Is this history in the making?
Nearly half a decade after Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, made history by appointing The Rev. Tony Lowden as its inaugural Black lead pastor, another milestone has been reached with the selection of The Rev. Ashley Guthas as its first female pastor. Guthas, a 2023 graduate of McAfee School of Theology, previously served as an associate minister specializing in families with children and youth at Northside Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta. Despite her extensive qualifications, Guthas has expressed reservations about embracing the title of pastor due to her status as a divorcee.
Northside Drive Baptist Church lauded Guthas’s wealth of experience in youth ministries within both Methodist and Baptist contexts, as well as her professional background in marketing with Chick-fil-A, when announcing her transition to Maranatha Baptist Church. However, representatives from Maranatha’s deacons, who are authorized to discuss the hiring, were unavailable for comment at the time of reporting.
In her farewell message to Northside Drive Baptist, Guthas elaborated on her decision to accept Maranatha Baptist Church’s persistent invitations. She conveyed deep appreciation to her former congregation for their unwavering support, noting the years it took for her to reconcile her theological beliefs with the notion of women assuming leadership roles within the church. Guthas candidly shared her personal journey towards embracing her pastoral calling, despite the challenges of transition and deliberations between multiple job offers.
Guthas officially tendered her resignation from Northside Drive Baptist Church on April 28, soliciting prayers from her congregation as she prepared for the impending transition. She recognized the significance of a Baptist church, which recently disassociated from the Southern Baptist Convention, appointing a woman as its pastor, and thanked her former congregation for the opportunity to serve and evolve alongside them, despite the brevity of her tenure.
Former President Jimmy Carter, a longtime member of Maranatha Baptist Church, holds a significant place in its history. His decision to sever ties with the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000, citing its increasingly conservative stance, underscores his advocacy for gender equality in church leadership. Carter’s progressive values align with those of Maranatha Baptist Church, as evidenced by Guthas’s historic appointment.