Next week at the annual meeting of Texas Baptists in Waco, Baptists will be celebrating the wonderful services Baptists offer to the community and the world. More than likely they will also be discussing Baylor, the church and LGBTs, the presidential election, racial reconciliation, feeding the hungry, sex trafficking, and most importantly, how to reach more people with the gospel in this era of dwindling church membership and participation. The discussions will be about everything but equality for women. Once again, women will be relegated to the backseat of social and racial inequities.
The LGBT question will override many discussions, making the one thing that will least likely be discussed is how Baptists can incorporate all members into all of the church fellowship. It is very doubtful that women – who make up more than one-half of church membership – will have anyone speak up for women’s equality in the church and home. No one will speak up for a woman’s privilege and obligation to serve the Lord in all ways she is called.
Will you make this year the year that women’s equality will be discussed among yourselves? In private discussions with your peers, will you stand up for women’s equality to help each person be complete in the churches you serve?
I call myself the Street Evangelist for women’s equality. For 14 ½ years I was an employee of BGCT (now Texas Baptists) and came to know and love this organization because of the people with whom I served.
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