- Thousands of Southern Baptists overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to advance a formal ban on women pastors in the nation's largest Protestant denomination, sending a clear message that men alone should preach to these conservative evangelical congregations.

The amendment would tighten existing restrictions in the Southern Baptist Convention, which already has a faith statement opposing women pastors.

The vote was 6,028 to 2,026 - a 3-to-1 margin - which easily exceeded the required two-thirds majority.