“One of the questions I have is this: Will the Fellowship follow the Christian & Missionary Alliance, which now ordains women pastors? Will steps toward a “soft egalitarianism” be tolerated by the national convention? It must be remembered that typically practice changes before policy. That is, one church then a growing number of churches adopt a novel version of complementarianism or “soft egalitarianism.” If there is no correction or enforcement, it will not be long before policy changes to match the practice, which is no longer novel but entrenched. This is how the downgrade works. It requires just a few to shift from historic beliefs while the many look away and do nothing.
For these reasons, several churches across our country have put forward a motion to our national convention, meeting November 3–5, 2025. This motion seeks to elevate the 1997 position statement to a binding policy statement. The desire is to reaffirm historic complementarian views and enjoy doctrinal and functional unity across the Fellowship on this important issue.
The need is urgent, as several churches may be suspended for having a “divisive spirit.” To be clear, we are not divisive. Churches who have adopted novel views on women in ministry have caused the division, not those who have pointed it out. We are for unity. The unity we desire is not an organizational unity at the expense of doctrine, but a functional and practical unity built upon a common doctrine. That common doctrine articulating the role of women in the church has been hammered out in our generation. The discussion has been had, the statements and books have been written, now it is time to stand.”
Access the full article: https://cbmw.org/2025/10/22/keep-the-fellowship-complementarian/
