"It failed to reach the two-thirds threshold that's required to make it an amendment," Dr. Ed Stetzer, Dean of Theology at Biola University, told CBN News.

Tuesday the SBC expelled First Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. The church has a woman pastor over children and women but also believes women can serve as a senior pastor.

"Women have had a prominent role within the ministry and pastoral positions within the leadership of First Alexandria for over 44 years," Pastor Robert Stephens of First Baptist Church Alexandria said on the floor of the convention.

The SBC deemed the church's stance in conflict with the Baptist faith and message.

Stetzer said the narrow defeat of the measure called the Law Amendment sends a message.

"By the amendment failing, it means there's not a new rule in place that, for example, you can't use the word pastor at any term, like children's pastor, that a woman might be in," he explained.

Stetzer added, "That tells you that in the vast majority, the vast, vast majority of southern Baptists want to hold the line at a complementarian view."

"It just shows you that southern Baptists are determined to abide by what the Scripture says about the office of pastor," said Lawrence Smith, one of the convention delegates who are known in the SBC as "messengers," and Communications Director for the Kentucky Baptist Convention. 

The SBC also grappled with the ethics of in-vitro fertilization. Delegates moved to express concern about the procedure, particularly the issue of surplus embryos.

A resolution called on Baptists to, "reaffirm the unconditional value and right to life of every human being—including those in the embryonic stage. And to only utilize reproductive technologies consistent with that affirmation, especially in the number of embryos generated in the IVF process." 

The convention also approved sexual abuse reforms.

Two years ago, a task force was charged with creating resources for churches, including a database of pastors accused of abuse.

The denomination's executive committee has now been tasked with implementing those recommendations.

"For the sake of survivors, for the sake of just the rightness, the goodness of followers of Jesus doing what they should do, there needs to be paths to take it seriously," Stetzer said. "And what I would say is it's not going to be easy, and it may be one of the more controversial things that they lead, but that's what leaders do."

Meanwhile, from a field of six candidates, the SBC also elected North Carolina's Clint Pressley as its new president.

Pressley, who heads Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, is known for his conservative leadership style.

"It took two ballots or three actually to elect someone," said Smith. "But I think Clint's going to do a great job, a great man of God, and he'll do a lot to, if there are any lingering fractures among the messengers, among our convention, he'll work to heal those." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Charlene Aaron serves as a general assignment reporter, news anchor, co-host of The 700 Club, co-host of 700 Club Interactive, and co-host of The Prayerlink on the CBN News Channel.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'Unbelievable Revival': God Is Moving with Power in Transnistria Despite Russia's Heavy Hand

MAGA Passenger Says She Was Targeted by Flight Attendant

Abortions Drop Nearly 80% in South Carolina Thanks to New Heartbeat Law

Biden Hiding Details of How His 'Voter Access' Executive Order Is Influencing the Election: Report

Cultural shift? US and Canada Now Show Decreased Support for the LGBT Agenda

Nurse Who Exposed Illegal Kids Gender Program Gets Intimidating Visit from FBI Agents

Judge Blocks Biden's New Title IX Rules in 6 States: 'There Are Two Sexes: Male And Female'

Louisiana Becomes First State to Mandate Display of 10 Commandments in Schools

Celtics Head Coach, Joe Mazzulla Dons 'But First Let Me Thank God' Shirt Moments after Team Wins the Championship

Moving Crews Train to Become Heroes in the War on Human Trafficking

Oregon Doctors Could Soon Lose Their Licenses for 'Microaggressions' Under Proposed Medical Board Rule

Kansas AG Sues Pfizer for Misrepresenting COVID Shot as 'Safe and Effective'

Dem-Majority FCC Helping George Soros Fast-Track Takeover of Nationwide Radio Network: 'This Is Scary'

Non-Violent J6er Julio Baquero III, Diagnosed With Stage 4 Gastric Cancer While in the Gulags, Has Passed Away

Biden's Latest Amnesty Plan Will 'Normalize Lawlessness': Senator

Juneteenth: Its History, and Motivation for Today

Don't Let the Left Ruin Juneteenth's True Meaning

'Call 911! Call 911!': Shocking Moment Couple Discover Baby Abandoned Near Walking Path

'Horrifying': ISIS Kills 80 Christians, Decapitating Victims in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democrat Insiders Reveal Possible 'Secret Plot' to Replace Feeble Joe Biden