will handle discipline and who will sit on the Board of Overseers. Denominations cannot run seminaries until they decide who they will admit to their MDiv programs, who they will prepare for pastoral ministry and what they will teach on matters of polity. Practically speaking, this means that seminaries and denominations will be required to achieve clarity as to what the term “complementarian” means and what that commitment entails at the congregational level.”
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“Complementarian churches recognize and safeguard the unique status of the sermon within the primary worship gathering as the primary delivery vehicle for authoritative teaching. Whereas complementarian churches may vary as to the permissibility of women teaching in other settings and providing non-authoritative exhortation during worship services, they will typically reserve a portion of the main assembly for a time of official teaching provided by one or more of the recognized oversight officers.”
To read the entire article: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/ad-fontes/what-is-a-complementarian-church/