Oklahoma State Chapter Releases Statement on Women in Ministry Leadership

Press Release: CBNOK Pastors to Publish Position Statement on Women in Ministry Leadership

For Immediate Release

Sep 04, 2025

Tulsa, OK—The Conservative Baptist Network of Oklahoma (CBNOK), a non-geographic association of conservative Baptist pastors and churches within the state, has announced the proposal of a new position statement on the role of women in church leadership. This statement will be voted on by pastors at their first annual conference on October 10, 2025, at First Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. The goal is to address the ongoing debates and growing confusion within the broader Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) about whether women can serve as pastors or in similar leadership roles—a confusion stemming from churches in the SBC having inconsistent application of doctrinal standards. The statement, called "Position Statement on Women Serving as Pastors in the Local Church," emphasizes following clear biblical teachings on gender roles in church ministry, providing a contrast to the SBC's polarization and constant state of being unresolved.

Addressing Inconsistencies in the Southern Baptist Convention

The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., with over 47,000 affiliated churches. Its guiding confessional statement, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (BF&M 2000), states that the role of pastor should be limited to qualified men, based on Bible verses like 1 Timothy 2:12 and 3:1-7. However, the implementation of this principle among SBC churches has shown notable inconsistencies, leading to frustration among many who value doctrinal clarity and biblical fidelity.

Although SBC churches champion the autonomy of the local church, these positions have huge implications on cooperative efforts like church planting where local churches lose all control over dollars given, and end up supporting works that may violate their consciences. This frustration has led to what is described by many as the highest rates of diverted giving in the history of the SBC. The CBNOK statement notes that while some churches have been disfellowshipped from the SBC for having women as pastors—such as Saddleback Church in California and Fern Creek Baptist Church in Kentucky—others have remained unchecked, or remain affiliated by making changes like renaming job titles for women in pastoral roles–without altering their actual duties or authority. This approach has been viewed by some as a semantic loophole that weakens the BF&M 2000, and only further polarizes.

A recent example is Fielder Church in Arlington, Texas, where the church changed all pastoral titles—including those held by women—to more general terms like "shepherd," while the women appear to have continued in the same roles. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) Credentials Committee, which reviews church compliance at the state level, accepted this change and decided not to recommend removal, despite ongoing concerns about alignment with the BF&M 2000. This outcome has disappointed many including supporters of the "Law Amendment," a proposed constitutional change to strengthen the SBC's stance on women pastors by addressing both titles and functions. That amendment passed its first vote in 2023 with a supermajority, but it failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority in 2024 (receiving about 61%) and again in 2025 at the Dallas convention (failing for the third consecutive year), leaving many to question the convention’s direction on this issue.

Additionally, the statement addresses concern about the North American Mission Board (NAMB) funding or partnering with church plants that include women in pastoral or preaching roles, which some see as contributing to the broader inconsistencies.

"Our churches seek clear, Bible-based guidance on this important topic," said James Biesiadecki, Pastor of Cornerstone Church of Bartlesville and Director of the CBNOK Board of Pastors. "The mixed signals from recent SBC decisions have created challenges for local congregations seeking to uphold Scripture faithfully. As pastors we're offering a straightforward statement that honors the Bible's authority and provides churches with the certainty and integrity they need. As pastors called to lead and who are accountable to Christ, we've come together in prayer to address this for our own churches, independent of external committees. We will not wait on the laypeople of our convention to give direction here."

Main Ideas in the Statement

The position statement outlines a clear framework that considers both job titles (like "pastor") and actual ministry responsibilities, aiming to avoid the ambiguities that have arisen in SBC practices. Its key points include:

• Men-Only for Pastor Roles: The roles of pastor, elder, or overseer (terms often used interchangeably) are reserved for qualified men, based on biblical qualifications.

• No Pastoral Duties for Women: The issue needs clarity over both nomenclature and function. Women should not perform pastor-like tasks, such as preaching to or leading adult men, even under different titles—a principle that counters the loopholes seen in some SBC-affiliated churches. The document recommends consistent nomenclatures to reflect that.

• Important Roles for Women: The statement affirms women's valuable contributions in areas like sharing the gospel, mentoring others, and teaching and leading women or children, while maintaining clear boundaries to respect male-designated pastoral duties, unlike the blurred distinctions increasingly permitted in the SBC.

The statement opposes practices that obscure these lines, such as title changes to avoid scrutiny, and seeks to unite CBNOK churches around traditional biblical views amid the SBC's evolving stance.

Voting for Agreement and Clear Direction

The statement will be discussed and voted on by pastors at the CBNOK’s October 10 pastor's conference at FBC Edmond, then announced to CBNOK-connected churches at the church summit that follows that evening at 6:30pm. Churches will be encouraged to pray, study, and adopt the document for local clarity. The board of pastors hopes this will resolve local debates, promote unity, and allow their churches to focus on the Great Commission without the uncertainties and instability introduced by the SBC's lack of clarity in the issue of women in ministry.

"This is more than about labels; it's about faithfully following God's Word, especially when the denomination's path seems unclear," said Biesiadecki. "Our statement offers the guidance churches need to hold to their convictions and work together effectively. It ensures that when we cooperate in church planting or missions, we are cooperating toward likeminded efforts.” He concluded, “Whenever the SBC finds its resolve on the issue, it will certainly help, but until then, this effort will help us as churches know how to function with clarity, and where to give our church planting offerings.”

You can view the full statement here or at www.CBNOK.org and send feedback to the board of pastors at info@CBNOK.org. You can also contact the Director of the Oklahoma State Chapter, James Biesiadecki, at Jamesb@cbnok.org.