For Now, Southern Baptists Stick by Hosanna Wong, Spoken Word Artist and Pastor

(RNS) — Organizers of a major Southern Baptist pastors conference are standing by their choice to feature a spoken word artist and pastor named Hosanna Wong despite a growing controversy over whether Wong’s presence contradicts the Southern Baptist Convention’s doctrine on women pastors.

Wong, who is scheduled to perform a spoken word selection at the June meeting of the SBC Pastors’ Conference in Orlando, Florida, serves as a teaching pastor for a San Diego church. She is the only woman included in a list, released Monday (Feb. 10.), of speakers and guests set to appear at the conference. 

Her presence on the list was met with protests on social media. 

Critics have demanded that Wong be disinvited from the event, citing the Baptist Faith and Message, the denomination’s doctrinal statement, which states that “the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

“The powers that be are ticked off — and they believe there is an agreement for her to drop out,” said the Rev. Wade Burleson, a prominent pastor from Oklahoma who supports Wong’s appearance and believes she will remain on the program. “Let’s see what happens.”

At least two other speakers at the conference come from churches that allow women to serve as pastors on their staff, according to critics. 

In a press release Friday (Feb. 14), Rev. David Uth, pastor of First Baptist Church in Orlando,…