The State of Women in Baptist Life Report 2021

State of Women in Baptist Life • 2021 Commissioned by: Baptist Women in Ministry Researched and Written by: Laura Ellis Design By: Katie Palmer, Katie Michelle Design This report was funded in part by generous grants from Grant Me the Wisdom Foundation and the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation.

Introduction Since it was first commissioned in 2003, the publications of the State of Women in Baptist Life Report (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2015) have provided statistics and analysis related to women in ministry in Baptist life in order to serve as a metric and motivator for progress.

The following report features data collected in the fall of 2021. The report was researched and written by Laura Ellis who joined the BWIM staff as project manager in August 2021. For Laura’s work, and for the cooperation of so many in BWIM’s community who made this report possible, we are truly grateful.

As you read this report, I imagine that you will simultaneously experience hope and sorrow.

Truly, progress for women in ministry among Baptists has been made and there is cause for celebration. In Part II of the report, you will find many areas in which large and small increases for women are recorded despite the challenges of the past two years. But, unfortunately, both parts of the report reveal that the realities for and experiences of Baptist women in ministry are still far from ideal, equal, equitable, and thriving.

For women in ministry among Baptists who are reading this report: May you find solidarity with your sisters in these numbers and words. May you know that in each number on the negative side of a statistic and in each painful anecdote, you can find women who are walking the road of ministry with you out of faithfulness to Christ despite the challenges. And in each increase and positive experience represented, may you find encouragement and hope that a better reflection of the beloved community is possible.

For supporters of women in ministry among Baptists who are reading this report: May the favorable survey responses in Part I and the increases in the statistics in Part II be an affirmation that your good work and advocacy is making a difference. But may this report also serve as motivation for you to make specific, intentional, and ongoing plans of action to take the next steps. As Laura writes in the report’s conclusion, “…there is clearly still a large gap between what is professed and what is practiced.” BWIM is looking forward to helping you assess what that gap looks like in your context, and helping you imagine and implement actions which will create further progress for your institution, organization, or congregation.

Baptist Women in Ministry humbly and respectfully presents the State of Women in Baptist Life Report 2021 with hope that it will be a catalyst toward our work together in building a Baptist world where women in ministry are valued, respected, empowered, and whole.

Meredith Stone Executive Director

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PART I:

The State of Women’s Experiences in Baptist Life

Baptist Women in Ministry wants to see a world not only where women are welcomed to minister in increasingly higher quantities, but also a world where women are unshackled from genderbased obstacles and are invited to thrive in their ministry settings. The statistics on the number of women serving in and preparing for ministry help measure the overall shifts of growth and decline for women in ministry in Baptist life. However, these statistics do not represent the total picture of the state of women in Baptist life because numbers are incapable of revealing how women are doing in their ministry settings.

With this in mind, in 2021 BWIM created an informal survey to measure women’s ability to thrive in their ministries, to determine the obstacles that continue to face women, and to gauge the current trends of congregational support.

Between October and December of 2021, a total of 555 people within the BWIM community completed this survey, which was divided into three parts: the experiences of women in ministry, the effects of COVID-19 on women in ministry, and congregational support of women in ministry. Women who currently serve in, formerly served in, are preparing for, or are feeling a call toward any form of congregational and/or non-congregational ministry completed all three sections of the survey. All remaining respondents only answered the third section of questions on congregational support. “The vast majority of respondents (82%) were women in ministry.

While the remaining respondents (18%) were not women in ministry.”

The clergywomen who answered the survey came from a wide variety of ministry positions. They are current or former pastors, ministers, directors, chaplains, counselors, professors, students, and staff members. They serve or previously served in churches, chaplaincy settings, colleges, seminaries, denominational groups, and nonprofit organizations. Several women worked in different positions in various settings throughout their time as a woman in ministry, and a few women noted that their answers to the survey questions would have been different at different stages in their ministry. Women expressed they experienced many moments of both struggle and grace-filled support while in ministry. The survey captures the complex experiences carried by women in ministry today with recognition that women are not monolithic, and women’s personal experiences in ministry have ebbed and flowed over the years in incredibly complex ways.

The survey results presented here include two components. The first section focuses on the experiences of women in ministry and indicates the ongoing need for better practices of supporting women. The second section reveals the influence that a congregation wields on a woman’s capacity to thrive in her ministry setting, indicating with great hope that congregations have the ability to remove the obstacles that women face.

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OBSTACLES FACING WOMEN In the last forty years, Baptists have made incredible progress in supporting women in ministry.

Yet, in tandem with this progress exists the reality that many women often struggle to gain the support of faith leaders and the people they are called to serve.

86%

of women in ministry experience obstacles to their ministry because of their gender.i

The obstacles that women in ministry face often feel like the size of boulders. Some women are told that they cannot serve in ministry because of their gender. Other times they are encouraged theoretically in their calls to ministry and supported to serve in another church, but told repeatedly that they cannot minister here. Still other times, women are hired into ministry but continue to face significant obstacles in settings that are not as accepting of clergywomen in practice as they purport to be in theory. These types of boulder-sized obstacles are illuminated by the statistics below.

59% of women

in ministry said they are overlooked and silenced in their ministry settings.

“I have felt the call to preach, but I don’t have support in my local fellowship… I know I am called, but I feel lost and unsupported and often completely disregarded.”

—Former Youth Minister, 42

"I am able to see how the ‘good ole boys’ club’ really works…

Unfortunately, female clergy do not have the same resources unless they ‘play the game’ of protecting the males who hold their careers in their hands. A former female colleague and I often discuss how we can now see that we were used as props to make it appear that these male senior pastors truly supported women in ministry.

I am not sure what the answer is, but I know from my sisters in ministry that I am not alone in my experiences.”

—Former Children’s Minister, 48

63% of

women in ministry said they have to fight for a seat at the table.

At the end of the survey, participants had the opportunity to leave comments like the ones above, many of which are quoted throughout this report.ii

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GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE Some obstacles faced by women in ministry are similar to the kinds of barriers a woman in any field of work might encounter. Several of the questions used in this portion of the survey were adapted from the Women in the Workplace study produced yearly by McKinsey & Company.iii While the systems that prevent women from breaking through the glass ceiling exist in most fields of work, women in Christian ministry face unique challenges when they are met with theological beliefs systems that dispute their capacity for leadership.

One common form of gender discrimination relates to matters of the family. Women in ministry who choose to have a job and a family sometimes face discriminatory practices.

21% were asked inappropriate questions about family planning in a job interview or other professional setting

28% were asked inappropriate questions about their dating life

18% were not provided adequate funds or access to childcare

9% experienced discriminating practices in regard to maternity leave

Women in ministry also face unique challenges in the workplace when they are met with theologies that limit their ability to lead and serve on the basis of their gender. 42% of women in ministry said they were not allowed to perform certain ministerial tasks because of their gender.

The distinction between what men can do and what women can do in a Baptist setting is often distinguished by a ministerial title. For example, while all the men on a church staff might have the title of “pastor,” the women on staff might hold the title of “minister” or “director.”

30% of women surveyed said they held a different ministerial title than their male counterpart(s).

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“[Certain Baptist entities] do not recognize my ordination or service in ministry and list me as Mrs. . A few church members… consider me a ‘teacher’ rather than a preacher when I'm asked to preach.”

—Retired Pastor, 75

49%

of women in ministry said they were not paid equally to their male counterpart(s).

In addition to differentiated ministerial tasks and titles, women also are often compensated less than the men with whom they work.

“Even though I had more education, advanced degrees, and more experience than any other male minister on staff, I was paid the least and given fewer benefits.”

—Anonymous

“I know pay isn't everything, but it made me feel not as important or respected as the longest [serving] employee on staff.”

—Minister to Students and Missions, 32

DAILY STRUGGLES While many of the barriers women in ministry face are the size of boulders, other times they are not as large. Rather, the obstacles are small, daily struggles, like pebbles discarded at a woman's feet. These moments of gender discrimination often come in the form of comments and microaggressions. Though they may seem small, eventually all these little rocks thrown at women’s feet can accumulate into boulder-sized towers. Examples of these daily obstacles, along with the rate they are experienced and related comments, are below.

59% of women in ministry said their judgment was questioned in their area of expertise.

72% of women in ministry said they had to provide more evidence of their competence than their male counterpart(s) did.

“I must have all the ‘I’s dotted and the ‘T’s crossed with education and background. The majority of male colleagues I have served alongside have not had the full clinical training that I have had, but they serve and are often compensated higher than I am.”

—Hospice Chaplain

According to the survey, the need to provide more evidence of competence was the most common obstacle experienced by women in ministry.

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Assessing the daily struggles, many women described having to wait to earn their place and constantly feeling as though they had to “prove” themselves to the people around them.

57% said that men get credit for their ideas

“After my first sermon, a congregant asked my husband if he wrote my sermon.”

—Anonymous

45% said their peers or parishioners were patronizing to them

67% said men interrupt or talk over them in meetings

66% are mistaken for someone at a lower professional level

52% are addressed by others in unprofessional ways

“[When] I begin to mention making leadership and decision-making equitable or make any statement in opposition, I am immediately interrupted, shot down, or called disagreeable.”

—Former Youth Minister, 42

“I have experienced microaggressions and open hostility from male pastors in other Baptist churches locally because I'm a woman.”

—Anonymous

In addition to the questions asked in the survey, several women noted in the comments section that they heard inappropriate and unprofessional remarks about their appearances.

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“My clothing choices have been commented on as a woman—why I wear pants, the times I choose to wear a skirt or dress are commented on, type of skirt I wear, etc.”

“[My male co-pastor] does not get gift cards for his birthday to get a haircut; I do.

He does not have people comment about what he's wearing under his robe; I do. He does not get encouraged to be more nurturing; I do.”

—Associate Pastor, 50

—Former Senior Pastor, 32

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT The final question about women’s experiences in ministry asked, “Have you personally experienced sexual harassment, misconduct, or assault in your ministry setting?”

25% of respondents answered yes.iv National workplace statistics found that 7% of women are sexually assaulted in their workplace and 38% of women are sexually harassed in their workplace.v The hope that these percentages would be significantly lower in a faithbased work setting is reasonable, but unfortunately, the BWIM survey found that 25% of women have been sexually harassed or assaulted while working and serving in their ministry setting.

ONE IN FOUR

women have been sexually harassed or sexually assaulted while working and serving in their ministry setting.

Experts assert that the rates of sexual assault and harassment are likely higher in reality than statistics reveal because most cases go unreported. Some victims feel ashamed and fear being silenced, not believed, or even blamed. Many victims have a difficult time labeling their experience as harassment or assault and find it easier to act as if it never happened. Even though the BWIM survey was anonymous, it is likely that the real number of affected women is higher.

In response to this survey question, women could select “yes,” “no,” or “I’m not sure.”

6% of respondents said they were not sure whether or not they had experienced sexual assault or harassment in their ministry setting.

This indicates a need for further education on what constitutes harassment and assault, and training on appropriate workplace boundaries.

The obstacles that women encounter range from annoying to paralyzing to their ministry. In working on the best practices to erase these obstacles, women’s safety in their workplaces and ministries must be a baseline for this work.

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INTERSECTIONALITY Women of color often face more barriers and discriminatory practices than white women. This imbalance was reflected by several survey questions, indicating that women of color experience the following obstacles in their ministry more frequently than white women. The blue and purple lines on the graph below indicate the rate at which women of color and white women had the following experiences.

46%

65%

"My leadership is misunderstood as bossy, angry, controlling, or unlikable."

38%

46%

"People make comments about my emotional state."

62%

44% "My work contributions are ignored."

34%

43%

"I hear/overhear demeaning remarks about me or people like me."

These discrepancies continued in an age of COVID-19.

24%

35%

"I have not had access to adequate mental health care resources."

50%

61%

"I have felt pressure to spend more time than usual working in my ministry setting."

 WOMEN OF COLOR  8

WHITE WOMEN

EFFECTS OF COVID-19 In addition to the deep tragedy of disease and loss, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive social damage for women. According to the Women in the Workplace 2021 report, the pandemic could set the progress of women’s representation in the workplace back half a decade, after many women left work due in part to burnout and increased caregiving responsibilities.

Likewise, many people working in ministry–men and women–have felt a heightened sense of responsibility and burnout during the pandemic. Some have left or considered leaving ministry in this tumultuous time.

Due to the lingering consequences for both women in the workplace and all people in ministry, a section of the BWIM survey asked a series of questions about how the pandemic has affected women in ministry specifically.i

72% of women in ministry experienced burnout during the pandemic.

50% of women in ministry felt pressured to spend more time than usual working in their ministry settings.

48% of women in ministry faced increased responsibilities of family caregiving.

42% of women in ministry considered downshifting their ministry career or taking a leave of absence.

Of the women who left their ministry positions since the start of the pandemic,

34% said they left for reasons

related to the pandemic.

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POSITIVE EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY While the survey focused on the ways Baptists still need to grow into full affirmation of women in ministry, it was not without moments of hope and light. There were many comments of gratitude from women in ministry toward the Baptist world for the way its people and institutions have embraced and elevated the gifts of women. Here are a few of those quotes:

“I have recently retired from local church ministry, but in my 30+ years I’ve seen and experienced so much movement towards accepting women as clergy and congregational leaders.”

—Retired Minister, 69

“My answers now, at age 40, are quite different than they were in my 20s.

Surveys such as this highlight how much changes with age. My ‘seat at the table’ is much more secure and assumed now than earlier in my career, and the stark disparities I saw with gender have leveled off quite a bit. I'm also blessed to be in an environment that fully supports women in ministry.”

“I am pleased to see the progress of Baptist Women in Ministry over the years. There is still a lot to be done, but much has also been accomplished.”

—Retired Healthcare Chaplain, 66

—Associate Pastor, 41

As this final quote states, there is cause for celebration over the progress of women in ministry. There is also “still a lot to be done.”

Therefore, Baptists must continue the hopeful work of ensuring all women experience acceptance, support, and complete affirmation from their congregations and ministry settings.

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CONGREGATIONAL INFLUENCE Many of the obstacles facing women in ministry are externally caused by people and systems outside of women’s control. Specifically, women’s experiences in ministry are highly influenced by the setting where they are serving.

87%

of women in ministry said that their congregation’s/context’s support of them as a woman in ministry had a direct impact on their ability to thrive.

Congregational and non-congregational ministry settings are powerful influencers of women’s capacity to thrive. For women working in churches, congregations have a tremendous impact on women’s positive and negative experiences in ministry.

However, women also serve in a variety of ministry contexts other than congregational ministries, such as chaplaincy settings, theological schools, nonprofits, denominational groups, and parachurch settings; and women need support in each setting. Still, most women who serve in these contexts also have congregational ties. Many women were raised and received their call to ministry in the church; they may be currently active in local church ministries; and they may need ecclesiastical endorsement to continue in their ministry setting. Therefore, understanding congregational support of women in ministry is a helpful marker for wider Baptist support.

With this in mind, the final section of the survey posed questions about congregational support of women in ministry. When women in leadership are a celebrated part of a congregation’s culture, the obstacles facing women in ministry will greatly diminish.

PERCEPTIONS OF CONGREGATIONAL SUPPORT The initial question in the congregational influence section, which was answered by all survey participants, asked how supportive a respondent’s congregation was of women in ministry. Respondents could choose one of five options, which were in the order of most supportive to least supportive. When asked to decide which of the following best described their congregation, the highest percentage of respondents chose the option that was the most supportive of women in ministry.

“I think on the whole, my congregation supports women in ministry but sees gender discrimination in the church as something that is a problem of the past. They have difficulty seeing the covert ways it continues to exist, as well as the overt ways (which is primarily in the language we use and the many sexist/harassing/inappropriate comments I have received about my clothing, weight loss, dating life, etc.).”

—Associate Pastor, 28 11

41%

said their congregation was supportive of women in ministry and took significant action to eliminate barriers for women serving in all areas of ministry and leadership.

36% said their congregation was supportive of women in ministry and took some action to implement that support.

17% said their congregation expressed support of women in ministry but took little

action to implement that support.

4% said their congregation was discerning the level to which it supports women in ministry.

2% said their congregation was not supportive of women in ministry.

In light of the statistics about obstacles that women continue to encounter in ministry, there seems to be a disconnect between how well Baptists think they are supporting women in ministry and the reality of women’s experiences in their settings.

“Sadly, I think too little has been done for women in ministry in Baptist life, even in the denominations that have claimed they want to promote, encourage, and endorse it. The lack of follow-through and sincere, intentional support for women to serve as they are gifted and called is something Baptists... need to reckon with and decide if that really is important for them.

How much longer will Baptist women be subjected to words such as, ‘our church isn't ready for a female pastor?’... Too many qualified and gifted women have been quietly pushed aside or overtly excluded for too long... As long as discrimination for any reason continues and people continue to be marginalized, and it isn't called out and corrected, our churches will continue to decline.”

—Pastor, 58

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LEAVING On occasion, the negative influences of ministry settings are so strong that the only possible response is to leave. This sentiment of “leaving” was a common theme in the post-survey comments. Women have left churches, denominations, and ministry altogether; congregants have left churches; and churches have left denominations all because of a stance on women in ministry.

Accompanying this trend of leaving are feelings of loss, grief, and draining exhaustion for the women and congregational communities who are most affected.

Some women have left the Baptist world in search of a more welcoming denomination.

“While I still identify with my Baptist roots, I decided to move toward service in another denomination where I would be invited to serve as pastor and use the gifts I was given. I miss my connections with Baptist churches, but do not feel there is a place for me.”

—Pastor, 58 For some congregations, the calling of their first female pastor resulted in the loss of membership.

“While my congregation has been supportive, during my transition from associate pastor to senior pastor, we did lose a significant number of congregants. These members do still speak poorly about women in ministry.”

—Pastor, 45 As a result of obstacles, a few women have left church ministry altogether.

“While I still use my calling to further the kingdom, often through weddings, funerals, and pastoral care for those hurt by a church, I do not believe I will ever return to a church staff.

The daily fight against misogyny is simply too draining.”

—Former Children’s Minister, 48

WOMEN SERVING EVERYWHERE While it is true that ministry settings can negatively affect women, it is equally true that they can be remarkable catalysts for women to thrive in ministry. Congregations can be powerful agents for positive change. One of the ways to move a congregation in the direction of the full affirmation of women in ministry is to include women in every type of ministry within the church. This visibility creates a culture of acceptance of women in ministry roles and negates the idea that women in ministry are a novelty.

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Many women noted the struggles of traversing ministry as the only woman in the room, on staff, or in wider Baptist circles.

“The association that my congregation is a part of has only ordained one woman in its at least 100-year span. As far as I know, I am currently one of only two women licensed to preach at any church that is a member of this association.”

—Associate Minister, 62

Several women commented that without the examples of other women who went before them, it was difficult to discern what their own calling to ministry could look like. Throughout BWIM's work, we often hear similar stories from many women who struggle to understand how their calling to ministry could fit within the boundaries of the local church. For this reason, BWIM considers the inclusion of women in all areas of ministerial leadership as a vital piece of advocacy for women in ministry.

The following chart shows how often women serve in various ministries in the church.

Congregations need both women and men serving in all capacities. When women serve in all areas of the church, the congregational culture shifts so that women in leadership are not viewed suspiciously, but as essential to the mission of the church. This chart shows that in many churches, women are serving, at least some of the time, in most all capacities. Churches should consider what steps they need to take so that women are working alongside men in each of these roles even more frequently.

Women serve as ushers/greeters

Women teach all age-levels of co-ed Sunday School (children, youth, adult)

Women serve as deacons/elders

Women are ordained as ministers/pastors

Women perform baptisms, preside over the Lord's Supper/Communion, and officiate weddings and funeral services

Women preach in Sunday morning worship services

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 Never

 Rarely

 Sometimes

 Frequently

 Very Frequently

THEOLOGY UPLIFTING WOMEN The public and practical theologies taught in churches often frame the way congregants think on both conscious and subconscious levels about different groups of people. One way to create congregational cultures of support for women in ministry is to embrace a theology that uplifts the value of women and girls. The following chart provides examples of ways churches can preach a message of empowerment for women of all ages. These messages can be meaningful not only to female congregants, but to all congregants, as they help create cultures that empower women. As the chart indicates, some congregations are already using language and promoting theologies that value and support women, but there is still much room for growth.

The Bible is used as a source of authority on the equality of women

Gender inclusive language is used when referring to people

Gender inclusive language is used when referring to God

The empowerment and equality of women is discussed in sermons, bible studies, etc.

The leadership of girls and young women is encouraged

 Never

 Rarely

 Sometimes

 Frequently

 Very Frequently

DISCUSSIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT One area of growth desperately needed in congregations is on the topic of sexual harassment and assault. In regard to congregational behaviors that promote women’s flourishing, the survey asked how often the respondent’s congregation discussed and addressed sexual harassment and assault.

Sexual harassment and assault are discussed and addressed

 Never

 Rarely

 Sometimes

 Frequently

 Very Frequently 15

51% of respondents said that sexual harassment and assault were discussed never or rarely in their congregations.

Despite the fact that one in four women in ministry have been sexually harassed or assaulted while working in their ministry settings, this topic is not being discussed or addressed in the majority of Baptist congregations.

All victims and survivors, including women in ministry, are harmed by the church’s silence and inaction when confronted with its own complicity in sexual harassment and assault. In light of the statistical evidence of women in ministry who have been assaulted and harassed, Baptists urgently need better education for everyone in ministry settings in order to ensure safe and professional boundaries and establish clear reporting protocols. The first step toward securing safety for women in ministry, as well as congregants and all people in ministry, is a willingness to discuss harassment and assault in congregations, even when the conversations feel difficult and uncomfortable.

CONCLUSION The results revealed by the BWIM survey convey a deep need for further work toward equity and inclusion to ensure all women are fully affirmed and celebrated as integral members of the body of Christ. Women continue to encounter large obstacles that complicate their abilities to serve in ministry, or even completely bar them from opportunities to serve. The smaller, daily struggles women experience are discouraging, draining, debilitating, and destructive to their ministries. These obstacles weigh heavily both on the women who are most affected by them, as well as the witness of the church itself.

Baptists have made incredible progress in making their congregations and ministry settings the kind of places where women can be welcomed and affirmed.

The obstacles exposed by this survey do not negate that progress. Along with the struggles, women carry the joys of purpose, support, affirmation, and love from the spaces and the people they serve.

However, there is still work to be done.

The good news is that congregations and other ministry settings have the power to make a difference. Churches and denominational groups play a large role in women’s ability to thrive in ministry. The full affirmation and empowerment of women’s gifts in ministry is not unattainable, as many women are able to thrive in their ministries through the support of the people in their settings.

BWIM is grateful for all participants of this survey who helped reveal the state of women’s experiences in ministry at this current moment in time. We look forward to the ways the insights from the survey will help inform the work of BWIM, and we hope this data might also help inform the ways Baptist institutions, organizations, and congregations continue to build more equitable communities for women and for all people living, serving, and worshiping in the community of God. 16

PART II:

The Statistical State of Women in Baptist Life

Part II of the State of Women in Baptist Life Report details the statistics of women serving in and preparing for ministry. Comparing these numbers to the previous report uncovers the growing and declining trends of women in ministry among Baptists.

Previous reports have strategically expanded the list of Baptist denominational groups and theological schools included in its reporting. Similarly, this year for the first time American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) and General Baptists State Convention of North Carolina (GBSC NC) are included in the female pastor and co-pastor statistics. The numbers of female chaplains and counselors also include data from GBSC NC. Additionally, Northern Seminary, the Baptist House of Studies at Perkins School of Theology, Shaw University Divinity School, and Yale Divinity School were included in the sections about theological schools for the first time. BWIM is grateful to partner with these additional organizations and institutions in the 2021 report and in future years.

Because Baptists do not follow a hierarchical polity, many Baptist bodies do not have official record keeping on churches or ministers. Consequently, gathering data for this report is not a simple task, nor an absolute one. While the report provides numbers that are as accurate as possible, it is undoubtedly not without mistakes. The following numbers were gathered in cooperation with the partnering of the Baptist bodies who provided BWIM with self-reported data. To fill in the gaps of this self-reporting, many statistics were also collected from emails, phone calls, internet and social media searches, and a variety of Baptist media outlets.

ORDINATIONS At the time of the 2015 report, BWIM’s records estimated 2,433 ordinations of Baptist women since the ordination of Addie Davis, the first Southern Baptist woman ordained to ministry in 1964. In the last decade, this statistic was largely gathered from women’s self-reporting of their own ordinations, various Baptist media outlets and newsletters, and social media. Because the record-keeping is informal, this number cannot account for all ordinations, and the true total of ordinations in this time period is likely much higher—not to mention the countless women who were not ordained but have served in various ministerial capacities. However, BWIM’s informal record-keeping signposts the overall trends of women’s ordination in the Baptist world, and it is an important act of celebrating with women in the joyous time of ordination.

From the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2021, BWIM recorded 289 women ordained to ministry.

Adding to the total from the 2015 report, BWIM has counted 2,722 Baptist women ordained to ministry.

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From 2016 to 2021, Texas (57), North Carolina (51), Georgia (47) and Virginia (36) hosted the majority of women’s ordinations. These states had the largest number of ordinations in past reports as well. The correlation is most likely due to the Baptist-affiliated seminaries located in each of these states, as students frequently seek ordination during or shortly after their time in seminary.

The overall number of ordinations continues to climb from one report to the next. However, the unique challenges of the pandemic have slowed, or at least stalled, the progress of women’s ordinations. While the first four years of ordinations (2016-2019) remained steady and in line with the past reports, there was a sharp decline of ordinations in 2020, which did not fully recover in 2021. In these final two years, there were several BWIM staff transitions which limited BWIM’s ability to attentively collect ordination data. Additionally, it is likely these numbers are low because of the pandemic.

When COVID-19 hit, some women moved their ordination services to a virtual platform while others decided to postpone their services. Even though there were twice as many ordinations in 2021 as there were in 2020, the number is still lower than the numbers recorded in the years before the pandemic.

Ordinations 2016-2021

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Total Ordinations

by State 2016-2021 State

Ordinations

AL

5

AR

2

AZ

1

CA

1

FL

2

GA

47

IL

1

IN

3

KY

11

LA

2

MA

9

MD

5

MO

5

MS

1

NC

51

NE

1

NH

1

NJ

1

NM

1

Nova Scotia

1

NY

8

OH

3

Year

Ordinations

OK

4

2016

55

PA

1

2017

58

RI

1

2018

57

SC

11

2019

54

SD

2

2020

21

TN

13

2021

44

TX

57

TOTAL:

289

VA

36

Yearly Average 2016-2021:

48

VT

1

Yearly Average 2011-2015:

WA

1

46

TOTAL

289

As Christians are still navigating ways to live and minister through this pandemic, it is too soon to determine if COVID-19 will have lasting effects on decreasing the ordinations of women.

Despite this chaotic time, there is great resiliency among women and ordaining bodies who continue to press forward to ordain women into ministry. Ashley Robinson was one of these women. She was ordained virtually in July 2020 by Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, GA.

"While nothing can ever replace the joys of gathering in person, we decided to move forward with an online ordination, because at that moment in time I think we all craved a sense of stability.

Gathering to celebrate an ordination felt defiant in the face of a big monster of uncertainty. I was surprised by how meaningful the service was, even over Zoom. That day, I learned that the Spirit connects us—even through computer screens."

—Ashley Robinson, Oakhurst Baptist Church, Decatur, GA

PASTORS AND CO-PASTORS BWIM values and celebrates the opportunities of every woman in ministry to fully utilize her unique gifts and calling through many different roles. BWIM has traditionally tracked the number of pastors and co-pastors not because we believe those roles are more important than others, but because: (1) in the non-bureaucratic Baptist world, it is a more accessible statistic to track; and (2) progress in senior leadership positions tends to reflect progress in other positions as well.

In 2015 BWIM gathered information on Alliance of Baptists (Alliance), Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV), Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), and District of Columbia Baptist Convention (DCBC). Several of these denominational bodies faced the reality of a declining number of total affiliating churches, which affected the percentages of women in pastoral leadership. In addition to the denominational bodies tracked in 2015, in 2021 BWIM also gathered data from American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) and General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (GBSC NC).vii

"GBSC NC is comprised of local churches and associations who have voluntarily aligned themselves together for the work of Christ. Within the GBSC NC over recent years I have seen an increase in the number of churches that are selecting females as their pastor. This is indeed encouraging as the history of the church has seen a slow acceptance of women in leadership in general. The GBSC NC continues to encourage and support women in ministry, as we support ALL clergy. It is my hope and desire that the GBSC NC will continue to see an increase in this area, and that our local churches and associations will continue to be open for women in ministry to serve, share, and lead to bring souls out of darkness and into His marvelous Light."

-Leonzo Lynch, President, General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina 19

BWIM is able to report these statistics because of the cooperation of each of the denominational bodies whose collaboration in this report indicates a level of commitment to support of women in ministry.

BWIM is grateful for these partnerships of continued dedication to create cultures and foster environments that celebrate women in leadership positions.

Today, more women are serving as pastors and copastors since the last State of Women in Baptist Life Report. In 2015 BWIM reported 174 female pastors and co-pastors. In 2021 BWIM identified 272 female pastors and co-pastors serving in Baptist churches.vi In 2015 Virginia, Texas, and North Carolina hosted the largest numbers of female pastors and copastors respectively. In 2021 these states still led in total numbers. However, North Carolina had the largest number in 2021, followed by Virginia, then Texas. North Carolina grew from twenty-one women in 2015 to seventy women in 2021. Thirtythree of these new women are aligned with GBSC NC, which BWIM tracked for the first time this year.

The increase in total numbers of female pastors and co-pastors by state is reflected in the increased percentage of female pastors and copastors in each denominational group from 2015 to 2021.

However, for most denominational bodies, the increase in percentage was very small, indicating that while Baptists are making progress, the progress in the last six years has been minimal.

Additionally, despite the fact that the percentage of female pastors and co-pastors increased in each denominational group from 2015 to 2021, not all groups increased the total number of female pastors and co-pastors.

Alliance continues to have the highest percentage of churches led by a female pastor or co-pastor; however, the total number of female pastors and co-pastors was the same in 2021 as in 2015.

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Total Female Pastors/Co-Pastors

by State in 2015 and 2021 State

2015

2021

AL

3

1

AZ

0

1

CA

3

3

DC

5

11

FL

2

5

GA

11

11

ID

2

2

IL

1

0

IN

1

1

KS

1

1

KY

6

10

LA

1

1

MA

5

9

MD

11

15

ME

1

1

MI

2

2

MO

6

4

MS

0

3

NC

21

70

NJ

1

2

NM

0

1

NY

6

5

OH

1

2

OK

0

2

PA

2

3

PR

0

1

SC

7

7

TN

6

5

TX

28

38

VA

39

53

WA

0

1

WI

1

1

TOTAL:

174

272

Female Pastors/Co-Pastors by Denominational Group in 2015 Denominational Group

Affiliating Churches

Female Pastors/ Co-Pastors

Percentage

Alliance

143

60

42.0%

BGAV

1,400

38

2.7%

BGCT

5,318

25

0.5%

CBF

1,800

117

6.5%

DCBC

158

14

8.9%

Female Pastors/Co-Pastors by Denominational Group in 2021 Denominational Group

Affiliating Churches

Female Pastors/ Co-Pastors

Percentage

ABCUSA*

3,249

440

13.5%

Alliance

133

60

45.1%

BGAV

1,338

48

3.6%

BGCT

5,300

33

0.6%

CBF

1,422

105

7.4%

DCBC

164

28

17.1%

GBSC NC

1,434

33

2.3%

*The statistics reported for ABCUSA include the total number of pastors (senior leadership) whose ordination is recognized by ABCUSA regions, not the total number of affiliating churches, and is based on a partial reporting from ABCUSA congregations.

BGAVviii and BGCTix each experienced very small increased percentages as well as some increase in the number of female pastors and co-pastors.

In 2021 CBF’s number of female pastors and co-pastors decreased to 105 women with an increased percentage of 7.4% of total affiliating churches with a female pastor or co-pastor.

While the overall percentage increased because of fewer total affiliating churches, CBF was the only group to have fewer women serving in pastoral roles in 2021 than in 2015.

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“This year’s report on The State of Women in Baptist Life makes it incredibly clear that there is far too much space between the convictions we profess and the reality that exists in our Fellowship. For three decades, we have affirmed that God calls women as well as men to all places of leadership in the church, and we know that the Scriptures bear witness to this truth.

Across our Fellowship today, women are serving with faithfulness and excellence as pastors of congregations, but the number of women serving in those roles has declined since 2015. That is neither acceptable nor an expression of the faith we profess. At the same time, about half the students in our theological schools today are women, and there are growing numbers of women serving in other positions on church staffs. In the days to come, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will join with Baptist Women in Ministry not only to encourage women to respond to God’s call, but also to invite congregations to call women as pastors, equip congregations and ministers alike to thrive together so that congregations and communities can experience God’s transformation.”

-Paul Baxley, Executive Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

The increases and decreases of female pastors and co-pastors from 2015 to 2021 were small in most denominational groups with the exception of DCBC who made the most statistical progress in the last six years. Since the last report, DCBC’s number of female pastors and copastors doubled, and the overall percentage of female pastors/co-pastors nearly doubled as well.

"Over the years, DCBC has been watched by other Baptist groups in North America as many cannot imagine the way we are able to navigate and serve from our diversity. This diversity involves multiple national denominations, various theological, social, and even polity perspectives—including inclusion of women clergy. We are a denominational body which embraces women at all levels of leadership while working to ensure we are more than a ‘poster child’ for the full inclusion of women. This has certainly been a journey for DCBC and not always easy, but as the scripture says, ‘your sons and daughters shall prophesy.’”

-Trisha Miller Manarin, Executive Director/Minister, District of Columbia Baptist Convention

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CHAPLAINS AND COUNSELORS Women frequently minister in the fields of chaplaincy and counseling, serving in medical and hospice centers, correctional facilities, colleges and universities, all branches of the United States Armed Forces, and other specialized settings. Chaplains and counselors provide vital pastoral care often in moments of heightened stress.

For chaplains serving in medical centers, the past two years of ministering during the pandemic has brought unique challenges to ministry. The intensified effects of isolation, death, and grief have taken a toll on many chaplains who have carried the overwhelming weight of emotional and spiritual distress of so many patients and their loved ones. The strength and resiliency of the chaplains who served in this time cannot be overstated.

Endorsed Active Chaplains and Counselors in 2015 Denominational Group

Total Chaplains/ Counselors

Total Women

Percentage

Alliance

142

83

58%

BGCT

650

130

20%

CBF

704

282

40%

For this report, BWIM tracked the numbers of active chaplains and counselors endorsed by various Baptist bodies: Alliance, Baptist Chaplaincy Relations (a ministry of BGAV and BGCT), CBF, and GBSC NC. When compared to 2015, each of these groups (with the exception of GBSC NC which is new this year to the report) had very minor statistical increases and decreases.

Endorsed Active Chaplains and Counselors in 2021 Denominational Group

Total Chaplains/ Counselors

Total Women

Percentage

Alliance

135

82

61%

Baptist Chaplaincy Relations

500

100

20%

CBF

828

316

38%

GBSC NC

5

2

40%

The percentage of Alliance-endorsed women has increased slightly, but both the total number of active chaplains and active female chaplains has decreased since 2015. Compared to BGCT’s numbers in 2015, Baptist Chaplaincy Relations similarly has fewer active chaplains and less active female chaplains, but their overall percentage did not change. The percentage of CBF female chaplains decreased slightly. However, CBF has more active chaplains and active female chaplains in 2021 than in 2015.

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THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS: ENROLLMENT IN MASTER’S DEGREES Examining the enrollment rates of female students in theological schools offers a unique look into the future of women in ministry. The numbers below represent Fall 2015 and 2021 enrollment. For the institutions with a Baptist affiliation, the numbers include all enrolled students in master’slevel and Doctor of Ministry programs. For the schools without a Baptist affiliation, the numbers below represent enrolled students who self-identify as Baptists or who are connected with a program for Baptists at the seminary.

Fall 2015 Enrollment in Master’s Degrees Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

34

14

41%

Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

55

29

53%

Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary

325

122

38%

Campbell University Divinity School

160

69

43%

Central Baptist Theological Seminary

195

105

54%

Gardner-Webb University’s School of Divinity

216

100

46%

Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Seminary

119

47

39%

Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology

170

98

58%

Wake Forest University’s Divinity School

121

71

59%

Non-Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Duke University’s Divinity School

85

38

45%

Emory University’s Candler School of Theology

42

18

43%

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of LRU

10

5

50%

Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School

16

7

44%

The trend of enrollment in theological schools has declined in the last decade. Sadly, this trend continues to hold true in 2021. Of all the schools BWIM included in the 2015 and 2021 reports, the number of total students enrolled in master’s degrees only increased at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) and Central.

Eight of the eleven schools tracked in both 2015 and 2021 increased their overall percentage of female students enrolled in master’s degrees; two schools had the same percentage in 2021 as in 2015; and one school decreased their percentage of female students. The percentage of female students enrolled decreased at BSK. Although BSK enrolled more students overall in 2021, they did not increase the number of female students, resulting in a percentage decrease.

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“Through our 2017 partnership with Simmons College of Kentucky and our initiatives in providing flexible, in-place learning, many African American male pastors have enrolled at BSK. Our partnerships with the Black Church have also further formed BSK’s longstanding commitment to women in ministry. Congregations are truly where ministry cultivation begins, and if we educate ministers within a context of diversity, we impact the way in which congregational leaders cultivate future ministers. BSK seeks to cultivate not only white women who are called to ministry, but all women. Cheri Mills, a BSK student who is a 2022 Addie Davis Award recipient, is a shining example of how BSK highlights the work of our female students.”

-Abby Sizemore, Director of Admissions, Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

Fall 2021 Enrollment in Master’s Degrees Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

41

13

32%

Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary

287

129

45%

Campbell University Divinity School

96

59

61%

Central Baptist Theological Seminary

204

110

54%

Gardner-Webb University’s School of Divinity

99

49

49%

Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology

97

63

65%

Shaw University Divinity School

123

58

47%

Wake Forest University’s Divinity School

72

46

64%

Non-Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Duke University’s Divinity School

74

34

46%

Emory University’s Candler School of Theology

41

22

54%

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of LRU

6

3

50%

Northern Seminary

44

12

27%

Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology

12

6

50%

Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School

10

8

80%

Yale Divinity School

25

13

52%

Notably, in 2021 students enrolled in master’s degrees at nine of the fifteen schools were at or over 50% women. This indicates that upon graduation, over 50% of applicants from these schools will be women applying for positions in congregational and non-congregational ministries. This is exciting for the future of women in ministry, and it presents a unique opportunity for Baptist denominational groups, churches, chaplaincy settings, and nonprofits to prepare for these future female ministers by fostering environments where women can thrive.

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THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS: ENROLLMENT IN DOCTOR OF MINISTRY DEGREES The statistics for enrollment in Doctor of Ministry (DMin) programs tell a different story than that of the master’s-level enrollment. Unlike the master’s-level degrees where overall enrollment has faced a steady decline in recent years, the total number of students enrolled in DMin programs increased at each of the schools BWIM tracked from 2015 to 2021. With the exception of GardnerWebb, Candler, and Brite, each school also increased the number of women in their DMin programs. However, at most schools the increase of female students was not proportionate to the overall increase of total enrolled students. Therefore, the percentage of women studying in DMin programs went down at the majority of schools.

Fall 2015 Enrollment in Doctor of Ministry Degrees Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

12

7

58%

Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary

36

2

6%

Campbell University Divinity School

24

13

54%

Central Baptist Theological Seminary

56

13

23%

Gardner-Webb University’s School of Divinity

29

10

35%

Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Seminary

47

2

4%

Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology

25

8

32%

Non-Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Duke University’s Divinity School

16

3

19%

Emory University’s Candler School of Theology

9

5

56%

Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School

2

1

50%

The largest decrease in percentage was at Candler from 56% women in 2015 to 29% women in 2021. The percentage of female students also decreased at Brite, Gardner-Webb, and Campbell.

For 2015 DMin enrollment, four schools were at or above 50% women. In 2021 every DMin program was below 50% women, with Campbell’s program having the highest percentage at 48% women in 2021.

The effects of the pandemic on women likely contributed to these losses. Regardless of the cause, these decreased statistics indicate women do not have the resources or support they need to seek the highest level of formal ministry training.

Despite the challenges, Duke, Truett, and Central managed to increase the total number of enrolled DMin students, the number of enrolled female DMin students, and the percentage of female DMin students in 2021.

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Fall 2021 Enrollment in Doctor of Ministry Degrees Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary

63

7

11%

Campbell University Divinity School

29

14

48%

Central Baptist Theological Seminary

67

17

25%

Gardner-Webb University’s School of Divinity

34

7

21%

Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology

34

11

32%

Non-Baptist Affiliated Theological Schools

Total Students

Female Students

Percentage

Duke University’s Divinity School

27

10

37%

Emory University’s Candler School of Theology

14

4

29%

Northern Seminary

16

2

13%

Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology

3

1

33%

Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School

4

1

25%

SCHOOL CLOSURES In addition to the gains and losses is the sad reality that two of the seminaries tracked in previous BWIM reports are no longer operating. In 2019 Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond closed its doors due to financial pressures. Then, in February 2020, the trustees of Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas voted to close the programs at Logsdon Seminary. Various reasons for the closure of Logsdon Seminary were stated and reported, but the result was another loss for open-minded Baptists. The closing of these two seminaries meant fewer options for women to receive seminary training in a Baptist context, as well as less opportunities for men to be trained alongside and by women in a uniquely Baptist setting.

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CONCLUSION When compared to the data in 2015, this 2021 report definitively shows that Baptists continue to make progress for women in ministry in almost all areas. Even with the sharp decline of ordinations during the pandemic, the yearly average of women ordained from 2016 to 2021 increased from the average in the previous report. The number of female pastors and co-pastors increased from 2015, and all denominational groups had a larger percentage of women serving in the highest levels of pastoral ministry. In 2021, 34% of all chaplains and counselors were women, which is an increase from 2015.

Finally, just over half (51%) of Baptist students studying in master's-level programs at the schools tracked in the 2021 report were women, which is an increase from 47% in 2015.

While there is cause for celebration in the 2021 report, Baptists have to grapple with the reality that very little progress has been made for women in ministry in the last six years.

Part I exposed that women continue to face significant obstacles to ministry, and Part II revealed that the increases in female pastors, co-pastors, chaplains, and seminary students in many cases were statistically quite small.

There are many contextual realities that may contribute to this stalled progress.

The first contributing factor is the overall decline of Baptist bodies, as evidenced by denominational groups who are experiencing a decrease in the total number of affiliating churches, the declining overall enrollment in master’s-level degrees, and the closure of two Baptist seminaries in recent years. The reduction of these overall totals affects the percentages of women serving in and preparing for ministry.

The second important cultural event of note is the pandemic. It has been widely reported that women, particularly women in the workforce, felt the lingering social effects of the pandemic most keenly. It seems that the same can be said for women in ministry. Part I documents some of the burnout and challenges that women in ministry faced in the past two years. Part II echoes these struggles with decreased statistics of women from 2020 and 2021 in various sections of this report.

While the pandemic in particular has undoubtedly stalled the progress of women in ministry, it is not solely to blame for the minimal statistical increases in 2021. Clearly, women in ministry is more than a hot-button topic of the past.

Although many Baptist bodies claim support of women in ministry, there is clearly still a large gap between what is professed and what is practiced.

Nevertheless, in the face of declining Baptist bodies, the pandemic, and the gap between belief and practice, women continue to be integral to the community of God and the ministry of the gospel. Moreover, Baptists have the opportunity to cultivate creative new practices of encouraging and empowering women. There is cause for celebration about the trends of overall growth of women in ministry in the 2021 report.

There is also a deep need for Baptists to reimagine the ways churches, institutions, and our own attitudes toward women can develop into more expansive methods of growing support for women in ministry.

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ENDNOTES Many of the survey questions were measured on a Likert scale. For questions where the choices were “strongly disagree,” “somewhat disagree,” “neither agree nor disagree,” “somewhat agree,” or “strongly agree,” the percentages in Part I represent respondents who chose “somewhat agree” or “strongly agree.” For questions where the choices were “never,” “rarely,” “sometimes,” “frequently,” or “very frequently,” the percentages in Part I represent respondents who chose “sometimes,” “frequently,” or “very frequently” because “sometimes” is too often for women to face the instances of gender discrimination and exclusion asked by the survey. i

ii

Some quotes were edited slightly for grammatical reasons or to retain anonymity.

Tiffany Burns, Jess Huang, Alexis Krivkovich, Lareina Yee, Ishanaa Rambachan, and Tijana Trkulja, Women in the Workplace 2021, McKinsey & Company, September 27, 2021, https://www.mckinsey.com/ featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace.

iii

Because the survey focused on the experiences of women in ministry, only women in ministry had the opportunity to respond to this question. However, BWIM recognizes that men, children, and women who are not in ministry are also victimized by sexual misconduct, and all victims need and deserve advocacy. iv

UCSD Center on Gender Equity and Health and Stop Street Harassment, “Measuring #MeToo: A National Study on Sexual Harassment and Assault,” April 2019, https://stopstreetharassment.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/08/2019-MeToo-National-Sexual-Harassment-and-Assault-Report.pdf. v

The total number does not include female pastors and co-pastors at churches aligned only with ABCUSA. However, this number does include fifteen women whose churches were not affiliated with any of the Baptist denominational groups in this report. vi

The statistics reported for GBSC NC were gathered from the “Year-To-Date Contributions Report” published on June 9, 2021.

vii

The statistics reported for BGAV were gathered from https://www.bgav.org/find-achurch?location=christ-city-church-washington-district-of-columbia-2.

viii

The statistics reported for BGCT were gathered from the “2020 BGCT Annual,” https://issuu.com/ texasbaptists/docs/2020_bgct_annual_final_interactive?fr=sNjM5NTQ0MDM4OTY. The reported total number of affiliating churches was gathered in November 2021 from https://texasbaptists.org/about/ affiliation/bgct- affiliation.

ix

Scan the QR code to visit the State of Women in Baptist Life webpage where you can download the discussion guide, view the full survey results, watch the webinar release, and read the previous reports.

Laura Ellis Project Manager Before serving with Baptist Women in Ministry, Laura previously worked with Baptist News Global, Safe Havens Interfaith Partnership against Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's field personnel in Bali, Indonesia. She holds a master of divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology and currently lives in Waco, Texas.

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