This morning (May 16), the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Credentials Committee announced that they have received written appeals for consideration from three of the eight churches the Executive Committee (EC) announced were no longer in “friendly cooperation” during their meetings that took place between September and February.

The EC explained during their February meeting that they had determined five churches, one of which was Saddleback Church, to be “not in friendly cooperation with the Convention due to the churches continuing to have a female functioning in the office of pastor.”

The Credential Committee’s statement explained that “SBC Bylaw 8 provides that ‘a church which has been found not to be in cooperation may appeal the decision to the Convention by submitting a written appeal…at least 30 days prior to the Convention’s annual meeting.’”