On Rick Warren, Women Pastors, and “Secondary Issues”

On June 14, 2022, during the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church was given the opportunity to speak at the Messengers’ microphone for approximately five minutes (more than any other Messenger at the time). Pastor Warren gave an impassioned statement about his love for the SBC and how being part of the Convention made his many accomplishments possible (a list he was only too proud to share). 

While much can be said about Pastor Warren’s braggadocios claims (and his apparent lack of self-awareness about how much he was making of himself rather than Christ) it was his conclusion that struck a rather interesting chord for some. As he finished his statement, Pastor Warren said, “are we going to keep bickering about secondary issues or are we going to keep the main thing the main thing. We need to finish the task and that will make God smile.”  Bickering over secondary issues. That is what Rick Warren challenged SBC Messengers to do, stop bickering over secondary issues. 

Just what kind of issues is he referring to? One of the primary matters of discussion at the Annual Meeting was the ordination of women as pastors, especially in light of the fact that Saddleback Church had recently, and very publicly, ordained three women to that office. So much of a discussion was this issue that a call for the disfellowshipping of Saddleback had been brought up (it didn’t happen) and an hour-long discussion over whether the Credentials Committee could take time to study what “pastor” meant occurred (thankfully, it did not pass). This particular issue was very much in view when Pastor Warren made his plea.

What is a secondary issue? It is a poorly phrased term (I’ll say why shortly) for those doctrinal issues that do not fall within the area of what can exclude someone from the faith by its denial.  In other words, certain doctrinal beliefs – such as the deity of Christ, the Triune nature of God, salvation by faith alone in Christ alone, and others – are of such importance that the denial of them prohibits the possibility of calling oneself a Christian. To deny that we are saved by Christ alone, for example, to espouse that there are other means of salvation, means we have denied the words of Christ alone when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). You cannot deny these necessary truths and possess the salvation of Christ. These would be considered “primary” doctrines.

“Secondary” doctrines are important matters of faith where it is possible to be wrong or in error and yet still be saved. Such doctrines can include baptism (such as debates over infant or believer’s baptism), end-times doctrine (amil, postmil, premil, etc), and, to an extent, discussions over the nature of salvation (monergistic vs. synergistic). Included in that designation of “secondary” doctrines would be who can be appointed to the office of pastor. These are matters that Scripture speaks with authority and clarity, but can often be interpreted differently for a variety of reasons (ignorance, preconceptions, traditions, importation of personal ideologies, etc). As such, Christians will find themselves in debates over these matters, yet, in many cases still be able to call one another brethren.

Pastor Warren wants members of the SBC to see the ordination of women as simply a “secondary issue” over which “bickering” need not occur. That, rather than debating what Scripture says, they need to lay the matter aside, link arms in unity, and “keep the main thing the main thing.” In other words, stop worrying about whether Saddleback is right or wrong on this matter, just get back to evangelism, and bring bodies into the church. And for that, many gave him a standing ovation.

Here is the thing though, does a doctrine being a “secondary” issue relegate it to the realm of being unimportant? Should Christians simply disregard their differences on these matters for the sake of unity? Or are these doctrines still important enough that churches are called not only to determine what is right but actually apply and live by those doctrines? Of course, the correct answer is the last one. 

Pastor Warren, and many others like him, are simply wrong when they tell us to stop worrying about secondary doctrines. God’s Word is not a book of recommendations that we ought to pick through, using what we like and discarding what we do not. It is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible, and all-sufficient revelation for all Christian life and practice (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are to study it daily, conforming ourselves to its precepts and commands. We are to grow in our understanding, never being satisfied to think we somehow have mastered it all. We are to submit humbly to the Word, examine ourselves by it, and repent whenever we find ourselves in contradiction to what God has said.

That means that the so-called “secondary issues” have as much importance in our lives as the primary ones.  Remember, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ. When we were called to him in repentance and faith, we were told to be baptized and obey all that Christ has commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). How do we know what He has commanded? By diligently studying His Word. Scripture, all of it in its entirety, is God’s revelation of Himself, His nature, and His work in us. Therefore, there are no unimportant doctrines. All of doctrine is important. 

This is why the term “secondary issues” is a train wreck. It gives a less than subtle implication that, because it is not “primary” or salvific, it does not matter what you believe. Nothing could be further from the truth. If God has commanded us in a given matter, we are obligated to believe and obey Him. To refuse to obey God is to be lawless, it is sin. When we have His Word before us, we are called to study and understand what His commands are and to commit them to our hearts and minds. And we are then to live by them. We do not have the freedom to stay ignorant. We do not have the freedom to relegate something as being unimportant. We have a duty to read, study, meditate on, and obey His word.

This is why debating these matters of doctrine is also important. Because we are fallible and prone to disobedience, it is incumbent upon all Christians and churches to examine our doctrine and practice regularly. This means that those other factors I mentioned earlier (ignorance, preconceptions, traditions, and ideologies) must be examined and challenged. If we love the church, if we truly care for the bride of Christ, we cannot simply sit by and not speak when we see professing brethren openly reject and disregard the Word of God. We must speak up, we must challenge, we must debate, and we must demand that we all conform ourselves to the Scriptures.

Rick Warren does not want his ordaining of women challenged. Yet, Scripture is clear. God has reserved the office of pastor to particularly qualified men (1 Timothy 2:12-14). While God does indeed give gifts and calls certain persons to given roles (Ephesians 4:7-11), He never contradicts Himself. If God calls a person to pastor, then He will call the very persons He has authorized in His Word. Pastor Warren wants to say that the gift of pastor and the office of pastor are different things. Yet, there is no such distinction in Scripture whatsoever. It is a rejection of the totality of the teaching of the Word to claim otherwise. And when called out for this, Pastor Warren says this is bickering. That the matter is secondary. That it is an obstacle to “the main thing.” 

What Pastor Warren is really saying is that he wants to ignore Scripture because it interferes with his preferred church business model. And he wants other Christians to quit telling him that he is disobeying the Word. Pastor Warren is elevating his personal ideologies above the clear commands of God and he is trying to recruit other Christians to do likewise.

Christians, “secondary issues” are still God’s commands to His church. They are not open to personal interpretation and application. And they are most certainly not open to rank disobedience because we do not like them. These doctrines inform us of the character and nature of our Lord and Savior. They call us to humble ourselves and submit to Christ that we might make much of Him. Our commitment to study and live in accordance with these doctrines brings glory to His name. They point the watching world to the Savior who is greater, more majestic, and more beautiful than anything we have to offer. To do anything but make a diligent effort to be transformed by these doctrines is to put ourselves over His Word. May this never be. Pastor Warren and those who applauded him need to humble themselves and repent. 

Secondary doctrines are important doctrines. Study them. Know them. Live by them. Be humbled by them. Glorify God in obeying them.