<p><img width="350" height="219" src="/media/17260687/saddleback-church-sign-1 350x219.jpg" alt="Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA)" class="ImageFloatRight"/>A Christian apologist and author – as well as some influential Southern Baptist leaders – are taking issue with a prominent West Coast church that they argue has deviated from God's Word and caved to a worldly trend.</p>
The Commonwealth of Kentucky had existed only 77 years when Sunrise Childrenâs Services was organized. A group of ladies at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville recognized a need to care for orphaned children living on the streets. Their focus was on providing care for children in crisis and Sunrise Childrenâs Services was born.
Since 1869, Sunriseâs mission has remained the same. For more than 150 years, this agency of the Kentucky Baptist Convention has cared for Kentuckyâs children and families through foster care, orphan care, and residential and therapeutic services.
In the late 1970s, Sunrise was approached by the state of Kentucky and asked to help with the increasing number of children in the stateâs custody. The request aligned with Sunriseâs mission and they were eager to help. Since then, the number of children in the stateâs custody has steadily risen and Sunrise has been a steady partner. According to the Kentucky Cabinet for He
Newly elected Southern Baptist Convention President Pastor J.D.Greear, lead pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, speaks at a news conference at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, on June 12, 2018. | The Christian Post
J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, said the California-based Saddleback Churchâs decision to ordain three women was âdisappointing,â and urged the denomination to âstand on the bedrock of Godâs Word â whether the issue is the role of pastor or any other issue.â
In a development described by Saddleback as âhistoric,â the church, founded by Rick and Kay Warren, announced that they ordained their first three female pastors, despite being affiliated with the SBC which prohibits female ordination.
Saddleback Church ordains three women, defying Souther Baptist Convention washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A variety of reactions are shared on a Saddleback Church social media post and photo about ordaining three women over the weekend. Screengrab via Facebook
(RNS) Saddleback Church, one of the largest churches in the Southern Baptist Convention and home to influential pastor Rick Warren, ordained three women as staff pastors this past weekend, a move that critics say violates the denomination’s statement of faith.
“Yesterday was a historic night for Saddleback Church in many ways!” the Southern California megachurch’s Facebook page announced on Saturday (May 8). “We ordained our first three women pastors, Liz Puffer, Cynthia Petty, and Katie Edwards!”