Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM) released the 20th anniversary edition of its “State of Women in Baptist Life” report at its annual gathering today in Atlanta.
Progress and Persistent Challenges
The qualitative section of the report addressed findings from the 2021 edition, which showed that even when churches became more affirming of women in ministry roles, the overall environment for women did not always improve. To explore this further, BWIM partnered with Dr. Heather Deal to identify “the markers of Baptist congregations where women in ministry thrive.”
The report identified six such characteristics: affirming women in ministry, intentionally pursuing gender equity across all areas of the church, maintaining nonhierarchical organizational structures, providing support networks for women, addressing gender issues throughout church life, and creating inclusive staff policies.
Yet even among congregations that display these characteristics, persistent challenges remain with microaggressions and benevolent sexism. The report describes “benevolent sexism” as “attitudes and beliefs that, while seemingly positive or protective toward women, ultimately reinforce traditional gender roles and limit women’s autonomy and leadership within a religious setting.”
One common example, according to the report, involves “unsolicited remarks about women pastors’ appearance, often framed as compliments but carrying condescending or objectifying undertones.”
Tracking the Numbers
The quantitative section of the report tracked key indicators of Baptist women in ministry, including ordinations, the number of women serving as pastors or co-pastors in congregations, women in chaplaincy and counseling roles, and women enrolled in theological education.
When it comes to churches that embrace women in lead or co-pastor roles, North Carolina remains the standard-bearer. The Tar Heel State has 84 identified Baptist congregations with female pastors or co-pastors, up from 70 in the 2021 report. Virginia and Texas follow North Carolina, with 58 and 49, respectively.
A contributing factor to North Carolina’s success may be the prevalence of Baptist-affiliated theological schools in the state with high percentages of female students. These include Campbell University Divinity School (72% female enrollees), Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity (47%), and Wake Forest University School of Divinity (54%). In addition, slightly more than half (52%) of Duke Divinity School’s Baptist students are women.
BWIM is a national network that supports Baptist women in ministry through fellowship, advocacy, resource sharing, and amplifying the voices of women ministers. The complete 2025 “State of Women in Baptist Life” report can be found here.
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