Major SBC Church Re-titles All "Pastors" to "Shepherds" to Avoid Non-Compliance With Credentials

It’s amazing what you can get away with if you own a thesaurus and a straight face. At Fielder Church in Arlington, Texas, the word pastor has suddenly vanished from the staff directory, replaced with the quaint, pastoral-sounding title of shepherd.

And steering this rebrand from the captain’s chair is Jason Paredes, Fielder’s lead pastor…or “shepherd,” as they now call themselves. Paredes has never hidden his feminist-egalitarian stripes. This is the same Paredes who stood before his congregation and publicly lamented the SBC’s decision to disfellowship Saddleback Church for ordaining women, boasting that he voted against the move.

The same Paredes who told his church, without a shred of hesitation, “We unwaveringly, unequivocally, gratefully have female pastors in this church. And we believe that that decision is scripturally accurate.”

His wife ought to be ashamed, but let’s be honest—she’s likely the one cracking the whip and charting the course.