Tennessee Baptist Convention Expels Church With Female Pastor

HENDERSONVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Baptist Convention expelled one of the oldest Baptist churches in the state from its annual meeting Tuesday because it is led by a female pastor.

Founded in 1834, First Baptist Church of Jefferson City sits just blocks from Carson-Newman College, the second-oldest Baptist college in Tennessee, which it helped found. In June, the church called Ellen Di Giosa as senior pastor, the first woman to serve in that role in the church's history and the only woman who leads a member of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

At its annual meeting in Hendersonville, a vote by the Brentwood-based TBC affirmed a committee's recommendation that the Jefferson City church is not a "cooperating church" under the convention's rules, barring it from voting and taking part in TBC business.

“I hope that the message it sends is that we’re going to be committed to scripture. In spite of the way others may interpret this action, it is very important that we have some anchors and a belief system that is tied to the scripture,” said Dr. Dandy Davis, executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Di Giosa said the church was not surprised by the convention's decision, though she hopes it leads to a broader discussion among Baptists.

“We have tried to view this as an opportunity to be clear about who we are and to be gracious in our response. We know that not everyone agrees with us. This is a matter of biblical interpretation. Not everybody is going to agree and that’s okay. The question for us is, which matters of biblical interpretation are necessary for partnership?” she said, according to WATE. "Ultimately the question is does my ministry bear fruit? To be defensive, to try and prove to people that God has called me, isn’t a good use of my time. It’s not a good use of their time. I would rather do what God has called me to do."

First Baptist of Jefferson City has a history of women in leadership roles and this isn't the first time its put the congregation at loggerheads with the denomination at-large. In 1975, the church ordained three women as deacons and since then has ordained two others to ministry, though none have served as senior pastor. The church has been a member of the local Jefferson City Baptist Association since 1919, but that relationship is now in flux due to the congregation's ordination of women.

"While the outcome saddens us, it’s fair to say that we are not surprised,” FBC Jefferson City leaders wrote in a statement. “Our congregation’s long-held conviction that God calls all people into service regardless of gender as not always been received well, even by some brothers and sisters in Christ.”

In addition to the Tennessee Baptist Convention — the state's largest Baptist organization and affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention — the church also has a relationship with the Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The more theologically moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship split from the Southern Baptists in 1991 due to the latter's "conservative drift." The Jefferson City church allows its members to designate to which organization their tithes are sent.

Congregational autonomy has been a cornerstone of the Baptist movement and membership in larger local, state and national organizations is voluntary. Because of this, there is no mechanism to completely expel congregations, but the TBC said First Baptist of Jefferson City will not be allowed to take part in convention activities until "guidelines are followed."

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