In a move reflecting the continuing tension within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) regarding the role of women in leadership, Elevation Church has officially disaffiliated from the denomination. The Matthews, North Carolina-based megachurch notified the SBC of its decision on June 26, 2023, marking another significant departure for the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.
While the official letter from Elevation Church didn't specify a reason for the split, the context of recent events within the SBC strongly suggests a connection to the ongoing debate surrounding women pastors. Elevation Church Pastor Steven Furtick's wife, Holly Furtick, is known to preach and share sermons online, a practice that clashes with the SBC's increasingly firm stance on limiting pastoral roles to men.
This disaffiliation comes shortly after the SBC's annual meeting in New Orleans, where an overwhelming majority of delegates voted to amend the constitution to explicitly prohibit women from serving as pastors. This move solidified the SBC's existing complementarian doctrine, which distinguishes between the roles of men and women in church leadership, reserving the pastoral office for men only.
Elevation Church, with its multiple locations across North Carolina, neighboring states, and even Canada, boasts a substantial congregation. In 2022, it reported approximately 26,000 weekly attendees, placing it among the top ten most attended Protestant churches in the U.S. according to Outreach magazine. SBC records indicate an average attendance of 10,185 in 2021.
This departure echoes the recent ouster of Saddleback Church, another prominent megachurch and the second largest Protestant congregation in the U.S., led by renowned pastor and author Rick Warren. Saddleback's expulsion, also stemming from the issue of female pastors, was upheld by a decisive vote within the SBC last month.
These events highlight the ongoing internal struggle within the SBC, as it grapples with evolving societal views on gender roles while seeking to maintain its theological traditions. The departure of prominent congregations like Elevation and Saddleback underscores the significant impact of this debate on the future of the denomination.
